1.2 | POLICY CONTEXT
Project Ireland 2040 is the Government’s overarching policy initiative to make Ireland a better country for all, a country that reflects the best of who we are and what we aspire to be. Project Ireland 2040 comprises the NPF to 2040 and the NDP 2 018-27 . The NPF projects that our national populationwill grow by one million in the next 20 years. This will require an enormous shift in thinking to plan how and where people live, work, and travel, and to ensure a more balanced growth away from the overconcentration of population, homes and jobs in the Greater Dublin Area.
National Strategic Outcomes and the Strategic Investment Priorities
The NPF sets the context for the RSES through 10 National Strategic Outcomes (NSO’s):
Compact Growth involves careful management of sustainable growth of compact cities, towns and villages to achieve better residential development across the Southern Region.
Enhanced Regional Accessibility is key to the delivery of the NPF, which aims to enhance accessibility and connectivity between the key urban centres and their Regions. Not all routes have to look east and the need to improve connectivity between Cork, Limerick, Waterford (and Galway) and the Regions is essential.
Strengthened Rural Economies and Communities are a strong part of the identity of the Southern Region. Rural areas play a key role in the Region’s economy, environment and quality of life, which is reflected by the objectives of the Action Plan for Rural Development.
High-Quality International Connectivity is crucial to the Region for overall international competitiveness, in addressing opportunities and challenges from Brexit through to investment in our ports and airports. National Ports Policy and National Aviation Policy, coupled with high-speed broadband are the chief instruments in consolidating and improving on our Region’s international connectivity. Sustainable Mobility is core to Ireland’s Climate Change mitigation plan. A managed transition to electrifying our mobility systems is critical. We need to move away from polluting and carbon intensive transportation systems to technologies such as electric vehicles for public and private transport. In line with the NPF, we need to ensure that our Region will enjoy a cleaner, quieter environment free of combustion engine driven transport systems by 2040.
Southern Regional Assembly | RSES
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