Government Officials Meet Wicklow County Council To Address Housing And Infrastructure Challenges

Strategies for addressing the housing crisis and supporting local infrastructure such as upgrading the N11 in Wicklow were topics at a meeting of high level ministers and Wicklow county council

Key leaders from Wicklow County Council met with senior government officials at Government Buildings to discuss strategies for addressing the housing crisis and supporting local infrastructure such as upgrading the N11.

The delegation from Wicklow included the Chief Executive Emer O'Gorman, the Director of Housing, and the Director of Planning, while the government team was led by the Taoiseach Micheal Martin, alongside the Minister for Housing James Browne and the Minister of State for Housing James Cummins and Wicklow TD Simon Harris.

The meeting focused on how Wicklow County Council and the government can collaborate to ensure effective delivery of housing projects, while also providing the council with the necessary resources and support for local infrastructure development.

Tánaiste Simon Harris told East Coast FM News:

“We wanted to have a conversation about how Wicklow County Council and the government can work together to make sure that we tackle the housing emergency that our country faces, but also to make sure that we support Wicklow County Council with the infrastructure that it needs to make that progress”.

Discussions included the new National Planning Framework, updated housing targets, and the role of the Housing Activation Office in funding key infrastructure projects.

A key topic was the importance of supporting and upgrading vital transport links, such as the N11, which have become critical enablers for accommodating the county’s growing population.

Deputy Harris added:

“We had a good conversation about the new national planning framework, new housing targets, and also how the Housing Activation Office can work to try and support councils in funding infrastructure projects that are needed.”

Reflecting on the outcomes of the meeting, Minister Harris described it as “very productive” and expressed gratitude toward Wicklow County Council and local councillors for their ongoing efforts.

“I look forward to continuing to engage as a government leader with Wicklow County Council to help make more progress for our county.” he added.