A good plan for the future of Ireland

Dear Sir,

Project Ireland 2040 will support families and strengthen communities in County Louth and will ensure sustainable growth for the future of the county.

In the first version of Fine Gael’s Republic of Opportunity document, we said it is time to plan for what Ireland is going to look like in 2040.

This is our plan for the future of Ireland. For the first time in the history of the State, our spatial planning is backed up with solid investment and it will deliver for our citizens.

The National Planning Framework which forms part of Project Ireland 2040 sets out how Ireland can grow in a sustainable, balanced fashion over the next twenty years. 50% of population growth is planned for our towns, villages and rural communities and 50% for our cities. Project Ireland 2040 is backed and supported by Government investment in a €115bn National Development Plan. Project Ireland 2040 seeks to enhance regional connectivity and competitiveness, improve environmental sustainability and build a fairer, more equal Ireland where everyone has the opportunity to live in a strong community and reach their full potential.

Project Ireland 2040 represents a particular step change for the northern part of the island of Ireland. It explicitly recognises that:

Dundalk and Drogheda are key centres on the Drogheda-Dundalk-Newry cross-border network and in the context of the Dublin-Belfast economic corridor and that the North East is a functional area with strong links to the Dublin-Belfast economic corridor

The Government is committed to the policy objective of delivering further capital works/flood relief schemes to minimise the impact of river and coastal flooding on society through the roll-out of the 29 Flood Risk Management Plans. A number of large schemes are targeted for the North East, including Dundalk, Carlingford and Greenore and Drogheda. In Drogheda the proposed flood prevention works are to target long established areas of flooding such as The North Quay, The South Quay, Wellington Quay, Ship Street and Ushers Corner / Donors Green.

Our population is expected to have increased to 6 million people by 2040 and, without any State intervention, this will result in ongoing shift in population and jobs towards Dublin and the neighbouring counties. This is not in anyone’s interests. Over €100 million in capital funding has been allocated for the Sport Capital Programme (SCP) for the coming four years.

For social housing, the target across the 2016-2021 period is to deliver approximately 2,000 additional social homes under this programme across this region. Over two thirds of this will be through new build and a healthy pipeline of activity is already in place with around 1,000 units completed, on site or progressing through approval stages.

Of the 1,000 additional social housing units in current delivery, specific examples would include 105 new homes by Tuath Housing Association at the Rathmullen Road Drogheda.

County Louth is going to benefit from real investment and proper planning thanks to Project Ireland 2040.

This sustainable planning for County Louth is backed by real investment, will support families and strengthen communities here. With Project Ireland 2040, Fine Gael is ensuring sustainable growth for the future of Drogheda and County Louth. What’s good for County Louth is also good for the surrounding region. Cllr Oliver Tully, Fine Gael.