Concern has been expressed by Democratic Left about an Irish Times report that 13 disadvantaged counties are likely to secure "Objective One" status if the Government divides the State into regions for EU funding. Commenting on the report, the party leader, Mr Proinsias De Rossa, said that this would discriminate against communities in cities such as Dublin, Limerick and Cork.
The change in direction would steer funding away from the cities to Border counties, the west and the midlands.
Mr De Rossa said such a strategy might reap political reward for Fianna Fail in the counties concerned, but it would not be the most effective use of EU funding. "The annual report of the Combat Poverty Agency, published last week, was just the latest in a series of studies identifying disadvantaged urban neighbourhoods as a key source of poverty. Yet, if the Government pursues the strategy of seeking `Objective One' status for just 13 counties, these areas will be at a considerable disadvantage in terms of EU funding."