Mullingar TDs should support Athlone's drive for city status - McFadden

TDs from Mullingar and the rest of the midlands should get behind Athlone's campaign to be designated a city.

That's according to Athlone based Senator Gabrielle McFadden, who is urging her Oireachtas colleagues from around the region to unite in calling for the designation of Athlone as a strategic development centre.

She made her call after finalising a submission to the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government Eoghan Murphy, which will feed into the Ireland 2040 Planning Framework.

“The midlands needs a city with sufficient population and facilities to offer an alternative to the Dublin region, and Athlone is objectively the most suitable candidate to fulfill this criterion. It is the largest urban area in the midlands, it has a key strategic location being almost exactly in the centre of the country.

“It acts as a gateway to the west and northwest of Ireland. It is halfway between Dublin and Galway, straddling two provinces, two regional authorities and is the meeting point for rail, river, gas and road as well as having a thriving third level college. It is a pharma and distribution hub and is a popular tourist destination. It has a social and cultural infrastructure unrivalled in the region.”

“The draft framework document, published in September, shied away from designating any additional cities, but we must continue to campaign for special recognition for the midlands in the final policy document. If we do not make this opportunity now, it may pass and the entire midlands region would be worse off.”

“So, I am urging all politicians in the region to support my position.  I am calling on Minister Naughten and Junior Minister Moran add their weight to the campaign, to make their local town a city.  And I am urging all other Oireachtas members in Longford-Westmeath, Roscommon, Offaly and East Galway not to fall into the trap of parochialism but to do what is best for the midlands and for the country.”