Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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189. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the engagement that there has been recently in relation to progressing the M1 Dublin-Belfast corridor as a business and investment location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39161/22]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor initiative is a collaborative project led by a network involving eight local authorities, North and South of the border, Dublin City University and Ulster University. There is potential for the Dublin-Belfast Economic Corridor to develop a unique international brand as a cross-border region with a particularly strong offering for Foreign Direct Investment seeking to gain access to the European Single Market.

The M1 Dublin-Belfast Corridor falls within the remit of this initiative and aims to connect the two largest cities on the island, Dublin and Belfast. This enhanced connectivity will be appealing to both indigenous and non-indigenous enterprises, allowing the region to further add to its reputation as a thriving hub of economic activity.

The Government is supportive of this initiative and has set out in the National Planning Framework how it wants to build on the strengths of the Dublin-Belfast Economic Corridor to capitalise on the clear economic potential of the region. That will involve effectively planning and developing new growth areas, investing in infrastructure and connectivity, and also protecting distinctive landscapes, green spaces and rural activities along the corridor.

Local stakeholders within the region, including Local Authorities, the enterprise agencies, Local Enterprise Offices, Regional Skills Forum and the business community meet through the Steering Committee for the North-East Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024 . The Committee is chaired by Richard Hanlon of Aon. I will ask my officials to suggest an update on progress on the M1 Dublin-Belfast corridor be included as an agenda item for this Committee.

In addition, IDA Ireland is continuing to market the region to potential investors leveraging infrastructure projects such as the M1 Dublin-Belfast Corridor, alongside the region's rich talent pool and strong track record for industry. I am confident that through the collaborative efforts from the local stakeholders and enterprise agencies the region will remain competitive as a business and investment location.