Report warns of growing gap between east and west

The western region needs a new vision if it is to compete in the knowledge economy, according to a report to be presented to the Government this morning.

It shows many people in the west work in vulnerable industries such as farming, construction and traditional manufacturing.

The Western Development Commission (WDC) submission on what should be included in the National Development Plan 2007-2013 will warn Government that the region is in danger of being characterised by poor access, single-carriageway roads, inferior telecommunications and inadequate energy supplies.

Assessing the impact of the last national development plan, the WDC has concluded that while progress has been made, the gap between the developed east and the west is now greater than it was seven years ago.

The report says the next national development plan will be funded from the State's own resources, and there will not be separate funding operational programmes for the BMW and southern and eastern regions.

Because of this it argues that if the west is to be part of the knowledge economy, there is need for a new "regional knowledge initiative" which should focus on addressing the knowledge, innovation, skills and applied research needs of sectors in the region.

The initiative should be focused on the north of the region, which the WDC notes has fallen behind the knowledge-based clusters around Shannon. It should bring together knowledge, education, skills and training, as well as networking between third-level institutions.

The report recommends that current levels of investment in infrastructure be rapidly increased. Particularly it recommends:

r Prioritising road investment to make dual-carriageways of the main radial routes such as the N4, N5, N2 and the N14, and the gateway-hub links such as the Atlantic road corridor;

r Improvements in mainline rail services to the region should be expedited and the entire Western rail corridor from Ennis to Sligo completed by 2013;

r Airports, particularly those with international access, should be supported as drivers of regional development;

r There needs to be a clear statement that energy infrastructure deficits must not be barriers to regional development;

r The development of renewable energy should be a priority in the NDP;

r The NDP should set out a national strategy for universal access to high-quality, affordable broadband by the end of 2007, and put in place the technical means to deliver this through public and private investment.

Saying the Central Statistics Office has forecast a State population of five million by 2021, the report claims the Greater Dublin Area will account for more than half that growth.

Because of this it argues that planning for the next NDP needs more than simple incremental increases in regional development.