Ibec, the group that represents Irish business, has welcomed the commitment to balanced regional development in the National Development Plan and said successful delivery is paramount.
"We welcome the ambition in the National Development Plan and the commitment to balanced regional development.
"Ibec had consistently called for a robust public capital investment programme to address infrastructure deficits in the region. The plan must stimulate investment, boost productivity, improve quality of life and support the creation of jobs in the region.
"The revised National Development Plan supports enhanced regional connectivity. Connectivity is essential for more balanced growth and to tackle growing regional inequalities.
"Dublin accounts for almost half of all economic output, making us more reliant on our capital city than any other country in the EU. We must prioritise the reduction of this imbalance through ambitious investment in critical infrastructure in areas such as housing, digital, innovation, transport, health and education.
"A NDP with this scale of ambition has the potential to fuel economic growth. It provides an opportunity to address long-standing connectivity challenges, persistent regional disparities and support the recovery and sustainable growth of our cities, towns and villages. However, delivery is paramount.
"This necessitates a bold ambition to radically improve capital project delivery timelines. The commitment to advance the necessary changes to the planning process will play a vital role in this. The focus of Government must be firmly fixed on delivery to secure the future growth of the region," Ibec Regional President, Tony Neary, stated.
