• The Northern and Western Region’s transport infrastructure is similar to that of ‘Less Developed’ regions in the EU27

• The Northern and Western Region of Ireland received just 5.7% of investment in infrastructure projects worth more than €20m since 2016

• Investment in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland disproportionate to size of population

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The Northern and Western Regional Assembly (NWRA) is urging the government to fast-track the delivery of 13 major infrastructure projects in the Northern and Western Region of Ireland after a new study from the Assembly found that the region is now on par with the least well-off areas of Europe in terms of infrastructure.

The “Regional Infrastructure Tracker” found that investment in areas such as transport, education, housing and energy infrastructure in the Northern and Western Region is below that of its counterparts in Ireland, with the region’s transport infrastructure ranked the 218th out of 234 NUTS 2 Regions examined in the European Commission’s Regional Competitiveness Index.

The NWRA’s ‘Regional Infrastructure Tracker’ has harnessed data from public and private sources to reveal that, since 2016, the Northern and Western Region of Ireland has received less than 10% of the nationwide investment in infrastructure projects worth more than €1m, and just 5.7% of investment from infrastructure projects worth more than €20m, despite accounting for 17.6% of Ireland’s population.

In contrast, the Eastern and Midlands Region of Ireland received 66.5% of investment from projects worth more than €1m, and 75% of those worth more than €20m, despite the region accounting for less than 50% of the population of Ireland.

To bridge the growing infrastructure deficit, the NWRA is recommending that the government ringfence more than half of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for the Northern and Western Region of Ireland and prioritise 13 infrastructure projects for the region. These include the delivery of the Donegal T-Ten road project and N17 Knock to Collooney Road Scheme, and the reopening of the Western Rail Corridor from Athenry to Collooney.

The report estimates that the total capital cost of delivering these 13 priority projects would range from €4.8 billion to €6.8 billion, which would deliver transformative benefits in areas of climate action, regional development and the all-island economy, while costing considerably less than the overall cost of the Dublin Metro.

The report also calls for a Citizens Assembly to examine how more autonomy can be given to local authorities and regional assemblies to address their own infrastructure deficits. As this work is undertaken, the report recommends that a “Minister for Regional Development” should be designated with a significant budget for delivering key infrastructure priorities.

Denis Kelly, Director with the Northern and Western Regional Assembly, said:

“We need to grow the economy in a manner that benefits all regions – not just the few.

Adopting a regional approach for the revised National Planning Framework will be crucial to overcoming these sizeable infrastructure deficits in the Northern and Western Region.

“Delivering on these 13 priority infrastructure projects will go a long way in achieving this. These essential – and urgent – projects include the Donegal Ten-T Projects, the N2 Clontibret to the Border and the A5 road scheme – and the expansion of higher and research education infrastructure assets in the region.

Councillor Jarlath Munnelly, Cathaoirleach with the Northern and Western Regional Assembly, said:

“Without this type of regional approach in Ireland, we will inevitably see greater pressures being placed on the Greater Dublin Area

– undermining the quality of life of its residents through excessive demand on public services, higher housing costs and urban sprawl – while also further blunting the economic potential of regions such as the Northern and Western region of Ireland.”

John Daly, Economist with the Northern and Western Regional Assembly, said:

“Given the exceptional growth of the Irish economy – and the abundance of exchequer returns in recent years – it is remarkable that the Northern and Western Region of Ireland is in the bottom 20 EU Regions in terms of transport infrastructure.

With notable underinvestment also evident across the region’s higher education, research, water, road and rail network, it is no surprise to see that regional inequalities in Ireland have continued to rise as population, employment and income growth remains overly concentrated around the Greater Dublin Area.

“In addition to this, the level of underinvestment in the region also has the potential to contribute to greater political discontent, with ample research from the OECD noting that rising regional inequalities tend to undermine the trust of regional voters in national governments and lead voters to more extreme political parties or choices. All this considered, the delivery of our 13 priority infrastructure projects – at a cost of between €4.8 to €6.8 billion – represents significant value for money for the State in the long-term, with the delivery of these projects having the potential to rejuvenate our region, while simultaneously supporting our climate targets and growing the all-island economy; all at a cost considerably lower compared to, for example, the latest cost estimates for Dublin Metro.”

The “Regional Infrastructure Tracker” can be downloaded here