The Mayo News

SUCCESSFUL regions need vibrant and attractive cities in order to improve competitive advantages. That was the message to delegates at the Border, Midland and Western (BMW) Regional Assembly’s annual conference last week. BMW assembly told vibrant cities key to successful regions


Anton McNulty

SUCCESSFUL regions need vibrant and attractive cities in order to improve competitive advantages. That was the message to delegates at the Border, Midland and Western (BMW) Regional Assembly’s annual conference last week.
A new report on the development of the nine National Spatial Strategy Gateways was presented at the conference which will measure the extent to which the designated gateways are progressing as drivers of regional economic development. The Gateway Development Index takes account of the current level of development and trends across a common framework of key indicators, which include population, enterprise, environment, economic, employment and social factors. 
A public awareness survey was also conducted to capture residents’ views of the quality of life and the impact of gateway designation in each gateway city or town. Welcoming the publication of the report, Mr Gerry Finn, Director of the BMW Regional Assembly, stated that the Gateway Development Index will form a valuable policy analysis tool to evaluate the impact of investment in the gateways and will identify areas that require further development.
Mr Stephen Blair, Director of the South and East Regional Assembly, stated that the Gateway Development Index was the first such assessment of its kind in Ireland focusing solely on the effectiveness of the country’s regional development strategy in the context of gateways as drivers of their regional economies. He further stated that it is widely recognised that regions must be dynamic and attractive in order to win investment and sustain high-value economic activity.
Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Michael Finneran TD, in his keynote address, emphasised the importance of the NSS and stated that it required co-ordinated investment by a range of Government departments and agencies in order to be implemented fully. 
The Minister also stressed the need for an all-island approach in order to address the tough economic challenges facing the island as a whole. He informed the conference that a review of the NSS is under way.
In his address, the Chairman of the BMW Assembly, Cllr Tom Crosby, highlighted the important of the National Spatial Strategy (NSS) as a framework for delivering regional development. He called on the Government to reinstate the currently deferred €300m Gateway Innovation Fund which has the potential to stimulate economic activity in designated areas.

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