LIMERICK Chamber has called on the Government to address regional economic disparities and to make it a priority in all key budget decisions this year.
Chief executive Dr James Ring said that this year’s budget may be the most critical to date in terms of addressing regional economic imbalances.
“The Mid West has physical infrastructure deficits but the capital investment required to deliver this would have a significant return for Limerick, Clare and Tipperary”, he explained.
As part of the submission, the Chamber is recommending a spend of at least four per cent of GDP on public infrastructure.
“The Government’s Action Plan for Jobs has a specific focus on the regions including a €530 million spend on enterprise-focused initiatives and investment in property solutions. All the initiatives set out are welcome but for us, an absolute priority must be creating the infrastructure to enable our region compete with every other region in Europe,” said Dr Ring.
“This budget is the time for Government to address regional economic imbalances. Projects like the M20 Limerick to Cork motorway and the N60 Foynes to Limerick upgrade will deliver a huge return on investment as they will make the region more attractive for inward investment.
“These key projects have a Limerick focus but the benefit will be region wide. Regions need a strong city at their core and the stronger Limerick City is, the stronger Clare, North Tipperary and County Limerick will be,” Dr Ring explained.
