Waterford’s attempts to extend boundary into South Kilkenny were ‘waste of time, money and effort’ – Minister Phelan

MINISTER and Kilkenny TD John Paul Phelan has hit out at Waterford City and County Council’s ill-fated plan to extend the city’s boundary into South Kilkenny, describing it as “as absolute waste of time, money and effort”.

The Waterford Boundary Commission had recommended that parts of South Kilkenny should come under the governance of the Waterford local authority, but this was subsequently rejected by the then Minister for Local Government, Simon Coveney.

Instead a joint structure will be formed, with representatives from both counties appointed to oversee the boundary area.

Minister Phelan, a Ferrybank resident who vehemently opposed the proposed boundary changes, is now the minister in charge of local government.

He told councillors in Waterford this week that the boundary extension was turned down because it was never a runner in the first place.

The minister said the 20,000 submissions from Kilkenny people opposing the boundary extension reflected the public sentiment in the county. He argued that the time and money that went into trying to change the boundary could have been better spent by Waterford.

Minister Phelan said the new joint structure will allow both local authorities to cooperate on governance of the Ferrybank area, Kilkenny’s second largest population centre.

A good working relationship between Kilkenny and Waterford councils is seen as crucial as the €300 million North Quays regeneration in Ferrybank, which will create thousands of new jobs, moves into the final planning stages.