Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 January 2018
67. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the work undertaken on the development of the Atlantic economic corridor; his views on whether there are specific infrastructure projects which could form part of the corridor; and if his Department has sought the inclusion of the AEC in the national planning framework and the capital plan. [1289/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Partnership Government and the Action Plan for Rural Development both contain a commitment to progress the concept of an Atlantic Economic Corridor. The concept was proposed in February 2016 by a group involving a number of Chambers of Commerce in the Western region and the American Chambers of Commerce of Ireland.
The overarching objective of the Atlantic Economic Corridor proposal is to maximise the assets along the western seaboard and connect the economic hubs, clusters and catchments of the region to attract investment, support job creation and contribute to an improved quality of life for those who live there.
My department colleague, Minister Michael Ring TD, established the Atlantic Economic Corridor Taskforce in March 2017 to progress the proposal and I now chair the Taskforce. The Taskforce includes senior representatives from the business sector, key Government Departments, other public bodies, and Third Level institutions.
The Taskforce has met four times since it was established and will continue to meet on a regular basis. A number of sub-groups of the Taskforce have also been established to progress specific aspects of the overall proposal, such as examining infrastructure needs and enterprise property assets, and developing a communications strategy.
Work on developing the AEC and identifying possible elements is ongoing. One project which I believe forms part of the AEC is the Western Rail Corridor which exemplifies what we are trying to achieve with the AEC in strengthening connectivity between growth centres. In my view the AEC would be strengthened with the continued development of the Rail Corridor, for example from Athenry to Claremorris, and the examination of other extensions such as a rail connection from Sixmilebridge to Shannon Airport.
On the AEC my department will continue to engage with stakeholders, including other Government departments, on its development.
