North-west region development plan will span Border

A plan commissioned by groups on both sides of the Border calls for a "broader vision for change" in the north-west of the island.

It was launched yesterday by the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Mr Ahern, who is TD for Louth. He spoke of his experience of the mental and physical barrier of the Border.

The Integrated Plan for the North West aims to encourage social and economic regeneration through the creation of a common agenda and partnerships.

Speaking at the launch, Dr Peter Shirlow of the University of Ulster said there was currently a positive atmosphere in terms of economic opportunity. But he added that he was under no illusion that tackling poverty was easy.

The problem, he said, was a regional one, caused by imbalanced development. The regions at issue were not north/south, however, but the prosperous east and the north-west, which suffered unemployment and emigration.

Ms Paula Martin, of the North West Community Network, said the report should form the basis of a forum for the north-west which would involve community groups - in the Republic and in Northern Ireland - working with "the decision-makers".

There was, she said, also a need for a "reconciliation strategy." The integrated area plan was financed by the European Union's Special Support Programme, one of a number of EU programmes available to help peace and reconciliation in Border counties.

The plan analyses the causes of marginalisation and poverty, and recommends strategies to empower disadvantaged communities.

The Minister said that he himself had experienced "the physical, mental, social and economic barrier that was the Border."

He said the Government was currently finalising the National Development Plan, which would place great emphasis on north-south and east-west relationships.