Lack of investment in Border region 'disappointing' says NWRA Cavan rep

NWRA region accounts for 17.6% of Ireland’s population.

New research shows infrastructure provision is lower in the Northern and Western Region (NWRA) - which comprises Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Galway and Mayo - after it received just 5.7% of investment in infrastructure projects worth more than €20m since 2016.

The organisation’s ‘Regional Infrastructure Tracker' has for the first time harnessed data from public and private sources to reveal the information, despite accounting for 17.6% of Ireland’s population.

Investment in transport, health, education, housing and energy infrastructure across the Region is languishing far below that of its counterparts in Ireland and across the continent, with transport infrastructure ranked the 17th worst of 234 European regions.

To address these infrastructure deficits, the NWRA believes a policy of ‘Positive Discrimination’ is needed to deliver regional equality across Ireland and to take pressure off an ever-expanding Greater Dublin Area.

Also evident from the research is the omission of impact on the Border counties including Cavan and Monaghan.

Cllr Aine Smith (FF) and Cllr Shane P O’Reilly (II) are the Cavan County Council representatives on the NWRA. Speaking to the Celt, Cllr Smith said it was “unfortunate” that the Region “only received 10% of nationwide investment in infrastructure”.

“This is in stark contrast to the Eastern Midlands region which receives 66.5%,” she continued. “To me this doesn’t make sense because the Dublin area only accounts for 50% of the population.”

Meanwhile, the NWRA is classified as a transition region but ranks below other regions categorised as less developed. Cllr Smith says that what is needed to “bridge the infrastructural deficit” is the prioritisation of 13 local projects, the Virginia bypass being one.

“I had the opportunity in December to meet with the then Taoiseach, Leo Vradakar and was able to impress upon him the importance of getting the Virginia bypass over the line,” she added. “This piece of infrastructure is crucial to bringing people back to Cavan and the Border region from Dublin.”

The local representative told the Celt that this region has found itself in a “vicious circle” when it comes to the infrastructural provision and the investment needed to achieve this.

“Because of the lack of infrastructure, the region is also lacking in other areas including broadband and healthcare. This has a knock-on effect on drawing industry to the region and indeed on keeping the population there too.

“We need to take the pressures away from the greater Dublin area and encourage people to the NWRA. There is great potential here; we must enhance the Region’s Higher Education, research capacity, water, road and rail networks. By investing in these infrastructural projects, the potential is there to rejuvenate our region.

“The Border regions must not be forgotten either. We are one of three assemblies that aims to play a transformative role in the success of the region. If we want the NWRA to become a better place in which to live and work in, then we need to provide the infrastructure that will encourage industry to the region and that is where funding comes in,” she said.

Elsewhere, Cllr Smith highlighted her “disappointment” over Cavan’s failure to even get a mention in this latest report. “I have to say, it was really disappointing to see that Co Cavan didn’t even feature in this report,” she continued.

“I think what we need to do over the next five years is really fight for the Border region; representatives like myself and Cllr O’Reilly will have to work with our colleagues in Monaghan and Leitrim and really push hard for investment in the Border region.

“We also need to meet with our MEPs in relation to this because funding is being allocated from Europe and the Border region needs its fair share of that. Our region is as important as every other county in the NWRA and should be getting the same as everyone else.”