Ireland 2040 strategy will 'kill rural Ireland' according to coalition
The Government’s 20-year plan for the country will ‘kill rural Ireland’ – and is doomed to fail.
That is according to a newly-formed coalition of cross-party TD’s opposed to the National Planning Framework.
The ‘Ireland 2040’ strategy is expected to be published in the coming weeks – and aims to help shape local, national and regional planning and investment for the next 20 years.
However, its facing resistance with deputies from a number of parties calling for a re-think on the plan.
Unless this happens they warn the country will be walked blindly into a deeper and irreversible economic and social imbalance.
Labour’s Alan Kelly says something needs to change: "The north-west of Ireland might as well be somewhere from outer space as it is completely forgotten.
A new coalition to challenge the current national planning framework #iestaff
— Juno McEnroe (@Junomaco) January 31, 2018
TDs join forces to stand up for rural Ireland #dail pic.twitter.com/mQC4qGabP2
"When it comes to transportation and access, it's quite incredible that this document and this plan only makes reference to one airport and one airport growth in Ireland and that is, obviously, Dublin."
Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice says this plan fails everyone: "There is a responsibility on all of us to stand up and be counted in this.
"This isn't about them and us, this is about getting it right once and for all."
The group will hold the first of a series of public meeting on the issue in Athlone on Monday night.
