11.3 Collaboration with the Southern Region and Northern and Western Region

11.3 Collaboration with the Southern Region and Northern and Western Region

Inter-regional accessibility and cooperation is also central to delivering the overall Growth Strategy for the Eastern and Midland Region, for further detail on strategic conections see also Chapter 3 Growth Strategy.

Collaboration with the Northern and Western Region (NWR)

There are a number of opportunities that enable collaboration with the Northern and Western Regional Assembly area. The strategic location of Athlone, centrally located between Dublin and Galway and partially located in the NWR, offers potential for both regions to work together for economic, social and environmental advantage, particularly through the Joint Urban Area Plan (UAP), maximising its contribution to interregional growth and creating a competitive settlement of sufficient scale to serve the wider area.

Longford acts as a strategic portal to the North-West, on the Dublin to Sligo rail corridor that also serves Mullingar and Maynooth. Enhanced rail services on the Dublin-Sligo line including DART to Maynooth, coupled with intended upgrades to the M/N4 route will improve linkages. Dublin to Cavan generally follows the N/M3 route, while development of the cross border A5 route connecting to the N2/M2 will improve connectivity between Dublin and the border counties to Derry and Letterkenny.

Sustainable transport options through enhanced development of the Blueway and Greenway networks will further enable strategic connections and heightened collaboration for the benefit of the tourism industry. Increased recreational use of the Grand Canal, completion of the Dublin to Galway Greenway which is designated as a trans-European Eurovelo Route and increased recreational use of the Royal Canal as part of a Dublin to Westport Greenway, will improve northwest connectivity.

Figure from page 232

Figure from page 233

All Ireland Cohesion

Collaboration with the Southern Region (SR)

CASE STUDY:

There are a number of avenues that facilitate collaboration with the Southern Region to ensure mutual benefit. Strategic linkages between Dublin and Cork allows the maintenance of a physical connection between the two largest cities in the state including the Dublin to Cork rail corridor, part of the EU TEN-T core network, which aims to protect and enhance strategical international connections between Belfast, Dublin and Cork. This rail corridor also provides commuter rail services to the Dublin hinterlands and the RSES supports a feasibility study for the provision of high-speed rail links between Dublin and Limerick/ Junction Cork. Likewise, linkages between Dublin and Rosslare Europort are supported as is the importance of inter-regional national routes such as the N80.

Regional Collaboration in Environmental Assessement of RSES

Having regard to the trans-boundary nature of the environment, a cross regional Environmental Management Team was established to ensure consistency across the three regions in the preparation of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), Regional Flood Risk Assessment (RFRA) and Appropriate Assessment (AA) to inform the development of the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSES).

During the iterative environmental assessment process regional project teams worked closely together to examine potential growth scenarios and the range of environmental issues to be considered at national, regional and cross sectoral level while also allowing for different approaches and local responses by the regions. The process was supported by evidence and mapping tools such as the National Environmental Sensitivity Mapping (ESM) Webtool.

There is potential to promote sustainable transport links between the Grand Canal, the Barrow Line and to further develop the Barrow Blueway connecting Carlow- Graiguecullen on the boundary with the Southern Region and extending south to Waterford. This also supports an improved and consolidated approach to tourism development.

This Strategy also supports cooperation through soft measures that allow for the management of growth strategically for long term benefit in terms of economic and social development and environmental quality. This includes collaborative initiatives such as the ‘All Ireland Smart Cities Forum’ and cooperation with higher and further education institutes, including at local levels, such as Laois and Offaly ETB with Carlow IT.

REGIONAL POLICY OBJECTIVE:

All Ireland Approach

RPO 11.1: In co-operation with relevant departments in Northern Ireland, the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly, and where appropriate in association with the Northern and Western Regional Assembly, will support mutually beneficial policy development and activity in the areas of spatial and infrastructure planning, economic growth and related spheres.

Figure from page 234

Regional Spatial & Economic Strategy

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Implementation & Monitoring