Call for support for
'City for the West' proposal
Enterprise Connacht Ulster has this week called on politicians and public representatives from County Roscommon to support the 'New City for the West' proposal.
Gerard McGarry of Enterprise Connacht/Ulster said that the proposal offers an opportunity to complete the task commenced in 1985 when Enterprise Connacht/Ulster started the campaign to bring European development funds to the region.
"The European Development funds came to Ireland and then came to the region, but they were not distributed as had been hoped. Some areas such as Dublin, the East Coast and cities in general had tremendous gains from the structural funds. At the same time pockets of underdevelopment remain, these are mainly rural such as Central Connacht. Now William A. Thomas from Galway who has prepared a plan to solve urban problems, brings his proposal to 'Lár Connacht' and in doing so offers a solution for the rural underdevelopment of the centre of the relatively underdeveloped region."
Mr. McGarry said that the Galway man's proposal is not a transfer of the present urban problems of congestion, traffic, crime and social problems to a new location.
"On the contrary, he offers the advantages of rural society in a new specially designed environmentally friendly city. This is a development which will encourage community and tradition while at the same time taking advantage of modern facilities and technologies, and all the attractions which are now demanded by young people. We could perhaps envisage an Irish version of Silicon Valley - 'Gleann Silicon'."
The Ballyhaunis-based representative of Enterprise Connacht/Ulster recently met with Mr. Thomas and was impressed by the answers provided to questions about the feasibility of the new city.
"The support of our elected representatives is essential to the success of the new city. Now, all our politicians have supported the National Plan which proposes the further expansion of major towns and cities throughout Ireland. These favoured locations are dressed up as 'Gateways' and growth there is expected to filter out and down to smaller towns and rural areas. New satellite towns and large housing estates are proposed near cities already congested. In Connacht the favoured cities are all on the perimeter, i.e. Galway, Sligo and Athlone. All of these growth centres are a long way from lár Connacht, simply too far away to anticipate any spin-off benefits.
Of course, the Gateway selection is to be evaluated on a technical basis by the National Spatial Strategy. This is where William Thomas has found an opportunity, an opening in the defences of the proponents of the 'Gateway' strategy, he wants his new city proposal to be given equal treatment in the National Spatial Strategy deliberations."
"William Thomas needs support to ensure that his proposal is allowed equal treatment, he needs our support and he needs the support of our elected representatives. I believe that William Thomas has put forward a realistic and achievable proposal which should be supported by everybody who is interested in the survival of rural central Connacht, by everybody who believes that young people should not have to move to remote cities for employment. I believe that the proposal should be and will be, supported by our politicians.
Enterprise Connacht/Ulster delivered before, we saw and followed the EU opportunity, the potential of the Western Corridor route, local participation in development. We should make one more great effort and help William Thomas complete the job."