Ahern's claim over prosperity gap in regions criticised

Development campaigners in the west have reacted angrily to the assertion by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern that the region has fared "better than the eastern and southern regions" under the National Development Plan.

Speaking in the Dáil, Mr Ahern said the Border, Midlands and Western (BMW) regions had fared best "according to all analyses, in terms of employment, investment and other areas" and he hoped that the "improvements" could be maintained in the next NDP, 2007-2013.

However, he was sharply criticised by regional development campaigner Marian Harkin and Fine Gael TD Denis Naughten, who claimed the Taoiseach was clearly mistaken in his analysis.

Ms Harkin said there had been a substantial underspend of resources in the BMW region.

Quoting EU figures for cohesion funding for the years 2000 to 2003, Ms Harkin said that while the southern and eastern regions had received at least 79 per cent of the available funding, the BMW region had received just 14 per cent. Some 7 per cent could not be determined by region. More up-to-date figures would reveal a similar picture when they emerge, she maintained.

She also quoted the recent Western Development Commission report which suggested there had been a 30 per cent underspend of promised NDP money in the BMW region.

"This was further underlined by the gap in gross value added (GVA) per person between the BMW and the south and east regions which had widened in each year from 1996-2002, the latest figures available, she said.

Against this the MEP said figures had revealed that the southern and eastern regions had received more than their promised allocations "with at least €2 billion extra spent, which was not even provided for in the NDP.

"There is also the matter of huge commitments for Dublin Transport involving further billions in the next plan.

The Government's regional policy was also criticised by Mr Naughten, who said the key objective of balanced regional development had not been successful.

He said "there are serious energy and infrastructural deficits in the west, the tourism sector is on its knees and decentralisation is being abandoned by Government" and he asked what the Government was doing to "reduce rather than widen the gap between the east and west coasts".

Mr Ahern said it would "try to address all the infrastructural issues, including rail, road and local airports, to achieve balanced regional development".