The Letterkenny Chamber is asking the business community and the voting public to insist that infrastructure and access is the top priority for all incoming public representatives.
Letterkenny and the North West has many needs but none more so than basic access to the region.
There are a very wide range of candidates and each has their own top priorities.
Over the last few weeks we have seen Ministerial visits and on every occasion we have asked that they prioritise access to Letterkenny.
Sometimes we feel this is falling on deaf ears however we believe that the newly elected members of Donegal County Council must place access as their top priority and must bring pressure to bear on central government to enable this County and town get the roads that its business community needs.
Letterkenny Chamber President Gerard Grant explains why this is such an important issue, he told Donegal Daily, “Back in 2008 we were promised that we would be driving on the A5/N2 in 2015 by the Transport Minister.
“We are now in 2014 and the A5/N2 is still in public consultation.
“The road link to Dublin is the main arterial route for many of our businesses in dealing with customers, suppliers and for transporting goods to and from the region.
“It is used when executives from the US Headquartered companies come on regular visits to Letterkenny and it is the first transport link experienced by prospective investors and it is simply not fit for purpose and borderline embarrassing, he added.
Grant points to the motorways being built connecting the main cities in the south to Dublin, but Letterkenny and Derry remain cut off.
Secondly he points out that the Government is projected to spend almost €370m linking up two sides of the Luas in a city already served by bus, light rail and tram which is scheduled to be finished in 2017.
Grant concluded, “The investment and infrastructure deficit in the Northwest needs to be addressed once and for all if economic recovery is to be a reality for every region in the country.
“As the new enhanced council forms in June we believe they have a strategic role in the development of this region and they will need bring their influence to bear on this issue.
“Letterkenny Chamber takes every opportunity to lobby government and TDs on the serious infrastructure deficiencies that are affecting the North West.
“Potential County Councillors hoping to represent this region must do all they can to support us.
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