The Atlantic Economic Corridor (AEC) Chambers Group, which represents Chambers of Commerce along the entire western seaboard, has welcomed the announcement that the European Investment Bank (EIB) has approved the largest-ever EIB support for urban investment in Ireland, to Limerick County Council.
Speaking on behalf of the AEC, Shannon Chamber CEO Helen Downes said: “As one of the largest urban centres on the Atlantic Economic Corridor, Limerick has embarked on another phase of its ambitious 2030 Plan to transform and grow the city.
“This significant investment demonstrates the level of ambition and commitment necessary to rebuild and develop the Atlantic regions. We are confident that the scale and quality of this project will inspire other urban centres along the corridor to be ambitious and see the value and strength of a pro-active partnership between Public, Private and Community organisations.”
The Atlantic Economic Corridor (AEC) is an initiative of the Chambers of Commerce of Tralee, Shannon, Ennis, Galway, Roscommon, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal, Letterkenny, the American Chamber of Commerce. Collectively we represent 80,000 employees, in 2,725 Irish-owned and multinational firms in the mid-west, west and north-west.
The AEC strategy of February 2016 set out the objective of an Atlantic Economic Corridor, with a ‘city of scale’ from Limerick through Galway to Sligo, to match Dublin and Cork in success in developing infrastructure, attracting Irish and multi-national investment, and growing jobs and wealth in vibrant communities. This objective was recognised in the Programme for Government with a commitment to the development of a new Atlantic Economic Corridor and also the establishment in March 2017 of the AEC Task Force.