Local chartered accountancy firm, Russell Brennan Keane (RBK ) has welcomed Athlone’s status as a ‘regional growth centre’ as part of Project Ireland 2040.
Welcoming the news, David Gleeson, managing partner at RBK, said the new designation will act to benefit the entire midlands region.
“We will really have to ask ourselves what type of country we want to live in,” Mr Gleeson said. “Is it a country with all the population virtually on the eastern coast or a more balanced distribution of the population which will have work/life balances benefits and lower costs?
“At present people are travelling for up to three to four hours per day in their cars to their work place in Dublin, leaving their homes at 5am in the morning and not returning 7pm or 8pm in the evening. This is simply not good for the quality of theirs and their family’s lives.”
Mr Gleeson added that the Government is right to try and ensure balanced growth around the country, and said regional centres like Athlone are the best place to start.
“This is good news not just for Athlone but the entire Westmeath county and the surrounding counties of Longford, Roscommon, Offaly Laois and East Galway,” he said.
