During a ceremony at Dublin Port today, officials announced the ‘Linking People and Places’ investment plan, part of Project Ireland 2040, with details of the nearly €25 billion planned for investment in tourism, transport, and sport over the next decade.
Thet plan was announced by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross T.D. and Minister of State for Tourism & Sport, Brendan Griffin T.D.
An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar T.D. and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe T.D., were also in attendance.
The ‘Linking People and Places’ project involves three investment categories: ‘Linking our cities and regions’, ‘Linking with the wider world’, and ‘Linking with our communities’. The first category, ‘Linking our cities and regions’, will receive approximately €19.7 billion in funding for public transport and road networks; the ‘Linking with the wider world’ category will receive €4.8 billion for airports and ports; and ‘Linking with our communities’ will be allocated €308 million for tourism and sport.
“Our transport, tourism and sport sectors impact all of us in our daily lives,” said An Taoiseach at the launch ceremony. “That’s why the almost €25 billion committed by Government over the next ten years to improve our transport, tourism and sport infrastructure is so important.”
He continued, “It will deliver improved bus, road and rail infrastructure across the country, increase capacity at our ports and airports and provide enhanced tourist and leisure facilities for visitors and citizens alike.”
‘Linking People and Places’ supports the ten National Strategic Outcomes outlined in Project Ireland 2040: compact growth, enhanced regional accessibility, strengthened rural economies and communities, sustainable mobility, high quality international connectivity, enhanced amenities and heritage, and transition to a low carbon and climate resilient society.
“The link established in Project Ireland 2040 between strategic planning and investment is a first and allows for the type of certainty required to properly plan and deliver significant infrastructure projects such as those outlined in ‘Linking People and Places’,” said Minister Donohoe. “Our transport network – be it road, rail, air or sea – has a vital role to play in linking us with each other and the wider world.”
For more information on ‘Linking People and Places’, visit www.dttas.ie.
