Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It would be remiss of me not to talk about my own county, especially regarding the ongoing challenges of youth unemployment. While internationally we are probably experiencing a city-led recovery, places in the outermost regions such as Donegal will not be on the same path time-wise. Bright, educated and skilled people from Donegal are working all over the world but many would like to be working at home. How does one instill confidence that the future is bright in the bright, young teenagers in secondary schools in Donegal?

In the realistic corner the statistics are stark. We have the third highest number on the live register, behind Dublin and Cork. Average income is the lowest in the country. However, most of the new and emerging jobs in the IT sector can locate to remote regions as long as there is good broadband. If this is the case, why does nearly 70% of new industry locate in places where there is a critical mass of existing industry, such as Cork, Limerick, Galway and Dublin? Many will argue that research and development needs to be located near universities. However, the north west has a university in Derry and a third-level institution in Letterkenny which turns out very well-educated and skilled graduates.

Others will argue that one needs broadband. Of course one does. However, in the north west we have Project Kelvin, an extensive submarine and terrestrial cable deployment which directly connects the north west to North America and serves local and global companies. Where is the problem? Access is a barrier, but a CEO of a New York company who arrives in Dublin at 7 a.m. tomorrow can get a connecting flight to Donegal at 9.15 a.m. and be there in less than an hour. The A5 is a challenge. While it is important to note the Government's commitment of £25 million this year and £25 million next year, there must be a renewed concentration of effort in Northern Ireland to get the shovel-ready project on the way.

New industry sectors such as software and ICT solutions can locate in remote areas such as Donegal. The broadband box is ticked in the north west. We have the human resources. We have a conveyer belt of skilled workers developing new skills all over the world, some of whom would like to move back to Donegal. We have success stories with existing industries such as Primerica, United Healthcare and Zeus in Letterkenny punching way above their weight and surviving very well. There must be an extensive critique of IDA policy. Where are potential investors taken and what story are they being told? Is there a commitment to the regions?

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