The Role of Unity in Eradicating Regional Inequalities
In the interest of ameliorating the devastating sequelae of regional inequalities both North and South, Irish Unity is not the quixotic, temerarious desire many of its opponents erroneously proclaim it to be, but a necessity.
The Southern State and the Northern Statelet were not created on the basis of helping the working classes, regardless of their geographical location. The worker in Dublin and Belfast was thought of just as much as the worker in Derry and Donegal.
It would be both incorrect and fatuous to assert that inequalities don’t exist in Dublin and Belfast: they do. These must not and cannot be ignored in any just, socialist society. It is imperative that these issues are addressed and, as a party that stands up for workers and families, it is unquestionably a priority.
However, both cities, on the whole, do benefit from attention that is not afforded to places such as Derry and Donegal when it comes to public transport and general investment. Irish Unity offers change in this regard.
A seminal work on the economic benefits of a United Ireland was Hübner’s document, ‘Modelling Irish Unification’ which was completed in 2015. Hübner, director of the Institute for European Studies at the University of British Columbia, modelled various scenarios including the effects of fiscal harmonisation, the reduction of trade barriers, transportation costs, currency transactions and more.
The apotheosis exhibits that, ‘political and economic unification of the North and South would likely result in a sizable boost in economic output and incomes in the North and a smaller boost in the ROI’. The calculations evince that integration could reap value equivalent to €36 billion (€23.5 billion in light of Brexit) in the first 8 years. Just imagine what could be achieved with such a boost.
It is axiomatic that the places which are likely to benefit most from harmonisation would be the border areas. Derry and Donegal both fall into this category and, being in the North West of Ireland, are located in the most economically marginalised area in the country.
Irish Unity could stop this marginalisation and bring about the social and economic development the region so desperately requires. Governmental investment by a left led government would increase significantly with the projected economic boost of Unity, providing the region with the facilities necessary to attract investment.
A city with the history and indeed the inimitable charm of Derry, and its many famous sons and daughters, neighbouring a county with an airport that is consistently voted the most scenic in the World, is widely regarded by many as one of the most beautiful places in Europe, if not the World, would be a dream for any region anywhere in the World.
The truth is, partition prohibits us from accruing the true socio-economic potential of this. This means employment, public transport and economic growth is stunted. We cannot afford for this to continue much longer.
Businesses don’t invest in the region because of the lack of infrastructure caused by a dearth in support and interest from Westminster and Unionist parties in Stormont, who have no desire to see funds drift West of the Bann in the first place.
As a consequence, unemployment in Derry and Strabane in January was 6.6%, and 8.8% for men — the worst in the North. Donegal too has been cut off from its natural economic region because of partition: as the Sinn Féin party document, ‘Economic Benefits of a United Ireland’ states, ‘Irish unity would allow for a much more efficient and effective development of the area alongside Derry and the north-west region’.
In short: economic development is undermined by the very nature of partition. In a fully integrated economy, the North-West would be provided with an employment boost in industries such as hospitality, tourism and an increase in business investment would, rather obviously, succour in this manner too, not to mention the need for more jobs when significant improvements are being made in the regional public transport which includes the rail service Donegal has been outrageously deprived of for decades by consecutive partitionist, uninterested governments.
Moreover, Eoin Ó Broin’s suggestion to the Dáil last year of a European-standard line between Derry and Dublin, that would result in the journey only taking an hour and a half, has significant potential to, as he put it, open the, ‘entire North-West’ and, ‘be of significant service to the people in that region’, would be much more feasible once partition reaches its denouement.
This is an eminently sensible proposition and could prove to be vital for the North West. It would also contribute positively to alleviating congestion and consequent emissions too.
Indeed, data analyst and accountant Peter Donaghy also supported the idea, having stated on Slugger O’Toole, “A tunnel would link Dublin Connolly to Dublin Airport, and from there the route would take in Ashbourne, Navan and Kells in County Meath, Virginia in County Cavan, Clones in County Monaghan, Omagh and Strabane in County Tyrone, Letterkenny in County Donegal and finally the city of Derry...”
He went on to state, “In terms of costs, recent high speed rail schemes in Europe have varied between €15-16m/km in Belgium, €4.7-23m in France and €7.8-20m in Spain; the extremely high costs per kilometre of HS2 in the UK aren’t an appropriate comparison due to the high costs of building railway lines in the London area.”
In the midst of what is likely to be something of an economic boom, a United Irish economy would be more than capable of facilitating such a construction. It makes perfect sense, then, for the people of the North-West to desire this and, consequently, Irish Unity.
When it comes to a Green economy, Foyle MLA Martina Anderson was correct in promulgating the key role Derry and the North-West could play at its forefront, when stating: “Our unique and ideal location in the northwest of Ireland means we are perfectly positioned to become a global leader in renewable and sustainable energy production, capitalising from wind energy and complementing oxygen and hydrogen industries.
“These industries can unlock additional employment opportunities in Derry such as the maintenance of hydrogen powered bus fleets, innovative technologies for increasing sewerage capacity and wastewater treatment as well as in the production and storage of cutting edge hydrogen fuels.
“I have engaged directly with multiple renewable energy investors who are potentially interested in creating jobs in Derry and I will be holding another meeting this Thursday...”
It has already been accentuated and elucidated as to why Irish Unity is imperative in the creation of jobs in the region and the case of a Green Economy is not exempt from that reasoning. As we stand on the precipice of one of history’s gravest existential threats, the North-West would have the facilities to lead Ireland’s challenge and indeed provide the World with a sustainable template for tackling climate change whilst gaining substantial economic and social advantages in doing so.
Martina Anderson (who has, just recently, released a timely and important document, ‘Tackling Regional Inequalities’ which is a must read on this issue) and all of Sinn Féin’s elected representatives throughout Ireland and the North West intend to facilitate such change for the betterment of all people across Ireland, and everyone in the North-West. Regional inequality in the North-West impacts working class Unionists as much as it does Republicans.
It is the intention of Sinn Féin in Derry and Ógra Shinn Féin Dhoire, to appeal to and help Unionists, as well as many of those who support the status quo without defining their position on the constitutional question (Alliance voters), who suffer the same inequalities, on the basis of the highly substantiated benefits for the North-West in achieving Irish Unity. Unity makes sense.
There is no ‘us’ or ‘them’ in the battle against regional inequality: there is only ‘we’. No area and nobody should be left behind. A culturally cognisant and accepting 32 county socialist Republic is the way to end all forms of economic and social discrimination in Ireland. It must be done; it can be done - ‘we’ can do it.
le Matthew O’Reilly Deehan