The Government are being urged by a locally elected representative to act on calls urging it to provide the northern and western regions with a stimulus package of at least €570 million to kickstart development in the area.
The call has been made by the Northern and Western Regional Assembly (NWRA) in a submission to the Department of Finance ahead of Budget 2024 next month.
The NWRA, which represents a number of local authorities such as Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim, says a multi-million-euro stimulus package is necessary to stem growing regional inequality and to deliver balanced regional development in Ireland.
They are calling on the Government to adopt a policy of “positive discrimination” for the northern and western regions a move which would bring more infrastructure projects of scale to the area.
Sligo Leitrim Independent TD Marian Harkin says the northern and western regions are lagging behind other areas:
