Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 January 2019
1006. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of meetings held by the Atlantic Economic Corridor task force by date and location of each meeting in tabular form; the details of each sub-group established under the AEC; the meetings to date; and the annual funding allocation to the AEC task force in each of the years 2017 to 2018 and to date in 2019. [54279/18]
View answerThe Programme for Partnership Government and the Action Plan for Rural Development both commit to progressing the Atlantic Economic Corridor initiative to support the development of the western part of the country, from Donegal to Kerry.
The objective of the AEC project is to maximise the assets along the western seaboard and combine the economic hubs, clusters and catchments of the region to attract investment, support job creation and contribute to an improved quality of life for people in the region. The National Planning Framework recognises the contribution which the AEC initiative can make to supporting the regional growth objectives of the NPF.
Minister Ring established the Atlantic Economic Corridor Taskforce in March 2017 to oversee and progress the initiative. I now chair the Taskforce which meets every quarter, with the most recent meeting taking place on the 10th of December 2018. To date, there have been eight meetings of the Atlantic Economic Corridor Taskforce, the details of which are below.
The Atlantic Economic Corridor Taskforce
|
Meeting Location |
Date |
|
Breaffy House Hotel, Castlebar, Co. Mayo |
6/3/2017 |
|
University of Limerick |
16/05/2017 |
|
NUIG Galway |
25/7/2017 |
|
The Building Block, Sligo |
6/11/2017 |
|
Limerick City and County Council Chambers |
12/3/2018 |
|
NUIG, Galway |
29/6/2018 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
08/10/2018 |
|
Leitrim County Council Chambers |
10/12/2018 |
Three subgroups have also been established to support the work of the Taskforce, focusing on the issues of infrastructure, enterprise space and communications and marketing. The details of these subgroups and the meetings held to date are as below.
AEC Communications Subgroup
|
Meeting location |
Date |
|
SCCUL Enterprise Centre, Ballybane, Galway |
28/09/2018 |
|
SCCUL Enterprise Centre, Ballybane, Galway |
25/10/2018 |
|
SCCUL Enterprise Centre, Ballybane, Galway |
29/11/2018 |
AEC Enterprise Space Subgroup
|
Meeting location |
Date |
|
University of Limerick |
16/05/2017 |
|
Boardroom Ireland West Airport Knock |
19/06/2017 |
|
NUIG Galway |
25/07/2017 |
|
The Building Block, Sligo |
6/11/2017 |
|
Action Tuam Enterpise Centre, Tuam, Galway |
7/12/2017 |
|
Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone |
09/01/2018 |
|
Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone |
5/2/2018 |
|
Claremorris Municipal District Offices |
19/2/2018 |
|
Claremorris Municipal District Offices |
3/4/2018 |
|
Ennis, Co Clare |
23/4/2018 |
|
Mayo County Council Offices, Claremorris |
30/5/2018 |
|
SCCUL Enterprise Centre, Ballybane Galway |
19/06/2018 |
|
SCCUL Enterprise Centre, Ballybane Galway |
14/11/2018 |
|
Claremorris Municipal District Offices |
7/12/2018 |
AEC Infrastructure Subgroup
|
Meeting location |
Date |
|
Claregalway |
13/04/2017 |
|
Boardroom Ireland West Airport Knock |
19/06/2017 |
|
The Hynes Boardroom, NUIG Galway |
25/07/2017 |
|
The Building Block, Sligo |
6/11/2017 |
|
Action Tuam Enterpise Centre, Tuam, Galway |
7/12/2017 |
|
IDA Offices, Finiskilin, Co. Sligo |
26/2/2018 |
|
Galway County Council Chamber, Prospect Hill, Galway |
25/09/2018 |
|
SCCUL Enterprise Centre, Ballybane Galway |
14/11/2018 |
While there is no formal budgetary allocation for the Taskforce, my Department has provided funding of €474,783 to the relevant Local Authorities as a partial salary subvention towards the appointment of Atlantic Economic Corridor Officers in those Local Authorities. These officers provide a resource to support the work of the AEC Taskforce, and to promote the AEC concept across the region as a whole.
I have also provided additional funding of €500,000 to the Western Development Commission for 2018, part of which will be used to support the work of the Taskforce.
My Department has also provided smaller levels of funding for the production of some communications materials and general logistical support for the Taskforce.
