- COVID crisis may deepen economic divide within Limerick
- Rail connectivity welcome in tandem, not instead of strategic road access
Limerick 27/01/21: Limerick Chamber CEO Dee Ryan has warned that the COVID crisis may further deepen the economic divide in Limerick unless targeted interventions and active steps are taken by government. A key part of this is delivering on the existing commitment to finish the Coonagh – Knockalisheen road, which is an acknowledged important element of the National Development Plan, the goal of which is to address regional inequities.
Responding to news that Minster Eamon Ryan is proposing a rail option instead of completing the road scheme, the Chamber CEO said that the COVID crisis has hit Limerick and other regions across Ireland differently and, as was the case in the aftermath of the last crisis, recovery in the Mid West is likely to lag behind Dublin and the East.
“We already have the highest number of unemployment black spots in the country here in Limerick and we don’t need this further delay on a project that is central to the regeneration plan for one of them and has also been justified and approved within the National Development Plan,” Ms Ryan said.
“Yes, rail connectivity is also very welcome but it is not a silver bullet. Rail in isolation limits mobility options for the people of Moyross and also limits opportunity for job creation and business development in the area.”
Limerick Chamber is among the chorus of local interests demanding that the Green Party Leader and Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, does not row back on the commitment made to people of Moyross for delivery of the road and does not risk wasting the €19m already spent on the project.
“Inequality is the root cause of many problems in Limerick and other cities and is an issue where much work still needs to be done. Huge investment and energy has been put into addressing these challenges by elected representatives, community groups and our local authority and this road is identified as a key solution for the north-side of Limerick. We cannot continue to leave sections of our community isolated. If we do, the inequalities will further deepen” Ms Ryan added.
In a letter to the Minister last December voicing concerns about the delay in completing Coonagh to Knockalisheen scheme, Ms Ryan outlined the importance of the road project for both the Limerick Institute of Technology’s planned Coonagh Campus and for the success and sustainability of years of investment in the Limerick Regeneration Programme on the city’s north side.
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