Chambers Ireland Calls on Next Government to Support Balanced Regional Development
Places Matter, says Chambers Ireland, as it calls on the next Government to support balanced regional development through delivery of critical infrastructure.
Chambers Ireland has called for the next Government to deliver on commitments in the National Planning Framework and Climate Action Plan and ensure delivery of important infrastructure needed to support the competitiveness and sustainability of our economy.
Chambers Ireland Chief Executive, Ian Talbot said, “Although job creation is at an all-time high, the economic recovery is not being felt in all parts of the country. Under-investment in infrastructure, particularly housing, is detrimental to our quality of life and a substantial threat to our competitiveness and the sustainability of our economic recovery.
Our members want to see Ireland become a more productive, sustainable and inclusive place to do business, and it for this reason that Chambers have pledged to advocate for the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Within our Manifesto, we have used the Goals as a framework for how a new Government can help our towns and businesses thrive.”
He added, “Of particular importance to our members is action on housing. We must move from failed planning policies that encourage sprawl, leading to congestion and poor quality of life. To achieve this, we must do more to integrate our strategies on land management, planning, and public transport so that we create urban spaces which benefit everyone. As a first step, we want to see the introduction of a reformed Living City Initiative that supports the renovation of long-term vacant commercial properties.
In addition, substantial investment in the low-carbon economy is essential. Our collective inaction over the past decade to tackle climate change and decarbonise means that we not only risk breaching our 2030 climate targets, but we risk seriously undermining our attractiveness as a place to invest and do business.
One of the immediate priorities of a new Government should be to advance our climate action objectives and make significant improvements to our energy grid, introduce a planning framework that supports offshore renewable wind energy, and provide finance for innovation and research that support decarbonisation.”
