Campaigns have been started in Waterford city and Dungarvan to lure decentralised Government Departments or agencies to their areas.
For the city, nothing less than a full department will suffice. "Not only are we big enough for one, we're entitled to it," said the Waterford Mayor, Mr Pat Hayes, yesterday.
Dungarvan is less ambitious but further advanced with its campaign. A submission presented earlier this month to the Minister of State at the Office of Public Works, the Waterford TD Mr Martin Cullen, included an offer of a site which can be adapted to meet the occupier's needs.
"We can provide whatever type of building is required to meet the specific requirements of the agency concerned," Mr Jim O'Donovan, the director of community and enterprise at Waterford County Council, said yesterday.
The 43-acre site is at the former Waterford Foods plant in the town and is to form part of a newly-extended town centre with commercial, retail and residential development.
The submission to Mr Cullen was made by Dungarvan Urban District Council, Waterford County Council, Waterford County Enterprise Board, Dungarvan Chamber of Commerce and Waterford Leader Partnership.
As well as highlighting the advantages of living in the area, it points out that Dungarvan "is one of a small number of towns and cities throughout the world which can boast a broadband fibre optic interactive network, enabling businesses to fulfil all their IT needs with minimum fuss and hassle."
Mr O'Donovan said Mr Cullen was "extremely supportive" of the case for Dungarvan and they were hoping for an early decision.
Meanwhile Waterford's Mayor said a meeting was being sought with the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, to press the case for a Government Department to be relocated to the city. Submissions had been sent to the Minister by Waterford Corporation and the city's Chamber of Commerce.
"We understand fully that the policy is to decentralise to smaller towns, but we feel Waterford has been neglected in the past and we need this to bring us into line with other major cities," Mr Hayes said.
Spokesmen for both areas stressed they were not in competition with the other.