A delegation of MEPs from the European Parliament’s Regional Development (REGI) Committee visited Ireland from February 24th to 26th to examine EU-funded projects in the North West and Midlands.
Led by REGI Vice-Chair L‘ubica Karvašová (Renew, Slovakia), the delegation included Raul De La Hoz Quintano (EPP, Spain), Paulo Do Nascimento Cabral (EPP, Portugal), Ciaran Mullooly (Independent Ireland), Maria Walsh (Fine Gael) and Barry Cowen (Fianna Fáil).
During their visit, the MEPs toured Galway Port, part of the TEN-T network, to discuss development plans and their regional impact. In Athenry, they explored potential EU funding for reopening a former railway line as part of the Western Rail Corridor. They also met academics at Atlantic Technological University Mountbellew, a beneficiary of European Regional Development Fund funding. On the final day, the group visited Kilcormac, Co Offaly, to assess the local impact of the Just Transition Fund.
“This mission comes at a crucial time when political discussions on the future of cohesion policy are underway,” Ms Karvašová stated ahead of the visit: “It will therefore be a great opportunity to visit projects funded by the EU’s cohesion policy and related programmes in several Irish counties and meet with local authorities and other stakeholders to understand their vision”.
While in the Midlands, the delegation stayed at the Hodson Bay Hotel in Barrymore, Roscommon. Their visit concluded with a press conference on Wednesday at St Joseph’s Community Centre, Kilcormac, Co Offaly.
