Northern & Western Regional Assembly The square Ballaghaderreen Co. 19th March 2021 Commission on the Defence Forces Floor 1 West, Agriculture House, Kildare Street, 2, D02 WK12 RE: Commission on the Defence Forces: Public Consultation

Dear Dr. Waldron, I refer to your notification by email on 4th March 2021 in respect of the abovementioned consultation and the Northern and Western Regional Assembly (NWRA) welcome the opportunity to collaborate with the Commission on this review, which is timely within the context of the adopted Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy for the Northern and Western Region of Ireland. It is the role of the Regional Assemblies to provide leadership and to identify regional development objectives and coordinating initiatives that support the delivery and implementation of national planning and economic policy. This is primarily achieved through the preparation and implementation of Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSES) that are bespoke to the region and which implement and amplify the National Policy Objectives and National Strategic Outcomes of Project Ireland 2040 (NPF & NDP). The Northern and Western Regional Assembly adopted the Regional Spatial & Economic Strategy 2020 – 2032 (RSES) for the Northern and Western Region in January 2020 and it is available on our website www.nwra.ie/rses The RSES tackles the substantial challenges facing the Northern and Western Region’s economy; challenges which – if unaddressed – could notably enhance regional inequalities that exist in Ireland and undermine the delivery of the National Planning Framework (NPF) and the Programme for Government. Such difficulties are reflected in the European Commission’s decision to downgrade the Northern and Western Region from a “More Developed Region” to a “Transition Region” post 2020 – the only region in Ireland to hold such a status – while the European Parliament's Committee on Regional Development has categorised the region as a “Lagging Region”, which is a region characterised by extremely low growth which is divergent from the rest of the country. Our “Region in Transition” publication reinforces these assessments, with the decline in our region’s economy also accompanied by long-term underinvestment in the region’s communications infrastructure, national roads, regional and local roads, health infrastructure and third level education and research infrastructure. This also signals that this region can be expected to experience a more complex and long-term recovery from the current pandemic crisis.

To deliver the vision and objectives of the National Planning Framework (NPF) and our Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES), the region has been calling on Government to positively discriminate in favour of the Northern & Western region and provide a higher rate of investment that will address the legacy of under-investment. The presence of the Defence Forces represent a significant economic, social and environmental value to the communities of this region, which has a significant coastline and also a significant land border with Northern Ireland. This extent and nature of our coastline and international land and sea borders presents challenges for the Defence Forces but also presents opportunities through this review to provide further investment in those existing assets across the region that will support communities, including:

• Renmore Barracks, Renmore, County Galway • Custume Barracks, , County Westmeath • Finner Camp, County Donegal • Carnagh Rifle Range, • Oranmore Rifle Range, County Galway • RDF Clifden, County Galway • RDF , County Roscommon • RDF Sligo, County Sligo • RDF Letterkenny, County Donegal • RDF Cavan, County Cavan Furthermore, it is important to recognise that the Country’s Maritime Territory is almost 10 times our landmass, at over 220m acres under-water. To better protect, and utilise this resource, the Government set out a clear roadmap through Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth: An integrated Marine Plan for Ireland (2012) and a National Marine Planning Framework (NMPF) is currently being prepared which will help manage our resources effectively and sustainably. The RSES identifies the Western seaboard and the North Atlantic to be a key strategic zone the fishing industry, tourism and for the testing, installation, and continued expansion in the area of Marine Renewables. With technology advances in Solar, and Off-Shore wind becoming more cost-effective, it is envisaged that this focus is likely to shift during the lifetime of the RSES. Wave energy, tidal energy, and offshore wind energy will continue to expand in line with technological advances and subject to feasibility, and environmental assessment. There are already many Marine Energy Test Sites located off the West Coast, including at Galway Bay (Marine Renewable ETS) and Belmullet, Co. Mayo, (Wave Energy Converter to be connected to the National Grid). Off-Shore renewables will be critically important if the Country is to meet the energy targets set out for 2030. Our extensive maritime zone includes over 250 piers, and harbours along the region’s coastline. Our port and shipping services play an important role as enablers of economic growth and the National

Ports Policy 2013, reference three Ports of Regional Significance within the region, namely, Galway, Sligo and Killybegs. While none of these ports are designated as TEN-T Ports, the RSES supports the further examination of the feasibility for pursuing designation of both Galway Port and Killybegs Port as EU TEN-T Comprehensive Ports. The Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) Policy represents an instrument that can assist in improving connectivity, as it addresses the development of a Europe-wide transport network that delivers strengthened social, economic and territorial cohesion. The Naval Service is the State's principal seagoing agency which is tasked with a variety of defence and other roles, including the protection of Ireland’s interests at and from the sea and protecting Ireland's Sea Lines of Communications, Fisheries and offshore resources as outlined hereinabove. The RSES identifies the need to plan how to best harness Irelands maritime resources over the coming two decades and as a consequence this shall have a significant impact on the role and function of the Naval Service across this region. The current Naval Headquarters is located at Hawlbowline, Co. Cork, and consideration should be given to the establishment of a second base for Naval ships. The Assembly consider the most geographically appropriate location for such a base would be in the West / North West of the Country, particularly given the advent of Brexit, and the challenges associated with monitoring the vast extent of Ireland’s territorial waters.

Fig 1: RSES Urban Hierarchy & Ports in Northern & Western Region. The Assembly is also hugely aware of the potential of the defence forces, to assist existing emergency services in terms of providing professional services through their highly trained personnel and organisational abilities. These qualities are appreciated throughout the world through the defence forces to UN peace keeping missions.

The availability of highly trained personnel while having the ongoing potential referred to above have also in the longer term the potential to contribute to local and regional economic and community projects post service in the defence forces. The Assembly consider these to be valuable resources which it is important to strengthen and maintain for the common good. The Assembly ask that the commission consider the long-term societal benefits outside of direct service be included and quantified in their review. The review should also examine how it can best support the development of apprentice programmes which run in tandem with our Institutes of Higher Education. I hope that the above observations are of assistance in shaping the comprehensive review of the Defence Forces in a manner that shall be of benefit to our communities. If you have any queries in respect of the above observations then do not hesitate to revert.

Is mise le meas,

David Minton, Director