From Department of Rural and Community Development
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Mr Seán Canney TD, the Item was unpublished or removed
Minister Canney said:
“As the Chair of the Atlantic Economic Corridor Taskforce, I appreciate the need for smart, sustainable and targeted investment in infrastructure in the Western region, from Donegal down to Kerry. Such investment is essential to the development of a thriving economic Corridor, linking the cities and towns along the Atlantic Seaboard to each other and to the country’s other regions. By developing these linkages we can harness the potential of the Western region to help meet the ambitions of Project Ireland 2040 to achieve more balanced regional growth.”
The Minister continued:
“The European Union’s Ten-T (Trans European Network – Transport) supports the implementation and development of a Europe-wide network of roads, railways, inland waterways, maritime shipping routes, ports and rail-road terminals. The European Commission has commenced its process of reviewing the core network. Minister Ross recently wrote to the EU Commissioner with responsibility for Mobility and Transport, Violeta Bulc, welcoming the Commission’s initiative and requesting the Commission to consider including the Atlantic seaboard region on the Ten-T Core Network.”
Minister Canney said:
“Project Ireland 2040 highlights the actions and investment required to strengthen the Northern and Western regions of the country. However, the inclusion of the Western Arc on the TEN-T Core Network could open further opportunities to support the development of the Atlantic Economic Corridor initiative, which was established to attract investment, boost competitiveness, create jobs and improve the quality of life along an economic corridor stretching from Donegal to Kerry.”
Contact:
The Department of Rural and Community Development Press Office
076-1006843 / 087-1734633
Press.office@drcd.gov.ie
The Atlantic Economic Corridor (AEC) is the term applied to a linear region along the Western seaboard, stretching from Kerry to Donegal. The aim of the AEC initiative is to maximise the assets of the region to attract investment, support job creation and improve the quality of life for those who live in the region.
The counties covered by the AEC are: Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Roscommon, Mayo, Galway, Clare, Limerick, and Kerry.
The AEC initiative is overseen by a Taskforce which comprises representatives from national, regional and local government, state agencies, higher education institutions, the private sector and the community sector. The Taskforce is chaired by the Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development, Sean Canney TD. For further information, see: www.atlanticeconomiccorridor.ie
Article 54 of Regulation 1315/2013 on Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network stipulates that the European Commission will consult with Member States in order to carry out a review of the implementation of the core network by 31 December 2023. The TEN-T Regulation also explicitly states that the European Commission should take into account national implementation plans when carrying out the review of the TEN-T Network. In Ireland's case, these would include both the National Development Plan and the National Planning Framework. Both of these Government documents, under Project Ireland 2040, will shape the future development of Irish planning and infrastructure across a range of sectors, including transport.
A copy of Minister Ross’ submission to Commission Bulc is available here: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/3c921e-submission-to-commissioner-bulc-for-a-revision-of-the-core-ten-t-net/