Bids to make Derry investmentmagnet hailed

The chief executives of Derry City and Strabane District Council and Donegal County Council have been praised for their joint work in attempting to double the size of Letterkenny and turn it and Derry into twin magnets for investment.

Sinn Féin Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, speaking in the Seanad last week, said that plans to turn Letterkenny into a city and, with Derry, develop the city region as an investment hub, was the way forward for the North West.

He particularly praised the bosses of the neighbouring local authorities on either side of the border for their work in promoting the region.

“We are fortunate in my region to have two chief executives, namely, John Kelpie in Derry City and Strabane District Council and Seamus Neely in Donegal County Council, who are working together collectively in terms of the city region,” said Senator Mac Lochlainn.

He added: “Their vision is to double the size of Letterkenny and to work with Derry city to develop them into being magnets for investment for the region, whereby if one is in west, north or east Donegal, County Derry or in Country Tyrone, one could link into those two cities as magnets for investment.”

Senator Mac Lochlainn urged the Irish Transport Minister Shane Ross to fund the improvement of the road infrastructure in the North West, including the A5 and N56 Letterkenny relief road, to help the local authorities achieve their goal.