Skip to main content

The WDC recently made a submission to the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation’s consultation on the National Development Plan (NDP) review for 2026-2035. In this blog post I give an overview of our key points.  The full WDC submission can be found here and is also linked below.

Background

The National Development Plan remains the key mechanism through which the objectives of Project Ireland 2040 can be achieved. The efficiency of investment and overall level of spending will inform the meeting of these objectives from 2026 to 2035. Project Ireland 2040 recognises that optimum national growth will be realised through strong growth across all regions. This is imperative, as without such concerted policy action and direction it is likely that regions will fall further behind.

The Western Region is predominantly rural, with 63% of the population living outside settlements of 1,500 people (Census 2022). Despite progress across many markers of regional development in recent years, the Western Region continues to lag behind other regions in the country. The cost of not investing in infrastructure, connectivity and services and the impact it will have, if left unaddressed, is important when considering infrastructure deficits and the region’s ability to harness opportunities in the future.

Capital spending and development of infrastructure should focus on the most effective investments to provide the conditions for regions to realise their full potential, and to support broader societal goals to underpin the objective of “sustainable development of the regions”.  Meeting the strategic goals under the NDP and Project Ireland 2040 would assist with addressing underserved areas of infrastructure in the Western Region.

It is the WDC’s view that investment should prioritise regional projects that will drive regional employment and enterprise growth, which in turn will drive population growth and enable communities to thrive.  The sections below highlight priority sectors and the rationale for additional investment for each.

Transport

Investment in transport infrastructure is critical to supporting performance of the economy, economic growth, and population growth in the Western Region. Transport infrastructure underpins several key objectives under the NDP, including NSO 2: Enhanced Regional Connectivity, NSO 4: Sustainable mobility, and NSO 6: High Quality International Connectivity.

  • Roads: Several key national road network commitments in the region have been delivered under the current NDP 2021-2030. However, road infrastructure commitments in the revised NDP 2026-2035 must include and expedite progress on routes in the west and northwest, to support connectivity within and to and from the region.
  • Rail: Investment in rail infrastructure is crucial for supporting balanced development in the Western Region. The electrification and double-tracking of the Sligo-Dublin and Galway-Dublin lines and capacity and service improvements across all lines serving the region would support regional connectivity and high-value employment in the Western Region. The reopening of Western Railway Corridor lines Claremorris- Tuam – Athenry, included in the current NDP and All-Island Strategic Rail Review, should also be accelerated.
  • Public Transport: It is important that there is investment in high-quality public transport services which link key service centres, towns and cities, and are not just about east-west connections and getting to Dublin.Public transport services are crucial for connecting urban and rural communities in the Western Region, providing services which enable access to employment and education and support social inclusion and community cohesion.
  • Airports: Regional airports and ports play an important role in rebalancing growth in the Western Region and decentralising economic activity from Dublin. All three airports in the Western Region – Ireland West Airport Knock, Shannon Airport and Donegal Airport – provide national and international connectivity and act as economic drivers for the region, with the potential for further growth. The current NDP identifies airports as strategic investment priorities, and these priorities should be prominent in terms of policy alignment and investment.
  • Ports: In the context of improving regional balance there is a need to support and invest in ports in the Western Region, including Killybegs Port, Galway Harbour and Port and Shannon Foynes Port. There is currently a prohibition on state funding for ports and, while there is no case for public funding of established commercial port operations, there are instances where public funding should be considered as part of the revised NDP to ensure the achievement of government policy in a variety of areas.

Energy

The Western Region is severely constrained by its underdeveloped electricity grid and significant investment is needed to meet long-term needs and should be expedited. Linking with NSO 8: Climate Resilient Society, there is a need to focus on spending on low carbon transition in more rural regions, including energy infrastructure.

Significant investment in electricity transmission into Donegal and the northwest is needed to ensure there is sufficient transmission capacity to reduce current curtailment to less than 3%, to allow for further onshore development in the county and to position offshore Donegal as a viable area for ORE.

Likewise, in Mayo the North Connacht 110kV project will be at capacity once commissioned as there is already significant contracted generation in that area.  There is urgent need to address in the lack of capacity in Mayo, to reduce curtailment and to allow for further onshore development, including at current sites, and to have sufficient capacity to allow of development of ORE off the coast.

The WDC has long highlighted this lack of transmission infrastructure in the northwest. While a number of projects in the region have reached pre planning stages, these have been shelved for a variety of reasons. It is important that this does not happen again and that grid development in the west and northwest is prioritised. The revised NDP should have a clear listing of these specific projects in the west and northwest with an associated funding stream for these projects.

Parts of the Western Region were severely impacted by Storm Éowyn and other recent storms and severe weather, which caused significant disruption to households and businesses across the region and beyond. The current NDP refers to achieving “climate adaption” and further investment is crucial to decrease vulnerability and to ensure responsive and adaptive energy infrastructure is in place to mitigate the impact of severe weather events.

