Last week we attended a special event for India National Day where the advent of Multi-Cultural Waterford came up.Waterford has changed very much in last decade and a half with the strong Irish economy attracting labour from Europe but also further afield like India.There is a growing Indian community in Waterford and they seem happy here. Many work in the hospital or in the health service in general, other study.They have made a home here in Waterford. in Britain there is a large Indian community.

Cllr Eamon Quinlan, Cllr Jody Power, Kieran Walsh, Munster Express, Senthil Ramasamy, Waterford Metropolitan Mayor Cllr Breda Brennan, Cllr John Hearne.

Cllr Eamon Quinlan, Cllr Jody Power, Kieran Walsh, Munster Express, Senthil Ramasamy, Waterford Metropolitan Mayor Cllr Breda Brennan, Cllr John Hearne.


In Waterford, we have a  significant number of  nationalities so much that 15 per cent of the population is foreign born approximately, with larger proportions in some areas of the city.To date there has been good integration, sports clubs and schools have risen to the challenge.As some of the speakers have said it will enrich the local community.  Ireland seems to be coping well so far with the assimilation.There is no major anti-immigrant party so far.
Our own Taoiseach is half Indian and shows that children of immigrants can rise to the top.He can be a good  example, to others.Waterford Institute of Technology has a significant overseas student population and with Brexit coming, more are likely to come here rather than the UK where an anti-EU approach is building up.   The Brexit debacle could mean some opportunity.Having an acceptable and welcoming city for new people will make Waterford a more attractive place for investment and from overseas firms too.This is now happening in Ireland.  Going around Dublin these days is a vastly different experience as one sees so many new people from various parts of the world, shops and food outlets display a wide variety of options.
Here too we have many food options with even sushi food coming to the city.Polish shops abound selling groceries, butchers products, baking materials giving wider choices to local consumers.A Polish representative was also at the India Day event and so also were people from the African community.Waterford also has some African and Asian Shops where spices from other continents can be bought