Positive discrimination towards North West is needed - Kenny
Outgoing Sinn Féin TD Martin Kenny says that ‘discrimination’ against specific counties has led to inequality in the North West region.
A report last week from the Northern and Western Regional Assembly (NWRA) said that health, infrastructure and education in the West and North West need a policy of ‘positive discrimination’ following years of neglect.
Martin Kenny, who is the sole Sinn Féin candidate running for election in this constituency, said: “I have long been saying, and indeed campaigning, on the issue of the need for targeted investment for the West and North West region.
“Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon and Donegal have suffered decades on indifference from successive Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil governments,” he said.
He added: “This has resulted in mass emigration, high unemployment, business closures and a dearth of public service provision in these counties.”
Kenny said that while the North West has suffered during bad times, it hasn’t felt the benefit of economic upturns.
“The North West has suffered disproportionately in economic bad times but also failed to share in the prosperity of economic upturns.
“This stems from an attitude and approach by government and agencies of the state, which focuses investment, planning and infrastructure heavily in the east of the country.
“There is no other word for this but discrimination. Discrimination against specific counties and discrimination against our own citizens.”
Kenny went on to say that heed should be taken of this report, and that now is the time to look at the future of rural Ireland.
“I welcome the report’s call for ‘positive discrimination’ to address the deficit.
“Now is the time to positively address the future of rural Ireland and to take the necessary measures to revive or rural towns, villages and communities.
“Rural Ireland and the North West needs a level playing field, but this will not happen if we continue to return governments dominated by the same old parties who have failed rural Ireland.
“When I introduced a Rural Proofing Bill to the Dáil in 2017, which would have ensured that any policies and measures would be examined for their impact on rural Ireland, this was opposed by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.”