Regionalisation proposals to be out in fortnight

The Government will publish within a fortnight proposals for the regionalisation of the State for the purposes of assessment …

The Government will publish within a fortnight proposals for the regionalisation of the State for the purposes of assessment for EU funding, writes Geraldine Kennedy, Political Correspondent.

Proposals from the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, to enable 13 disadvantaged counties to retain Objective One status with maximum European funding and industrial grants until 2006 were considered at yesterday's Cabinet meeting.

The Minister will be on International Monetary Fund business next week so the plan will not be completed for a fortnight.

The Government spokesman said the Cabinet had also reaffirmed its view that the nurses' pay issue could not be dealt with in isolation from overall public service pay policy and Partnership 2000. "There is solidarity on it," he said, adding that the Government would outline its position at the Labour Court.