A LIMERICK TD has made a strong appeal for the Government to use the Apple windfall revenues to strategically invest in rail infrastructure that would connect Limerick with Shannon Airport and the wider Midwest Region.
Addressing Minister for Finance Jack Chambers in the Dáil this week during a debate on the Apple revenues, Green Party Deputy Brian Leddin said he believed this windfall offers an unparalleled opportunity to invest in Ireland’s future and rebalance our country.
Specifically, he called for priority to be given to the development of a metropolitan rail system in Limerick and connecting Shannon Airport to the national railway network, which could be financed through the “Apple billions”.
“The Apple windfall is an opportunity to rebalance economic and population growth on our island. Whatever about hi-speed bullet trains, fairly modest investments in the network such as a rail link to Shannon and building out the Metropolitan Railway vision that is now in the Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (LSMATS) will support fast growth of both Limerick City and Shannon,” Leddin commented.
The cost of constructing the link to Shannon Airport is estimated at €200 million in the All Island Strategic Rail Review (AISRR) and could be built within six years and would pave the way for high-density, affordable housing while driving economic growth in the Midwest Region.
In his contribution, the Limerick politician highlighted the recent economic growth in Ireland but stressed that this success has come with challenges in housing, healthcare, energy, and transport, all of which have been exacerbated by a lack of strategic planning.
“We find ourselves needing 60,000 new homes a year, not 30,000 as we once thought. In my home city of Limerick, we likely need a second model 4 hospital, not just an extension of the existing one. Our electricity, water, and wastewater infrastructure all require urgent upgrades.
“The population targets set for regional cities like Limerick in the National Planning Framework Review must be revised, because if they’re not revised, they won’t justify the kind of investment that this Apple money could pay for that could lead to fast population growth and economic growth in Limerick and the Midwest.”
Leddin went onto speak of the region’s incredible ambition for growth but pointed out that this growth can only happen if we build a metropolitan railway system connecting Shannon Airport.
“It should be one of the highest priorities of the Government to build this infrastructure and set the Midwest on a path of fast growth.
“This is an opportunity to fundamentally rebalance our Island, reducing the strain on Dublin and encouraging growth in regional cities,” he added.
Minister Chambers said that the Government is committed to identifying the most appropriate use for these funds to benefit the people of Ireland over the long term.
