The Government's failure to apply for regionalisation of the Republic for structural funding purposes was deplored yesterday by a group of Fine Gael TDs representing the midlands, west, and Border counties.
"The Government must get its finger out and honour the manifesto commitments they gave to fight for continuing Objective One status for these counties," said Mr Michael Ring. The group - Mr Denis Naughten, Mr Tom Enright, Mr John Perry, Mr Ulick Burke, Mr Ring, Mr Dinny McGinley, Mr Andrew Boylan, Mr Louis Belton, Mr Jim Higgins and Mr Paul McGrath - met the Commissioner for Regional Affairs, Ms Monika Wulf-Mathies, senior officials, and regional representatives from Devon, Cornwall and Wales. They were guests of Mr Joe McCartin MEP.
Mr Higgins said they represented one million people and the gap between their regions and the rest of Ireland was widening. Not only had there not been any application to the Commission for regionalisation, there was no contact. "Brussels is completely in the dark," he said, "yet other countries have successfully made their applications already."
Unless the Government made an application quickly "we risk losing substantial European funds."
In the briefings they attended the group had been able to dispel the myths that more developed regional structures were necessary and that regionalisation would reduce the overall draw-down of funds for Ireland. On the contrary, he said, it would increase it.
