Newry-Dundalk

Countries: Ireland , United Kingdom
Regions concerned: Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (Northern Ireland);
Dundalk Town Council, Louth County Council (Ireland)

Overview

The cities of Newry and Dundalk, situated on either side of the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, have since the 1970s been developing joint strategies for cooperation, concretised in 2006 and in 2009 with the drafting of two reports on the Newry-Dundalk Twin City project. The border stakeholders formalise the cooperation with a Memorandum of Understanding in 2011.
This development allowed the setting of priorities and development of long term cross-border projects. These projects are focused around four key propositions, joined by numerous initiatives in different areas, including transport, services, education and training, and the environment.
The major challenge in this territory is the deployment of a governance system within the twin city regions.

Introduction

The cities of Newry (Northern Ireland) and Dundalk (Ireland) are separated by 23 km and a political border. With urban populations of approximately 28,000 and 35,000 respectively, Newry is the fourth-largest city in Northern Ireland and eighth in Ireland and Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland.

The Newry-Dundalk Twin City Region is located at the centre of the Dublin-Belfast  corridor. Its position on the M1/A1 motorway, rail links and easy access to international airports and ports provide good mobility and connectivity.

Characterised by a strong spatial agenda led by local government collaboration, the Newry-Dundalk Twin City Region Project has the potential to deliver a spatially integrated approach to problem solving that involves actors from local, regional and central levels in both jurisdictions.

The Newry-Dundalk region faces the challenge of reconciling new forms of regional government with traditional and nationally-orientated administrative frameworks.

For the Newry-Dundalk area the practical benefits of this project are numerous: in the cost savings on infrastructure; pooling of expertise; sharing of good practice and efficiencies in enterprise development.

Photo Copyright : Newry and Mourne District Council