The National Spatial Strategy (NSS) www.irishspatialstrategy.com was launched by the Government in November 2002. The NSS is a twenty year strategy, which is a strategic vision for the spatial development of Ireland. It is designed to enable every place in the country reach its potential regardless of size or location.

Background to the National Spatial Strategy:

While the economic success which Ireland has achieved over the past number of years has been notable, economic disparities between and within the regions persist. The Government recognised that in order to achieve more balanced regional development, a strategy needed to be put in place, which would be both national and spatial and deliverable on a regional and local basis. This would act as a counterbalance to the Greater Dublin Area which is facing problems of congestion and sprawl. It would also provide development potential for regions which are underdeveloped and have under utilised resources.

Aims of the National Spatial Strategy:

The primary aim of the NSS is to achieve more balanced regional development. To make this happen a greater share of economic activity must take place outside the Greater Dublin Area. To achieve this, a framework of Gateways, Hubs and other urban and rural areas have been established, which will open up new opportunities in the regions and give people greater choice in where they live and work.

Gateways:

The NSS identifies, Dundalk, Sligo, Letterkenny/(Derry) (Border Region) and Athlone/Tullamore/Mullingar as four new Gateways in addition to the five ( Dublin, Cork, Limerick/Shannon, Galway and Waterford) identified in the National Development Plan. These will act at National level, through their large scale and critical mass to both drive development over the urban and rural areas they influence, and support more balanced patterns of development nationally.

Hubs:

The NSS identifies ‘Hubs’ to hold a strategic position in support of Gateways, energising their own immediate areas and establishing a link between the larger urban areas such as Gateways and more rural areas. The ‘Hubs’ identified in the NSS are, Cavan and Monaghan (Border Region) Ballina/Castlebar, Ennis, Kilkenny, Mallow, Tralee, Killarney, Tuam and Wexford.

Rural Areas Playing to their various strengths:

The NSS emphasises that to achieve balanced regional development, critical mass at the Gateway and Hub level must be complimented by other towns and villages growing to their potential. Under the Strategy towns and villages will better support their local rural and urban populations by becoming the focus for investment, economic activity and housing development. The NSS outlines how rural potential and alternative employment can be developed by building on local strengths, in tourism, agriculture, enterprise, local services and land and marine based natural resources.

Linkages:

The NSS emphasises the important role played by effective transport, communications, energy and their linkages in making places attractive to people and investment. The NSS outlines a framework within which transport and other linkages can be integrated with Ireland’s future spatial structure. In relation to transport linkages, the NSS transport framework will be internationally connected through key points such as airports and port links to Northern Ireland, the UK, EU and the broader global economy.