Approximately €217 million has been unveiled for the Northern and Western region under the European Regional Development Funds (ERDF).

The Northern and Western Regional Assembly announced the funding this week, which will support development in Connacht, Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan

Welcoming the announcement, Sinn Féin MEP Chris MacManus said: "This programme will provide much needed investment to build the capacity of the new multi-campus Atlantic Technological University, deliver the regional smart hub network, provide more supports for regional industry and enterprise and much more.

"In recent years the region has been downgraded by the EU to being a region 'in transition', meaning that the region's economy is regressing rather than progressing. An EU report on regional disparity published this year has reiterated this decline, finding that for over a decade our region has been stuck in a so-called 'development trap'. 

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"Therefore this investment will provide a much needed boost to our regional economy across a number of key areas. However it is only a first step and must be followed up with sustained investment in the region from the Irish Government to reinvigorate our local economy and ensure that communities across the region can thrive. 

"Sinn Féin will continue to fight for a fair deal for the West and Northwest, in particular for an end to regional inequalities in investment, which has left our region without its fair share of funding in key areas such as transport, education and health. Supporting the development of public services, our local SMEs and delivering critical infrastructure projects is the only way we will successfully tackle regional imbalance.

"Finally I would like to commend the Northern and Western Regional Assembly for the key role they have played in securing this funding and for their continued support for the region."