Mid-West needs delivery-first investment plan to unlock growth potential says Limerick Chamber
Chamber calls for infrastructure-led regional strategy as Limerick-Shannon receives lowest per capita capital funding among Ireland’s five metropolitan areas
9 June 2026 | editor@breakingground.news
Limerick Chamber has called for the next Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) and Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan (LSMASP) to become a delivery-focused investment framework, warning that the Mid-West’s growth potential will remain constrained without significant improvements in infrastructure delivery and capital investment.
In a submission to the Southern Regional Assembly’s consultation on the review of the RSES, the Chamber argues that the Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area possesses the population base, enterprise capacity and strategic assets needed to make a greater contribution to national economic growth. However, it says that ambition alone will not deliver results unless investment priorities, delivery timelines and accountability mechanisms are embedded within the revised strategy.
The submission calls for a prioritised capital investment programme covering transport, housing, water services, energy infrastructure, ports, aviation, city centre regeneration, education, healthcare, justice facilities and supporting utilities across the Mid-West region.
According to the Chamber, the region continues to face delays in the delivery of key infrastructure projects, including transport schemes, housing-enabling infrastructure, electricity grid capacity, wastewater treatment facilities, renewable energy projects and city centre regeneration initiatives.
The organisation also highlighted what it describes as a significant regional funding imbalance. It notes that the Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area currently receives the lowest level of committed capital investment per capita among Ireland’s five metropolitan areas, a situation it says is restricting housing delivery, business expansion and wider regional competitiveness.
Limerick Chamber Chief Executive Donnacha Hurley said future regional planning must be underpinned by delivery mechanisms rather than policy aspirations alone.
He said the next strategy should include clear project timelines, identified delivery agencies and annual monitoring of progress to ensure commitments are translated into completed infrastructure.
Mr Hurley said the Mid-West is home to nationally important assets including Shannon Airport, Shannon Foynes Port, the Shannon Estuary, Limerick City, higher education institutions and major employment centres. He argued that these assets should be recognised as national growth drivers rather than solely regional priorities.
Housing delivery features prominently in the Chamber’s submission. It identifies housing shortages as a growing constraint on recruitment, retention and business growth across the region. To address this, the Chamber is seeking a dedicated housing-enabling programme for Limerick-Shannon that would include serviced land audits, brownfield site activation measures, compact growth delivery mechanisms and stronger support for apartment development and city centre living.
On transport infrastructure, the submission calls for accelerated delivery of major projects including BusConnects Limerick, metropolitan rail services, Moyross and Ballysimon railway stations, Colbert Station regeneration, the Limerick-Foynes rail line, improved access to Shannon Airport and strategic road upgrades such as the N/M20 Cork-Limerick route and the N21 and N69 corridors.
The Chamber is also seeking a central role for Shannon Foynes Port and the Shannon Estuary within Ireland’s renewable energy and industrial decarbonisation ambitions. It proposes the creation of a Strategic Energy & Renewables Accelerator Ireland (SERAI), a framework designed to position the Shannon Estuary as a major green energy and clean industry hub.
The proposal would seek to align spatial planning, energy infrastructure, enterprise policy, port development, electricity and gas networks, industrial land activation and workforce development to support offshore wind, floating offshore wind, green hydrogen production and wider energy security objectives.
Mr Hurley described the Shannon Estuary as a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Ireland, stating that with appropriate planning and investment it could become a significant European energy hub supporting long-term employment and industrial growth.
Additional recommendations include stronger recognition of Shannon Town as a strategic growth centre, further investment in Limerick City Centre, support for the Shannon Town Masterplan and the development of a more integrated Limerick-Shannon Economic Zone that reflects the area’s functional economic geography rather than administrative boundaries.
The Chamber also wants the revised Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy to give the Southern Regional Assembly a stronger implementation role, supported by enhanced coordination across public bodies and annual reporting on infrastructure delivery performance.
