In a move to secure hundreds of jobs for peripheral areas in the mid-west, three towns from three counties have made a joint submission to decentralise an entire Government Department. Kilrush in west Clare, Newcastle West in west Limerick and Listowel in north Kerry have united to form the Integrated Shannon Decentralisation Network.
With the assistance of Shannon Development, the towns have made their submission to the Department of Finance - one of 120 submissions the Department has received. In all, 12 submissions have come from the mid-west.
These include four from Clare: Kilrush, Ennis, Tulla and Shannon; two from Limerick: Newcastle West and Kilmallock, two from north Kerry: Listowel and Tralee, and four from north Tipperary: Nenagh, Roscrea, Templemore and Thurles.
All the towns are anxious to benefit from the Government's decentralisation programme, which will disperse 10,000 public servants in Dublin to 30 locations.
A Department of Finance spokesman confirmed the submission by the three towns was the only joint submission received.
Ms Vicki Nash, secretary of Newcastle West Community Council, expressed confidence yesterday that the proposal would be successful.
"Each of the towns has a strong case in its own right, but together the case is made much stronger. The towns form a natural geographical triangle.
"We are reasonably optimistic, but at the end of the day we realise it is a political decision," she said.
Kilrush UDC member Mr Tom Prendeville (FF) said: "The proposal is cross-constituency and cross-party. It has brought together local authorities, community councils and Oireachtas members in a way not previously experienced."
The proposal claims to facilitate Government spatial strategy as outlined in the National Plan and also to provide civil servants with a broader choice and improved quality of life.
It also claims to offer the opportunity to help with development of the locations and improve future prospects for the areas.
Cllr Prendeville said he hoped the Government had the courage to make a decision soon. "I understand that a provisional decision will be made before July 1st and I am confident that the tripartite submission will get serious consideration," he said.
A Department spokesman yesterday declined to give a date for any decision, saying only that it would be "reasonably soon".