Following the launch today (Wednesday 24th March 2021) of the Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor, Dublin Chamber are calling for the acceleration of the Dublin-Belfast high speed rail project as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.

Mary Rose Burke, CEO of Dublin Chamber commented: ‘We welcome the launch of the Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor report today. Almost 2 in 5 (38%) of the island’s businesses are located within the corridor and there are huge economic benefits and opportunities for businesses if there is more regional and local intergovernmental collaboration. Regardless of Brexit, the business communities both North and South continue to be firm advocates for the strengthening of cross-border infrastructure and cooperation’.

‘We echo Tánaiste Leo Varadkar’s comments in regard to the opportunities around a high speed railway linking Dublin and Belfast and the ambition to travel between Belfast and Dublin in under an hour. Dublin Chamber is calling for the acceleration of the project and for a firm commitment from Government to establish a timeline for its completion. Infrastructure along the corridor is vital in connecting our two cities and supporting the ambition of the corridor as a major driver for jobs and economic growth’.

She concluded, ‘The benefits for business are enormous and in the wake of both Brexit and Covid-19 a successful economic corridor could lift the whole island economy.’