Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

A Programme for a Partnership Government commits to delivering balanced regional development, particularly in the west of Ireland.  Key elements of the Government's strategy to achieve this goal are shared across a number of Departments. However, within my Department, I am progressing a proposal for the development of an Atlantic economic corridor to attract Irish and multinational investment to grow jobs along the western seaboard.

I and my Department officials held a number of meetings towards the end of last year with public bodies and representatives from a group of chambers of commerce from the western region to explore how best to develop the proposal for an Atlantic economic corridor. The chambers group, along with the American Chamber of Commerce, published the initial proposal for the corridor last year.

It is clear from these meetings that there is support for the proposal and I intend to convene a further meeting of the group in the coming weeks to map out the next steps in the process. Any proposals for the development of the western region will be framed in the context of the new national planning framework, which will be prepared this year by the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Simon Coveney. The national planning framework will be a long-term framework for future development and investment, including in the regions and rural Ireland.

Last week, the Government published the first ever comprehensive action plan for rural development, Realising our Rural Potential: Action Plan for Rural Development. This plan will also be of key importance in delivering balanced regional development.  The action plan seeks to make rural Ireland a better place to live, work and conduct business through a series of measures which will be delivered in the short to medium term.  The national planning framework will build on the action plan for rural development, and seek to address longer-term structural issues facing rural Ireland.

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