Water

The NDP must prioritise the maintenance and improvement of the water supply to houses and businesses, and to the management of the environmental water quality in the Western Region. The EPA’s report on urban wastewater treatment in 2023 identified 16 towns and villages where untreated wastewater in being discharged, more than half (9) of which are in the region (2 in Clare, 4 in Donegal, 2 in Galway, and 1 in Mayo)[1]. While these towns and villages are scheduled for treatment by 2027, they must be listed as priority infrastructure given the environmental consequences they pose for those communities and the wider region.

Enterprise

To achieve balanced growth in population and employment under NSO 3: Strengthened Rural Economies and Communities, the development of economic drivers must be prioritised in the Western Region, which has experienced slower growth. The NDP 2026-2035 should prioritise building regional economic drivers and supporting opportunities to diversify and strengthen rural economies.

Enterprises based in the region should be supported to be innovative and competitive, to increase sustainable employment in its rural and urban areas.

The URDF, REDF and RRDF have been very important in stimulating development but regions with lower industrial base and emerging sectors are particularly challenged by the match funding requirements.  These should be reduced or eliminated for the most rural counties and emerging sectors, and the projects should be supported for longer (5 to 7 years).

Sustainable employment, remote working and enterprise hubs

The Western Region has potential for growth in high-value employment, beyond traditional industries like agriculture and tourism. The success of remote and blended working practices provides a blueprint for future growth, as evidenced by the 13.7% of remote workers who have relocated since the pandemic[2]. The growth of the Connected Hubs remote working hub network since 2021 demonstrates the importance of continued investment in remote working infrastructure to support regional employment and enable people to live and work in their own communities and facilitate relocation from congested urban areas. The Connected Hubs network also supports SME’s, entrepreneurs, the startup ecosystem, and operates as early-stage landings spaces for foreign direct investment (FDI) companies. The expansion and promotion of Connected Hubs should be progressed to support employment, enterprises and communities in rural areas.

The rollout of highspeed broadband under the National Broadband Plan is important for supporting connectivity in the region. Completion of the National Broadband Plan and rollout of mobile coverage should be accelerated, to ensure rural areas can fully participate in the digital economy. In particular, the NDP should prioritise ensuring all households are covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028, and that all populated areas are covered by 5G no later than 2030.

Housing, Health and Education

The number of people living and working in the Western Region increased by 13.3% between 2016 and 2022[3]. An increased population leads to higher demand for capital assets and public services and commitments to funding for education, healthcare and housing for rural communities must be continued and built upon in the revised NDP.

Housing

All the key pillars of regional development are reliant to some degree on both the availability of suitable housing for rent or purchase and its being accessible at prices that are affordable relative to regional income levels. While there is some progress around housing completions and commencements across the Region, housing development is not happening at the level that is needed either to meet current demand or provide for the kind of population growth and regional re-balancing which is desirable from a regional development perspective.

Under NSO 1: Compact Growth, greater investment should be made to meet regional and local targets for housing in line with projected population growth, and ensuring zoned lands are serviced. Further invest in the refurbishment of derelict buildings and ensuring the financial viability of bringing these buildings back into use is required. Doing so assists with providing housing and brings vitality and employment opportunities to rural towns and villages. Continued investment in water, energy, and wastewater infrastructure should also be prioritised to support additional housing development.

Health Care

The Region has a high proportion of the State’s “remote/rural areas” and a relatively high ageing population so has additional challenges in accessing health care. The development of Connected Health networks for remote rural areas including the islands is both a major need and opportunity, building on the expertise in rural medicine in University of Galway, the WDC led Clare Island pilot experience, and related ATU and private sector capabilities.

Linked with NSO 10: Access to quality Childcare, Education and Health Services, investment should be made to support the design and delivery of health services in accessible locations for those living in rural communities. Services should be provided at key locations in the region, and the provision of connected and accessible transport opportunities must be integral to service provision.

Education

The Region’s educational landscape has strengthened with the establishment of Atlantic Technological University (ATU) and the continued growth of the University of Galway. Increases in students from Western Region attended third-level institutions within the region indicates that there is both growing capacity and the potential for further development in this area.

Also linked with NSO 10, investment should support the development of capital infrastructure (including buildings, facilities and equipment) and approval to appoint professors, to enable Technical Universities (TUs) in the Region to further develop their research capacity. The increased provision of student accommodation and the rollout of a specific borrowing framework to enable TUs to develop accommodation should also be progressed.

Conclusion

The WDC’s submission to the consultation on the National Development Plan 2026 to 2035 underlines the need for strategic prioritisation and investment in the Western Region. Doing so would address infrastructural deficits, drive economic growth and sustainable employment, and support balanced regional development.

Each priority area is outlined in greater detail in the submission document, which can be found here.

[1] Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Urban Wastewater Treatment Report 2023

[2] WDC Annual Remote Working Survey 2023

[3] WDC, Travel to Work and Labour Catchments in the Western Region – Census 2022

Meta:

Categories: