Madam, - I noted with interest yesterday's front-page article by Carl O'Brien, Social Affairs Correspondent, about the threat of poverty being greater in rural regions and especially my own north western region, with Cos Donegal, Mayo, Leitrim and Longford in particular singled out.
This is a situation which must be urgently addressed and I would suggest the following actions:
1) Appoint a minister of state with direct responsibility for the regions and who in particular will oversee the speedy roll-out to rural areas of broadband technology, ensure the decentralisation programme is delivered in its entirety and ensure that the present underspend of EU monies destined for the north- west region is reversed.
2) The Border and midlands area deserves its own university. Average incomes in the Border and midlands area are lower than elsewhere. Part of the reason for this is the absence of an investment-attracting university in the region.
If this Government is really interested in balanced regional development, it is now imperative that it acts to redress this imbalance. I call on all of the Government representatives locally to lobby the Minister for Education to establish a new university in this area, which can build upon and utilise Cavan's new third- level facility and the ITs already functioning in the wider Border and midlands area. - Yours, etc,
SEAN McKIERNAN jnr, Bailieborough, Co Cavan.