Republican News · Thursday 13 March 2003

Developing the new Six Counties!

BY ROBBIE SMYTH

Sinn Féin councillors from both sides of the border, two MPs, Assembly members and other key party activists met last week to discuss practical measures to tackle economic neglect in the North West and formulate an integrated regional development strategy for the new 'Six Counties'.

The Sinn Féin representatives came from Derry, Donegal, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Tyrone and Sligo, joined by Martina Anderson, Sinn Féin's political coordinator of All-Ireland structures, and Robbie Smyth, Sinn Fein's representative on InterTradeIreland.

West Tyrone MP, Pat Doherty, who chaired the one-day conference, said: "Sinn Féin is convinced of the need to develop an integrated regional development strategy to redress the legacy of neglect and underinvestment that has left the North West an economically depressed and peripheral region in Ireland.

Doherty highlighted the double edge to discrimination and neglect in the North West, pointing out that it was not just the old Stormont regime whose policies led to decades of discrimination but also the "neglect of counties Donegal, Leitrim, and Sligo by consecutive Dáil administrations". Doherty believes that the North Western counties continue to share a common socio-economic profile, albeit "an unenvious one".

Talking of 'the new Six Counties', Doherty said there was a need to develop a new regional identity. "At present this regional identity does not exist to any great degree. There is therefore a compelling logic now to begin to act as a single regional voice in the struggle to regenerate the economy of the region.

"It makes sense in terms of attempting to redress the infrastructure deficit. It makes sense in terms of demanding an equitable share of investment, as it does across the entire spectrum of social and economic issues."

Doherty said that Sinn Féin is determined that "this regional voice develops as quickly as possible".

Martina Anderson added a new dimension to the debate, talking of the need for Sinn Féin to "actively seek the elimination of poverty and social exclusion across Ireland".

derson also pointed out that any strategy for economic development in the North West will not successfully tackle deprivation, "unless it empowers people and communities who have suffered most from disadvantage, exclusion and discrimination to take the lead in redressing their disadvantage".

The issue of the social economy was also raised by Anderson. She said this is a sector that "at present receives insufficient support or recognition from central governments and in fact is having funding withdrawn, despite its important role in the regeneration of areas often characterised by poverty and deprivation".

The challenge for republicans, she said, is the need to be much more proactive in promoting this sector, which will stand at the core of any economy that effects meaningful equality and social justice.

It is for us a key element of the new Economic Paradigm - one in which communities are empowered and the economic development process is democratised and made sustainable. As such, we need to see its promotion throughout all Economic Development Structures and, in particular, those with an all-Ireland remit.