EU report says lack of infrastructure hurting economy of West

Galway Bay fm newsroom – A new EU report has highlighted how the economy of the West is lagging behind due to a lack of investment in infrastructure.

The EU Regional Competitiveness Index finds that deficits outside Dublin are considerably undermining the competitiveness of our overall economy.

The Index measures the performance of regional economies in areas like infrastructure, innovation, technology readiness, education and labour market, and business sophistiation.

Overall, the Netherlands was the most competitive economy in the EU last year, with Ireland coming in at 9th place.

But it’s a tale of two Irelands.

The North and West are the only regions that were below the EU average, with a score comparable to Eastern and Southern Europe.

Meanwhile, the Eastern and Midland regions are among the most competitive regions in Europe.

The Northern and Western Regional Assembly has reacted to the findings, warning against the unsustainable over development of the Greater Dublin Area.

It says it’s time for “positive discrimination” -which translates as increased Government funding to accelerate badly-needed capital projects outside the capital.

The NWRA says only then, can we achieve genuine, balanced development and attract optimal levels of investment, jobs and high-quality talent.