Latest news with #NWRA
RTÉ News
4 days ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
€9 billion sought for northern and western region projects
The Northern and Western Regional Assembly (NWRA) has urged the Government to provide €9 billion capital investment across 33 infrastructure projects of scale in the region as part of the ongoing review of the National Development Plan. The NWRA is calling for investment of €4 billion across roads funding, €2.6 billion across public transport projects, €1.3 billion across energy projects and €600 million across higher education projects across the region. NWRA Economist John Daly said it is "imperative" that the region moves beyond delivering small infrastructure projects. The Letterkenny Chamber of Commerce representing 320 members who provide employment for 10,000 people in the northwest doubled down on the NWRA's calls. Speaking ahead of the annual president's lunch, Chamber President Jimmy Stafford told RTÉ News the region is "effectively in the relegation zone from an infrastructural perspective". Mr Stafford said the region's transport infrastructure ranked the 218th out of 234 European regions in the EC Regional Competitiveness Index. "We're calling for cabinet approved projects to be actioned immediately; projects such as the A5, the 10-T Road Network and the ATU Campus," Mr Stafford said. President of ATU Dr Orla Flynn told RTÉ News that the university is seeking permission to borrow funds to develop student accommodation. "We are not allowed to borrow (funding to build student accommodation) at present. It is in the legislation but there is no framework that will allow us to do it. "My understanding is that a pilot will be rolled out; I would like to see it rolled out across all our campuses. "We're working with private developers where we can, but student accommodation is the number one issue our students keep raising". Dr Kind said student accommodation is a key enabler for the university in terms of increasing enrolment, particularly around international students. A NWRA delegation will outline the region's infrastructure priorities as part of the National Development Plan review to Oireachtas members next week. They will emphasise the call for a €9 billion funding allocation across 33 infrastructure projects of scale in the region. The Minister for Rural and Community Development Dara Calleary told RTÉ News the national development plan "is being reviewed to a wish with that kind of ambition". "We have made it clear that we want to see these projects progress without any further delay when the national development plan review is published. "The NWRA has given us useful research-backed information. We will bring that forward to the NDP review that is ongoing". Minister Calleary told RTÉ News the review of the plan is expected to be published before the end of the summer. The NWRA analysis that will be presented to Oireachtas members will state that there is no regional project of scale worth more than €1 billion planned for the region beyond 2025. Two projects of this scale are planned for the Eastern and Midland Region (Metro and Children's Hospital) and the Southern Region of Ireland (M20 Cork-Limerick Motorway). In respect of regional projects estimated to cost between €100 million and a €1 billion beyond 2025; NWRA analysis shows seven projects of this scale will be delivered in the Northern and Western Region, compared to nine in the Southern Region and 21 in the Eastern and Midland Region. The NWRA analysis shows that 10% of residential units that began construction activity in the first quarter of this year were in the northwest, below the region's 17.6% share of Ireland's population. They have noted a similar trend is evident in respect of new housing completions with 12% of housing completions in the first quarter this year located in the region. The NWRA will tell Oireachtas members this pattern they are concerned this trend is having an economic impact. First quarter Central Bank of Ireland data showed almost 70% of the value of consumer card spending (both online and instore) was in the Eastern and Midland Region compared to 9% in the Northern and Western Region. The NWRA is concerned the continuation of these trends will see the region's share of Ireland's population decrease, leading to underdevelopment in the region and overdevelopment in the greater Dublin area.
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
A main road that endangers the lives of drivers every day must be urgently upgraded says Sligo business group
Sligo Chamber of Commerce has called on the Government to scrap a limited plan to redevelop just two sections of the N17 and commit to a previous promise to transform the entire 40km stretch of road from Collooney to Ireland West Airport Knock into a modern, safe, dual carriageway. The call is backed by Joe Gilmore, Managing Director of Ireland West Airport Knock and other regional businesses, who have urged the Government to revisit plans for full redevelopment of the road as originally outlined in the National Planning Framework. The Chamber and Ireland West Airport Knock believe the current situation in which heavy goods vehicles are travelling alongside cars, buses, and agricultural vehicles in winding single lanes of traffic is proving a barrier to economic growth in the region. The N17 is the primary road linking the West and North West and forms part of the national network connecting the cities along the western seaboard – Cork, Limerick, Galway and Derry. It is also a key part of the Atlantic Economic Corridor, a government initiative to encourage investment in the West of Ireland. A provision for the full redevelopment of the N17 from Collooney to Ireland West Airport was established in the National Planning Framework in 2018. However, in 2023, the previous Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, placed a ministerial condition on the planned redevelopment which limited the works to the construction of a bypass at Tubbercurry and another at Charlestown. Sligo Chamber of Commerce CEO Aidan Doyle believes the ministerial condition is an 'arbitrary' measure and must be scrapped in favour of full redevelopment. He added: 'The existing road connecting Ireland West Airport Knock and Collooney is unsafe and unfit