Re: Re: Fast-Track Infrastructure legislation

@Frank Taylor wrote:

Would you oppose a multi hubbed infrastructure network, where Cork Limerick and Galway became significant centres of gravity?

Frank – I remember years ago when the Goverment first released its plan for the development of a motorway network in Ireland, a map was published in the Irish Times. Perhaps it was because it was published in black and white but the effect of that map was quite stark. There were lovely big thick black lines linking Dublin with Galway, Cork, and Limerick. There were no lines above Galway and there were no lines down the left han-side of the map. That map encapsulated development in Ireland. North-west – nothingess. The other cities – extended satelite suburbs of Dublin.

I would love to see regional hubs developed – I would never argue against this. They should, however, be integrated and that means that there should be a viable transport infrastructure connecting [Derry]-Letterkenny-Sligo-Galway-Ennis-Limerick-Cork. This infrastructure should be independent of the transport connections to Dublin. This would facilitate proper balanced regional growth. Without this, the western seaboard will continue to haemorrage its population to the eastern seaboard. If people are serious about addressing developmental problems in Ireland, they will have to start thinking about stimulating serious economic growth in the west and that means infrastructure. Ie- put in the infrasturture and the population will follow, rather than the current plan of let the people populate an area around Dublin and then address it with infrastructural ‘solutions’. Chicken and egg.