The Northern and Western Regional Assembly (NWRA) has urged the Government to provide €9 billion capital investment across 33 infrastructure projects of scale in the region as part of the ongoing review of the National Development Plan.
The NWRA is calling for investment of €4 billion across roads funding, €2.6 billion across public transport projects, €1.3 billion across energy projects and €600 million across higher education projects across the region.
NWRA Economist John Daly said it is "imperative" that the region moves beyond delivering small infrastructure projects.
The Letterkenny Chamber of Commerce representing 320 members who provide employment for 10,000 people in the northwest doubled down on the NWRA's calls.
Speaking ahead of the annual president's lunch, Chamber President Jimmy Stafford told RTÉ News the region is "effectively in the relegation zone from an infrastructural perspective".
Mr Stafford said the region’s transport infrastructure ranked the 218th out of 234 European regions in the EC Regional Competitiveness Index.
"We’re calling for cabinet approved projects to be actioned immediately; projects such as the A5, the 10-T Road Network and the ATU Campus," Mr Stafford said.
President of ATU Dr Orla Flynn told RTÉ News that the university is seeking permission to borrow funds to develop student accommodation.
"We are not allowed to borrow (funding to build student accommodation) at present. It is in the legislation but there is no framework that will allow us to do it.
"My understanding is that a pilot will be rolled out; I would like to see it rolled out across all our campuses.
"We’re working with private developers where we can, but student accommodation is the number one issue our students keep raising".
Dr Flynn said student accommodation is a key enabler for the university in terms of increasing enrolment, particularly around international students.
A NWRA delegation will outline the region’s infrastructure priorities as part of the National Development Plan review to Oireachtas members next week.
They will emphasise the call for a €9 billion funding allocation across 33 infrastructure projects of scale in the region.
The Minister for Rural and Community Development Dara Calleary told RTÉ News the national development plan "is being reviewed to a wish with that kind of ambition".
"We have made it clear that we want to see these projects progress without any further delay when the national development plan review is published.
"The NWRA has given us useful research-backed information. We will bring that forward to the NDP review that is ongoing".
Minister Calleary told RTÉ News the review of the plan is expected to be published before the end of the summer.
The NWRA analysis that will be presented to Oireachtas members will state that there is no regional project of scale worth more than €1 billion planned for the region beyond 2025.
Two projects of this scale are planned for the Eastern and Midland Region (Metro and Children’s Hospital) and the Southern Region of Ireland (M20 Cork-Limerick Motorway).
In respect of regional projects estimated to cost between €100 million and a €1 billion beyond 2025; NWRA analysis shows seven projects of this scale will be delivered in the Northern and Western Region, compared to nine in the Southern Region and 21 in the Eastern and Midland Region.
Regional housing commencements
The NWRA analysis shows that 10% of residential units that began construction activity in the first quarter of this year were in the northwest, below the region’s 17.6% share of Ireland’s population.
They have noted a similar trend is evident in respect of new housing completions with 12% of housing completions in the first quarter this year located in the region.
The NWRA will tell Oireachtas members this pattern they are concerned this trend is having an economic impact.
First quarter Central Bank of Ireland data showed almost 70% of the value of consumer card spending (both online and instore) was in the Eastern and Midland Region compared to 9% in the Northern and Western Region.
The NWRA is concerned the continuation of these trends will see the region’s share of Ireland’s population decrease, leading to underdevelopment in the region and overdevelopment in the greater Dublin area.