for purpose. Drivers and residents of communities along the N17 are sadly familiar with the unsafe conditions created by the heavy flow of traffic along the route. To kick-start economic growth and protect the lives of road users, it's vital that the Government scraps the arbitrary ministerial condition inserted by the previous Minister for Transport and delivers on original commitments in the National Planning Framework, which is a high-standard dual carriageway linking the 40km section of road linking Collooney and Ireland West Airport Knock.' Data from the Northern and Western Regional Assembly (NWRA) shows that northern and western region is lagging far behind its European counterparts in terms of infrastructure provision. Indeed, according to a 2024 report from the NWRA, the Northern and Western Region ranks 218th out 234 NUTS2 regions for transport infrastructure and has a regional competitiveness rating on par with regions in the former Soviet states of Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland. Managing Director of Ireland West Airport Knock Joe Gilmore said: 'The existing N17 is a barrier to growth in the North West and West of Ireland. The delivery of a modern dual carriageway from Ireland West Airport Knock to Collooney, and south of the airport to Tuam, as outlined in the National Planning Framework, will be necessary to fulfil our region's economic potential and address the eastern imbalance in the national economy. A safe and free-flowing connection to Ireland West Airport can go a long way to remedying this imbalance and setting the region, and the country, on the path to a more prosperous future.' Also urging the Government to invest in a larger-scale capital project are Daithi Feehily, CEO of Sligo Travel, and Ann Butler of Higgins Pharmacy in Sligo. Learn more As a regular user of the N17, Mr Feehily says there are unsafe conditions created by heavy traffic flows along the narrow and winding route. Indeed, Mr Feehily reported that his fleet of vehicles regularly sustain damage when passing other buses or HGVs on the road. Ms Butler, who lives along the N17, has criticised the government's failure to commit to the full redevelopment of the route, adding that the current condition of the road endangers lives of motorists and residents of communities along the N17 and deepens regional inequality. Sligo Travel CEO Daithi Feehily said: 'Our drivers regularly travel along the N17. The narrow and winding nature of the road is such that our vehicles have sustained damage from passing HGVs and public transport. While this damage has so far been limited to broken wing mirrors and glazing, the effect on a small business like ours is not insignificant. We have considerable concerns for the safety of drivers and passengers on the N17 and fear that there could be much more serious consequences from these incidents if the road is not redeveloped in the future.' Managing Director of Higgins Pharmacy Ann Butler said: 'The N17 between Ireland West Airport Knock and Collooney is not just a bottleneck to economic growth – it's a daily hazard to public safety. The government's failure to deliver on its commitment to fully redevelop this vital route endangers lives and deepens regional inequality. We call for immediate investment to transform the N17 into a safe, modern dual carriageway that supports both prosperity and protection for the North West.'
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
A CT driver was known for his safety record. Now he's won a national award for it.
A Connecticut man is no stranger to safety awards. But for John Griffin, a driver for All Waste, Inc., who had company safety awards under his belt, there was something higher to reach for. So he did. Now, the Hartford-based driver was named the 2025 Driver of the Year by the National Waste & Recycling Association. He recently received his award at a NWRA awards gala ceremony in Las Vegas. Griffin received the national award for 'exceptional safety, service, and professionalism among more than 140,000 drivers nationwide.' Griffin, 51, is a Hartford native and now resides in Wethersfield with his wife, Victoria, and their two sons Nolan, 14, and Declan, 9. Griffin, a Prince Tech grad, has been a commercial driver for 30 years. He drives 500 to 1,600 miles a week over 60 hours with five 12-hour days, from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. 'I liked the idea of being out on my own listening to tunes all day, so I got my CDL, and I fell into the life of a commercial driver,' Griffin said, in a phone interview. Griffin said after some mistakes early in his career, he emphasized safety and not being in a hurry. 'That's when mistakes happen,' Griffin said. 'Over the years, I've won a ton of internal company safety awards, but we decided to take a shot nationwide.' 'My manager called me into his office in March with the owner and the GM and I thought to myself that was going to be really good or really bad,' he added. 'But everyone started clapping for me because I had won the driver of the year. It was pretty awesome.' Griffin gave a two-minute speech in Las Vegas in front of a crowd of 900. 'For what I do every day and to be recognized — it was nothing short of awesome,' Griffin said. According to the NWRA, the Driver of the Year awards 'honor divers who operate safely, responsibly and with distinction enhancing both the image and safety culture of the waste industry.' 'Driver safety and retention remain among the most critical indicators of success in our industry,' said Michael E. Hoffman, president and CEO of NWRA. 'This year's honorees demonstrate an exceptional record of professionalism and performance. Congratulations to all of our winners and honorable mention recipients.' A panel of judges selected the winners through a scoring process based on letters or recommendation, route, equipment difficulty and safety records. In all, there were 42 drivers recognized in Las Vegas last week. 'These individuals perform under some of the most demanding conditions while providing essential services across the country every single day,' said Don Ross, chairman of the NWRA Board of Trustees, in a statement. 'We are excited to recognize their contributions during our new annual awards gala, a celebration of safety and service.'
