Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of the regional competitiveness index report from the European Commission, which confirms that the northern and western region is a lagging region when compared with other regions across the country. Unprecedented investment is now going into the northern and western region. The Deputy mentioned the national broadband plan but there are 42 separate public capital projects in the northern and western region listed in the national development plan. These include, in the area of enhanced regional connectivity, the N56 Dungloe to Glenties in Donegal, the N5 Westport to Turlough in Mayo and the N5 in Roscommon. There are new buildings at the universities in the region. Investments are also being made in water infrastructure, the electricity transmission network and the greenway in the region. With regard to inward investment designations and so on, we are seeking more industrial activity and inward investment. It is gratifying that the majority of inward investment organised by the IDA is now going to the regions outside of the Dublin region. There has been significant investment under the urban regeneration and development fund and the rural regeneration and development fund. Both of those funds have been game-changers in respect of investment in rural Ireland, particularly in towns. There has also been investment in villages through the rural regeneration and development fund. The northern and western region is also benefiting from investment funded by the European Union's national recovery and resilience plan and the Brexit adjustment reserve.

In November, the Commission approved a €217 million investment package under the European Regional Development Fund's programme for the regions. Those funds will provide financial support to build the capacity of the new Atlantic Technological University to support regional research, capacity building and innovation, to support regional industry with enhanced financial support towards technological university gateways and to improve supports to regional enterprise and the delivery of a regional smart hub network for research, training and innovation.

Employment in the northern and western region is up by 50,000 over the past two years. Unemployment in the region is now at 4% so there is essentially full employment in the region. There are some key infrastructural areas to address. Unfortunately, because the Executive has not been restored in Northern Ireland, we are not in a position to publish the rail review. I would like to see an air link between the North, Derry for example, and Dublin. A bit like the bypass in Galway, the A5 has been bedevilled, particularly on the Northern side, with objections and various processes the project has to go through. I accept that there is an infrastructure deficit in the north west with regard to both road and rail. It is very interesting that the vast majority of submissions made to the rail review came from the north west.

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