Regions of Ireland
The Border, Midlands and Western Region
Profile of the Region
The Border, Midland & Western (BMW) Region covers a large and diverse area and comprises thirteen counties, including the six border counties of Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan and Louth; the three western counties of Galway, Mayo and Roscommon and the four midland counties of Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath. The Region accounts for some 47% of the land area of Ireland, 26.5% of the population and contributes some 19% of the GDP of the country. Although the region is predominantly rural with a low population density, there is a strong and developing network of small, medium and larger sized towns, including Sligo, Letterkenny, Dundalk, Cavan, Castlebar and the Midland Triangle towns of Athlone, Mullingar and Tullamore and the city of Galway. Such urban centres have established strong clusters of Foreign Direct Investment and indigenous industries capable of significant future growth. The BMW Region is characterised by a high quality environment with low levels of pollution, clean air and water, as well as miles of clean beaches on the Western seaboard. The region’s low population density is reflected in the fact that there are few congestion problems outside its main urban centres. The population of 1.03 million (2002), is, however forecast to increase by 135,000 by 2020, implying continuing pressures on environmental resources, water supplies and sewerage systems. Access to and within the region is facilitated through primary roads, the national rail network, bus services both private and public and Galway, Sligo, Donegal and Knock airports.
Socio-economic profile
NUTS level |
II |
Area (sq. kms) |
32,481 |
% of area of State |
47.1% |
|
|
Population (2002) |
1,038,000 |
% of national population |
26.5% |
Population density (persons/sq km) |
32.1 |
|
|
Regional capital (town/city) |
Galway |
Population (2002) |
65,832 |
|
|
Regional GDP (2002) |
€ 21,081m |
GDP (% of State, 2002)) |
69.1% |
GDP (% of EU25 average 2002) |
91.9% |
|
|
Workforce (2004) |
515,100 |
Unemployment rate (March 2005) |
4.3% |
Employment rate (participation rate 2004) |
60.4% |
Employment in key industries: (% 2003) |
|
|
10.5 |
|
18.1 |
|
12.2 |
|
13.9 |
|
6.1 |
|
4.7 |
|
8.4 |
|
4.9 |
|
16.2 |
|
5.0 |
Regional Structures
The Regionalisation arrangements negotiated by the Irish authorities in the context of the Agenda 2000 agreement resulted in the designation of the country into two NUTS II regions for Structural Funds purposes: the BMW Region which has retained Objective 1 status for the purpose of Structural Funds for the full period to 2006, and the Southern and Eastern (S&E) Region which will qualify for a six year phasing out regime for Objective 1 Structural Funding up to the end of 2005. Following this designation, two new Regional Assemblies were established and came into effect on the 21st July 1999 under the Local Government Act, 1991 (Regional Authorities) (Establishment) Order, 1999. The BMW Assembly comprises 29 nominated elected representatives of the regional authorities within the region. The main roles of the BMW Regional Assembly are to:
- Manage the Regional Operational Programme under the National Development Plan
- Monitor the general impact of all EU Programmes under the National Development Plan/Community Support Framework in the Border, Midland and West region
- Promote the co-ordination of the provision of Public Services in the Region
- Highlight issues of concern for the Region
- Ensure that national policies take the regional dimension into account
- Creation of a regional identity.
Regional Priorities
The key challenge facing the BMW region in the future is that of strengthening its economic competitiveness (and underpinning innovation and knowledge capacity, as well as infrastructure), while maintaining the quality of life and vibrant community assets that currently define the region. The economy of the BMW Region is currently in a period of transition, from a reliance on agriculture sectors to a greater role for the high-tech and services sectors. However, in comparison with the rest of the country the region suffers from low levels of innovative activity, exacerbated by low graduate retention rates (‘brain drain’) and deficiencies in the Region’s innovation and knowledge transfer infrastructure. Critical areas, here, are the lack of large scale research institutions in the region, low levels of industry/third level linkages, and few private research associations. On the positive side, however, the region has a relatively young, well educated workforce and there is emerging evidence of potential cluster development in areas such as: medical devices, pharmachem, ICT, biotechnology, tool making, furniture making, food and seafood. Tourism is similarly a sector that has significant potential, however, achieving a greater spatial spread of the benefits of tourism is a key challenge for the future. To s support the strengthening of the regions economic competitiveness key infrastructure priorities have been identified, including: relieving congestion around the major intercity routes, improving important North-South road and rail linkages, rolling out broadband access to all rural areas, and harnessing the potential or air and seaports. From a social perspective, priorities include childcare, supports for children with special needs, youth services, drug programmes outside cities, sports and recreational activities and aspects of healthcare service such as care for the elderly and psychological services.
European Priorities
The BMW Region is one of the newer NUTS II regions in Europe and regionalisation is still a relatively new concept in the Irish context. However, the BMW Regional Assembly has already engaged successfully in a number of EU projects and initiatives, which, by facilitating collaboration with other EU regions, have proven to be a very effective way of assisting the region to achieve its objectives. Regions or areas with which the BMW Regional Assembly could benefit from future cooperation might include:
- “Natural effect” regions (EU regions where natural economic growth has resulted in their GDP rising above 75% of the EU15 average).
- Other EU regions which have conducted and implemented regional foresight studies
- Other maritime, island or peripheral regions
- Regions undergoing structural changes due to the changing nature of the agri-economy and the shift towards high-tech and service oriented employment
- Cooperation in the area of co-ordination of public services and spatial planning
European Experience
The BMW Regional Assembly has inter alia participated in the following EU projects:
1) Innovative Actions programme (2000-2004): This programme provided funding under three strands:
- Regional economies based on knowledge and technological innovation
- e-EuropeRegio: the information society at the service of regional development.
- Regional identity and sustainable development.
2) The BMW Regional Assembly is the national contact point for the INTERREG IIIB Atlantic Arc programme.
3) The INTERREG IIIB Regina Project:
4) The INTERREG IIIC ADEP Project:
Contacts Details
Name of organization: Border, Midland & Western Regional Assembly
Address: The Square, Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon, Ireland
Telephone: 00 353 94 98629970
Fax: 00 353 94 9862973
E-mail: info@bmwassembly.ie
Website: www.bmwassembly.ie
EU Projects Example
Project title: REGINA
EU programme: INTERREG IIIB Atlantic Arc
Project Description:
The overall objective of the REGINA project, which from November 1, 2003 until October 30, 2006, is to assist regions in the Atlantic Area to establish the basis to become regions of excellence (proven efficiency for competitiveness, economic growth, sustainable development and social cohesion) through the implementation of a common methodology for Regional Scientific, Technological and Innovation Knowledge Management. The project has a number of specific objectives, including:
- To examine the regional innovation framework, economic profiles & governance structures within each of the regions
- To identify common growth sectors/Industry niche areas in each of the regions
- To measure levels of research taking place within growth sectors
- To facilitate regions with common goals to put in place strategies that will integrate better the regions of the Atlantic Space into the European Research Area.
EU partners: Algarve & Porto (Portugal), Brittany (France), Galicia & Andalucia (Spain), West Midlands (UK), BMW Region (Ireland)
Total Funding: €2.65m
EU contribution: 59%
Contact details (lead partner): Fundacion Labein, Zamudio, Bilbao, Spain. E-mail: iugalde@labein.es website: http://regina.labein.es/regina/index.jsp
The BMW Regional Assembly area includes the following NUTS III regions:
Border, Midland
and West Regional Authorities.
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