Without the EU, where would we be?

WORKING FOR THE REGION  Pictured at the launch of the Let’s Be More Campaign, from left: Shauna Ward, Ward Automation; David Minton, director, NWRA; and David Maxwell, Cathaoirleach of the NWRA.


Comment
David Minton

Last week an article was published in this paper, ‘The great EU funding heist’, by John Bradley, relating to the launch of the new European Regional Development Fund. Whilst the article raised several salient points, the piece also carried some inconsistencies.  
The editorial was correct in its overall contention, that we need a revitalisation strategy for the Northern and Western Region. I share this view and mission. I also recognise that we operate in a highly centralised system. Despite many EU states devolving power to more regional and local levels, this has not been the case in Ireland.  
The article refers to ‘hidden details’, despite the national partnership agreement, regional needs analysis and the national analysis conducted by Indecon is freely available online and on our website. The new programme (approximately 250 pages) is beyond the scope of one simple press release.
Secondly, readers should be aware that the economic classifications of regions within the EU are categorised under 3 specific headings – ‘More Developed’, ‘Transition’ (which is the Northern and Western Region’s status up to 2027) and ‘Less Developed’. It should be acknowledged that the status ‘Lagging Region’ is not included as a category under the European Commission’s economic classifications, and as a result the article is incorrect to state that “The EU Commission downgraded the NW region from ‘transition’ to ‘lagging’ in September” since such a classification doesn’t exist under the European Commission’s groupings.
Thirdly, the article is critical of the fact that the Northern and Western Region will account for around 25 percent of the total allocation under the ERDF in Ireland. However, it ignores the fact that such a level of investment – per head of population – represents an above average allocation for the region.  
Finally, the article suggests that the Northern and Western Regional Assembly (NWRA) did not push for a similar model of Greece, Portugal and Spain, seeking a higher proportion of EU funds to be invested in the region. Since 2016, the NWRA has led the call for ‘something different’.  
In 2019 we launched a campaign, ‘Let’s Be More’, calling for a policy of regional discrimination parallel with a regional accelerator programme to distribute enhanced package of EU and national public funds in the region. This resulted in our region securing a 60 percent co-financing rate on a regionally managed programme, as opposed to 40 percent in the east and the south of the country.  
Most critically, the members of the NWRA led the campaign to promote the concept of an Integrated Territorial Investment that sought to make more localised investment decisions in encouraging more action’ to stimulate research and innovation; doing more to facilitate local industrial transition and entrepreneurship; offering more SME supports and funds for urban and rural regeneration; and funding more climate-friendly innovations.
It echoes many calls throughout the past 100 years. The question is though what can we do, and what will we do?
Over the past six years, I believe the NWRA has become the single biggest advocate for our regional community, for the simple reason that our investments and policy work have been framed around evidence (and data) that underpin both the mechanics and the performance of our region. The region is not just simply ‘withering on a vine’, there are complex reasons why we are under-performing.
Shortly before Covid-19, the NWRA published ‘A Region in Transition: The Way Forward’, which found startling levels of inequality in terms of investment in areas such as health, education, infrastructure and transport.  
Failure to address these critical investment shortfalls means that a ‘two-speed economy’ has developed in Ireland. These included the areas of health, transport, Ireland West Airport Knock and our rail infrastructure and education.
We can do one of three things, I believe. Do nothing (not an option); do the same (which will result in the same outcome); do something different. The answer, for me, has to come, not from less or more intervention, but from a different type of intervention. A better intervention. One that moves away from simply providing subsidy, away from continuing to shelter the residents of our poorly performing region, and away from supply-led interventions that end up becoming white elephants.
This does not mean more policies, but better policies. Policies aimed at maximizing the development potential of each community, town or city, solidly grounded in evidence, combining people-based with place-based approaches, and empowering local stakeholders to take greater control of their future.
For now, we need to become better at what we are good at. That’s the aim of our €217 million investment.
For the future, the NWRA’s stated desire to obtain greater regional functions, resources, and investment levels is in line with the previous opinions expressed by Mr Bradley. This ambition is ultimately determined by central government. We can wait for these to be given, or we can work together to ‘be more’. The NWRA is selecting the latter.
Ní neart go cur le chéile. Our strength lies in our togetherness.

David Minton is director of the Northern and Western Region.