This festive season, as we reflect on a year of progress and partnership, the Southern Region stands strong and ready for the opportunities ahead. Across every county from Waterford to Kerry, Carlow to Clare, Cork to Kilkenny, Limerick to Tipperary and Wexford, our communities are benefiting from strategic planning and sustained investment supported by the Government of Ireland and the European Union.
At the heart of this shared success is the our Corporate Plan 2025–2029, a five-year roadmap that sets out our collective ambitions for sustainable growth, resilient communities and balanced regional development. The Plan builds on our statutory role in regional spatial and economic planning and European funds management, ensuring that local needs are reflected in national strategies and that EU funds deliver real impact on the ground.
In 2025, we continued to champion projects that help create jobs, strengthen local services and enhance quality of life across the Southern Region. By managing the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), engaging in co-funded EU projects and initiatives, and supporting smart, sustainable, inclusive regional planning, we help unlock funding that boosts enterprise, fosters innovation and builds climate resilience.
Looking ahead, our work will remain rooted in the values of partnership, sustainability and community-centred development to plan for a future where every part of the Southern Region thrives — economically, socially and environmentally. As we celebrate this festive season, we also celebrate the enduring collaboration that helps realise these ambitions.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from the members and team of the Southern Regional Assembly.
2025 Highlights
Corporate
- Launch of the Corporate Plan 2025–2029, setting a renewed strategic vision for sustainable regional development, launched by Minister John Cummins on Europe Day.
- Participation in the Pledge for a Cleaner, Greener Waterford 2025, reinforcing the Assembly’s commitment to climate action.
- In April, Assembly Members undertook a study trip to Brussels to strengthen relationships with EU institutions and partners.
Interreg NWE
- As National Contact Point for Interreg NWE funding in Ireland, we provided advice, support and helped to find partners for EU funded consortium projects this past year. Since 2021, Interreg NWE has awarded over €30million across Ireland, of which €12million was awarded as EU funding directly to Irish partners in the Southern Region. Since each project must also bring 40% cofinancing, this represents more than €20million invested in Regional Development projects in the Southern Region between 2021-2025.
- Projects funded in the Southern Region cover a wide scope of topics from Climate Adaptation to Energy efficiency, Biodiversity, Circular Economy, Sustainable Tourism and Access to Healthcare and Employment projects.
ERDF Regional Programme
The ERDF programme allocation is now 80% awarded, remaining on target to meet all funding milestones. The programme is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union.
ARC Hubs Scheme, Operation of Strategic Importance
- The announcement of the award of funding to the Research Ireland ARC Hubs for Therapeutics and ARC Hubs for ICT which represents a new model for regional innovation and entrepreneurial training that will catalyse a step-change in the translation of cutting-edge, publicly-funded research towards impact at a regional level.
- The official launch of the ARC Hub for Therapeutics which strategically unites leading academics and scientists with industry partners, investors, and the wider innovation ecosystem. Its core mission is to fast-track the commercialisation of next-generation therapeutics, including biologics, small molecules, immunotherapies, and advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs).
SMART Regions Scheme
- The new Catalyst HQ in Carlow was launched through ERDF support, creating a purpose-built innovation hub expected to generate 350 direct and indirect jobs over 15 years. The project is led by South East Catalyst Innovation Company CLG with regional partners and co-funded by the ERDF under the Smart Regions Enterprise Innovation Scheme.
TU RISE Scheme
- This transformative national programme supports the development of structured research ecosystems across campuses. TU RISE is helping TUs and IOTs expand their central research functions, grow their researcher base, and deepen collaboration with SMEs and industry partners.
- In 2025, TU RISE officially launched projects in IADT and DkIT, strengthening research and innovation collaboration across the region’s technological universities.
Innovators Initiative Programme
- Over 36 students successfully completed the first ever running of the programme in the region, with MTU’s CyberInnovate, Dundalk IT’s DigiBio and UCD/Teagasc FAST-IP all successfully running the program for the first time. Students received their Diplomas and it is hoped that some spin out companies and products will be formed from the students in the coming months and years.
Technology Gateways Scheme
- 17 specialised Gateways and 3 sectoral clusters deliver innovation expertise and solutions for Irish industry by working in partnership with Technological Universities and Institutes of Technology across Ireland.
- Under the COMAND Technology Gateway programme, Technological University of the Shannon has joined forces with Dell Technologies to develop a new AI platform that will advance research in cybersecurity, sustainability, healthcare and robotics.
- Collaboration between the ICS Technology Gateway at Walton Institute, SETU and ESB Network, developed a new mobile app, ESB Networks AR: The Story of Electricity. This innovative app offers an interactive, educational experience that brings the history and infrastructure of electricity in Ireland to life using cutting-edge augmented reality (AR) technology.
- Design+ Technology Gateway based at SETU Carlow hosted 42 Transition Year students from Tyndall College Carlow and Presentation College Carlow as part of the Ignition 25 Innovation Programme. Speaking about the initiative, Richard Whyte said, “The Ignition Innovation Programme is designed to break barriers and introduce young individuals to design thinking, ensuring they have the tools, resources, and opportunities needed to develop their future ideas, whether social or entrepreneurial.”
THRIVE Scheme
- THRIVE showcased its citizen engagement model at the New European Bauhaus Festival in Brussels in September 2025.
- An additional €63m was awarded to 10 local authorities in the Southern and Eastern & Midland Regions for the regeneration and adaptive reuse of heritage buildings.
- The “Reimaging Places: Sustainable Conservation of Ireland’s Beautiful Heritage Conference” – A European Urban Initiative capacity building event under THRIVE and beyond in Monaghan attracted strong national and EU participation.
EU Projects
- The PEACEPLUS DISC (Developing Irish Sea Cooperation) is a two-year project led by us, in partnership with The Executive Office Northern Ireland and the Welsh and Scottish Governments. DISC is developing a strategy and action plan for future cross-border cooperation between Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. DISC was highlighted as a welcome initiative, supporting wider collaboration around the Irish Sea in both the Ireland-Scotland Bilateral Cooperation Framework 2030 and Ireland-Wales Shared Statement 2030.
- In May, the FutureECOS project partners convened in Cork, showcasing good practices from the Southern Region in smart, sustainable, inclusive development and New European Bauhaus principles to an international audience.
- In October, the TALENT4S3 project was presented at the OECD New Brunswick Conference, highlighting the region’s focus on talent attraction.
- Over 60 stakeholders attended the annual “EU Funding in Action” event, exploring ETC opportunities and supports.
- The Assembly hosted 40 European delegates from 9 European countries in Cork for a PROXIMITIES project study visit on sustainable urban living and community-led placemaking. The visit provided valuable insights into Cork’s approach to sustainable urban development, fostering a knowledge exchange on creating inclusive and sustainable urban environments across Europe.
Regional Planning
- We published a report on Housing Delivery in the Southern Region which analysed data and trends from 2024, shared notes concerning trends relating to housing delivery and identified key challenges impacting housing supply across the region.
- Waterford celebrated its designation as a UNESCO Learning City, marking a milestone in lifelong learning.
- The Assembly co-hosted a seminar on the future of Ireland’s MASPs in partnership with ESPON and Maynooth University.
- The SSMA programme concluded successfully and was nominated for an Irish Planning Institute award.