Minister ‘alert to challenges’ of growing population

Thomas Lyons

Minister Peter Burke says that infrastructure development is keeping apace of house building in Mullingar.

Concerns regarding the pace of growth in the town centre around a mismatch between its rapidly expanding population and the slower delivery of critical local infrastructure.

Data from the 2022 Census reveals a robust growth trend in Mullingar, and a current population of 22,667. That marks a substantial increase of 12.7% over the previous six years. Furthermore, the Westmeath County Council Draft Local Area Plan estimates an even more significant population surge, anticipating 27,849 people residing in Mullingar by 2031.In recent months, the council have granted planning permission for a number of large-scale housing developments in Mullingar, and the rapid rate of growth exacerbated concerns about the impact on both soft and hard infrastructure.

Commenting on the issue the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, said: “What we point to is the work that is unfolding right before our very eyes,” he told reporters at a meeting of EU tourism ministers at Bloomfield House Hotel last Thursday.

He said there was a plan to address the growth: “In terms of infrastructure development, you will note particularly in Mullingar, we have a number of new schools over the last five years. You’ll be aware of the new Gaelscoil on the C-link Road, our new Saplings, the relocation of St Mary’s School adjacent to St Finian’s which is another exciting infrastructure development in the education sphere.

“In secondary education there’s a number of significant renovations and extensions taking place. Mullingar Community College, you’ll have seen the exciting work that was carried on there. St Finian’s have a very significant increase in their footprint and capacity,” he said. “St Mary’s, Coláiste Mhuire, are coming forward with a new proposal that’s currently working its way through the Department of Education.”

The minister said there is an acknowledgment of the need in other areas: “A lot of work to do in early years education and increased capacity there. We’ve had some improvements but I think with the new proposals on the east of Mullingar that we’ll see a new setting come in, which will be very important.”

On jobs, the employment minister said there is a particular focus, while being cognoscente of the lessons of the past: “Obviously employment, I think, is critical and central to my role. We’ve had new multinational clients come to Mullingar and come to Athlone, which is important. That will continue apace with a few exciting announcements over the next number of months for both Athlone and Mullingar.

“I think that will really cement us in terms of employment but equally, and I’m mindful of this, you have to have the infrastructure to support a growing population and additional housing, and we can’t ever let happen what did over a decade ago, whereby housing was so fast-tracked and infrastructure did not follow, so we’re alert to the challenges in that regard.”