SDLP Economy Spokesperson Sinéad McLaughlin MLA has said that persistent regional inequalities must be addressed as a matter of urgency if Northern Ireland is to achieve meaningful economic growth.
She was speaking following the publication of Ulster University’s Economic Policy Centre report Delivering Balanced Regional Growth in Northern Ireland, which finds that, despite repeated government commitments, deep regional disparities continue to define economic and social outcomes across the North.
Among the report’s key findings:
* Northern Ireland mirrors wider OECD trends: regional inequalities within countries have increased, even as gaps between countries have narrowed.
* Local Government Districts such as Derry City & Strabane and Causeway Coast & Glens continue to experience high economic inactivity and lower income levels, reflecting long-standing underinvestment and structural disadvantage.
The Foyle MLA said: “The report from the UUEPC is a sobering but unsurprising confirmation of what communities west of the Bann have known for years – that regional imbalance is not a new problem, but a persistent one that has been allowed to deepen over time.
“While I welcome the Department for the Economy’s inclusion of regional balance as a priority, the truth is this approach has come too late to avoid many of the challenges we now face.
“The absence of a joined-up, strategic response over the past two decades has meant that key parts of our region have been left behind.
“Regional balance isn’t just an economic issue, it’s a matter of fairness in healthcare, education, transport and opportunity.
“In a region as small as ours, there is absolutely no justification for the kind of postcode inequality we are seeing today.
“Where you live should never determine your life chances.
“For too long, failure to address regional imbalance has been a political choice. It is time for a new approach, one that is embedded in legislation and demands action across every department.
“That’s why I’m pressing ahead with my Regional Jobs, Skills and Investment Bill, which would place a legal duty on all Executive departments to have ‘due regard’ for regional balance when developing policy and allocating resources.
“Only by putting regional fairness on a statutory footing can we deliver the coordinated, long-term action needed to tackle inequalities in pay, access, infrastructure and opportunity.
“I will continue to press the Minister for the Economy and the wider Executive to back this legislation and work with us to finally dismantle the barriers holding our communities back.”
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