A new report says the Government must tackle the problem of 'unbalanced' regional development, regardless of the difficulties posed by the current serious economic downturn.
It says substantial investment in road and rail projects, in regional airports and in improved broadband services is vital to protect existing jobs in the regions.
The Friends First Socio-Economic Assessment of the West of Ireland report looks at the particular difficulties being experienced in the West, the North West and the Midlands regions. It covers the counties of Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, Roscommon, Longford, Galway, Offaly and Westmeath.
Its author - Jim Power, chief economist with Friends First - says the imbalances and disparities in all three areas 'are being seriously exposed by the current savage recession'.
He points out that IDA supported employment in the Midlands, Northwest Donegal and the West accounts for just 16.7% of its total employment.
The Midlands region has the lowest level of disposal income in the country, 9.4% lower than the national average, with the Border region second lowest at 8.9% and the West third lowest at 7%.
The economist says the Mayo Industries Group - which represents leading multinational companies including Allergan, APC, Baxter, Coca Cola and Lionbridge - is particularly concerned at the unacceptable state of the N5 Dublin/Castlebar road.
These companies are now calling for a €220m investment in the road to protect 9,000 manufacturing jobs in Mayo.
They also warn that a particularly bad section of the N5 between Longford and Scramogue in Roscommon is damaging product; increasing delivery and travel times and negatively effecting cost competitiveness.
The report says vital regional projects are already being deferred and there is a danger the situation will get worse unless the trend is halted now.
