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Accelerating economic development in Derry and Donegal region could deliver an ‘actual productivity leap’ and be the ‘real prize’ of a more integrated all-island economy, a leading economist has said.

Mr. Paul Mac Flynn, a co-director of the Nevin Economic Research Institute (NERI), said: “In terms of the all-island economy, we would all have reasons for focusing on particular areas, but if there were to be a deepening of the all-island economy, whether under the current constitutional arrangement or something further, the real prize lies in the underdeveloped areas.”

Mr. Mac Flynn argued there has been a disproportionate emphasis on the north-south economic axis along the Irish Sea coast and that real growth opportunities exist in the north west.

He was speaking during a briefing of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.

Economist Paul Mac Flynn has said there is 'a Derry-Donegal divide on many key economic metrics' and that 'raising the game' is where an 'actual productivity leap' could come about.

“The Dublin-Belfast corridor, which is often given more prominence than it is due, is the easy part of economic development. There is a Derry-Donegal divide on many key economic metrics, and raising the game there is where the actual productivity leap could come about,” he said.

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The Belfast-based economist said NERI hopes to work on a new job quality survey to get a greater understanding of the all-island economy.

“Two years ago, we were involved in a project with UCD called the working in Ireland survey, which looked at job quality. It was only focused on the Republic of Ireland in that particular wave, but our intention when we do it the next time is to extend the analysis to Northern Ireland and to be able to do the survey there.

“Focusing on job quality is one of the areas which has been missing in looking at differences between North and South and, in particular, being able to focus in on particular regions. We want to boost the sample so that it is able to tell us more about those particular regions.

“A lot of the headline productivity data at sectoral level throws up results that we scratch our heads about. Sometimes it is when we actually go down into individual experience of work in areas that we are able to figure out whether that is related to training, management structures and so on,” he said.

Boosting Derry/Donegal region would be ‘real prize’ of all-island economy and deliver ‘actual productivity leap’

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