Call for North West to be prioritised when spending €14bn Apple windfall

Sligo Leitrim TD Marian Harkin has called on the Government to prioritise the regions and particularly the Northwest when it comes to spending the €14bn Apple windfall.

Addressing Mr Neale Richmond, Minister for State at the Department of Finance in the Dáil Deputy Harkin reminded the Minister that the discrepancy between the Northern and Western Region and the rest of the country is staggering, with the range of social, economic and infrastructural indicators showing how far behind it lags when it comes to government spending.

"€14 billion is a very substantial pot of money and while everybody including myself has a shopping list, it is essential that your government ensures a balanced spread across the regions.

"Figures compiled and published by the Northern and Western Regional Assembly show that since 2016 just 11% of the projects worth over €1m were committed to the region even though it has 17% of the population.

"Shamefully, only 5.7% of the projects worth over €20 million were committed to the region, representing barely one-third of what we should get," Ms Harkin said.

Ms Harkin highlighted a number projects which she believes should be prioritised including the upgrade of the Knock to Collooney section of the N17, a full upgrade of Sligo University Hospital, the double tracking of the Sligo to Dublin railway and our fair share of housing reflecting our share of the population.

Ms Harkin continued, "Last year housing completions in the region were at 11%, this is for 17% of the population. All the stats show we are way behind when it comes to government investment. Only two years ago the EU Commission downgraded the north and west to a lagging region'.

"When those of us living in the region see €14bn coming into the Government coffers we don't think bonanza, we don't think icing-on-the-cake, we think basics; we think 'maybe, just maybe, we might finally get our due," Ms Harkin continued.

"Minister, when the €14bn is transferred into the national accounts we will not appear with a begging bowl, rather we will demand what is our due and we expect that to be on the priority list of this and the next government," Ms Harkin concluded.