The latest job creation figures from the IDA have again sparked criticism in the north-west, which is the only region on a continuous downward trend. In the five years since 1996, employment in IDA-backed companies has fallen by 1,240 in counties Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal.
Last year there was a net job loss of 96 despite several new companies having located in the region. In the State as a whole there was a net growth in employment last year of over 12 per cent, or 15,211 jobs.
The president of Sligo Chamber of Commerce, Mr Jim Lawlor, said the figures were "a huge disappointment" and that answers were needed from the highest level in the IDA about this "abject failure over a period of years".
Mr Lawlor said he supported the IDA's chief executive, Mr Sean Dorgan, in calling for infrastructure in the north west to be upgraded. The chamber has been leading a campaign to have the N4 upgraded to a dual carriageway from Mullingar to Sligo, in line with all other major routes in the State.
"The Government took a political decision on all the other routes and they must listen to Sean Dorgan and do the same with the N4," Mr Lawlor said.
The chief executive of the Western Development Commission, Mr Liam Scollan, also pointed to large regional disparities. But he welcomed the IDA's having achieved its target of securing 50 per cent of all new jobs for the Objective One region last year.
Mr Scollan said that of the 13,780 jobs actually announced last year, fewer than 10 per cent came to the seven western counties. The majority of these went to Galway city, leaving just 650 new jobs for counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Mayo, Galway and Clare.
"The challenge to deliver a fair share of new jobs to the west is still not being met," Mr Scollan said.
Welcoming the IDA's commitment to regional development by setting regional targets, Mr Scollan said it was "setting a standard for other State bodies in facing up to the challenge of balanced regional development." Action needs to be taken right across several State departments and bodies, he added.
Western campaigner Ms Marian Harkin said the most critical issue was to address infrastructural deficits in the north-west. The N4 needed to be upgraded and natural gas from the Corrib field had to be made available in the region, she said.
The IDA pointed out that seven projects with a combined jobs target of 736 were announced in the north-west over the past year. "This represents a marked improvement on previous years as our regional strategy begins to make an impact, but much remains to be done," said Mr Frank Conlon, area director in the Border, Midlands and Western region.