Athmhuscailt an Iarthair Ag sárú míchothramaíochtaí sóisialta agus eacnamaíochta Awakening the West Overcoming Social and Economic Inequality ReportCover.indd 1 22/01/2009 15:33:10 Athmhuscailt an Iarthair: Ag sárú míchothramaíochtaí sóisialta agus eacnamaíochta Awakening the West: Overcoming Social and Economic Inequality Presented to the oireachtas joint committee on Arts, Sports, Tourism, Rural, Community and Gaeltacht affairs Senator Pearse Doherty Sinn Féin representative on the oireachtas joint committee of Arts, Sports, Tourism, Rural, Community and Gaeltacht affairs November 2008 Researchers: Ruadhán Mac Aodháin and Pádraig MacLochlainn 1 PearseDohertyReportB&W.indd 1 22/01/2009 15:26:36 Clár Ábhair Brollach an Rapóirtéara lch. 6 Admhálacha lch. 12 Intreoir lch. 13 Giorrúcháin agus Gluais Téarmaí lch. 14 Achoimre Feidhmiúcháin lch. 15 Eochair-Mholtaí lch. 21 Caibidil 1: Intreoir lch. 29 Eochair-Theachtaireachtaí lch. 29 1.1 Daonra agus déimeagrafaic lch. 29 1.2 Éagothromaíochtaí Réigiúnacha lch. 30 1.3 Fostaíocht lch. 30 1.4 Coinneáil Céimithe lch. 30 1.5 Bonneagar lch. 31 1.6 Seirbhísí Sóisialta lch. 31 1.7 Fhorbairt Réigiúnach a Chothromú lch. 31 1.8 Maoiniú lch. 31 Caibidil 2: Geilleagar lch. 33 Eochair-Theachtaireachtaí lch. 33 2.1 Geilleagar agus Fiontraíocht lch. 33 2.2 Talmhaíocht lch. 34 2.3 Iascaireacht lch. 35 2.4 Tógáil lch. 35 2.5 Déantúsaíochta agus Tionscal lch. 35 2.6 Turasóireacht lch. 36 Caibidil 3: Fiontraíocht agus Infheistíocht lch. 39 Eochair-Theachtaireachtaí lch. 39 3.1 Seirbhísí trádála áitiúla lch. 39 3.2 Fiontair Dhúchasacha lch. 40 3.3 Rochtain ar chaipiteal lch. 42 3.4 Comhlachtaí Forbartha Réigiúnaí lch. 43 3.5 Infheistíocht Dhíreach Choigríche lch. 43 3.6 T&F agus nuálaíocht lch. 44 3.7 Geilleagar Uile-Éireann lch. 44 3.8 Geilleagar Glas lch. 45 2 3 PearseDohertyReportB&W.indd 2 22/01/2009 15:26:36 Caibidil 4: Iompar Bóthair, Caibidil 9: Eisiamh Sóisialta iarnróid agus aeriompar lch. 47 agus Forbairt Pobail lch. 83 Eochair-Theachtaireachtaí lch. 47 Eochair-Theachtaireachtaí lch. 83 4.1 Ról Bonneagair lch. 47 9.1 Bochtaineacht lch. 83 4.2 Bóithre lch. 47 9.2 Forbairt Pobail lch. 83 4.3 Iarnróid Paisinéirí lch. 49 4.4 Lasta lch. 52 Caibidil 10 Na hOileáin lch. 85 4.5 Imeascadh bóthair agus iarnróid lch. 52 Eochair-Theachtaireachtaí lch. 85 4.6 Iompar poiblí lch. 53 10.1 Na hOileáin lch. 85 4.7 Iompar tuaithe lch. 53 10.2 Bonneagar lch. 85 4.8 Rochtain aeir lch. 55 10.3 Talmhaíocht lch. 86 10.4 Forbairt Fiontraíochta lch. 86 Caibidil 5: Cumarsáid agus Fuinneamh lch. 57 10.5 Oideachas lch. 86 Eochair-Theachtaireachtaí lch. 57 10.6 Seirbhísí sláinte agus sóisialta lch. 87 5.1 Bonneagar Leathanbhanda lch. 57 5.2 Costas agus cáilíochta lch. 58 Caibidil 11 An Ghaeltacht lch. 93 5.3 Bonneagar Fuinnimh lch. 59 Eochair-Theachtaireachtaí lch. 93 5.4 Acmhainn leictreachais lch. 59 11.1 Déimeagfrafaic lch. 93 5.5 Gás nádúrtha lch. 60 11.2 Forbhreathnú Sochtheangeolaíoch lch. 93 5.6 Fuinneamh in-athnuaite lch. 61 11.3 Geilleagar lch. 94 11.4 Tionscal Gaeilge agus Oideachas lch. 94 Caibidil 6: Cúram Sláinte lch. 63 11.5 Oiliúint Gaeilge lch. 95 Eochair-Theachtaireachtaí lch. 63 11.6 Aistriúchán, Ateangaireacht 6.1 Éagothramaíocht thorthaí sláinte lch. 63 agus Teicneolaíocht lch. 95 6.2 Easpa cothramaíochta chúraim sláinte lch. 64 11.7 Turasóireacht Chultúrtha lch. 96 6.3 Mícothramaíocht maoinithe sláinte lch. 65 6.4 Mapáil Galar lch. 65 Caibidil 12 Athchóiriú Struchtúrach lch. 101 6.5 Lárú lch. 66 Eochair-Theachtaireachtaí lch. 101 6.6 Teimpléad Hanly/Teamwork lch. 66 13.1 Beartais náisiúnta lch. 101 6.7 Tionchar clabhsúr gearr ospidéal lch. 69 13.2 Seirbhísí áitiúla lch. 102 6.8 Ról d’ospidéil beaga lch. 70 13.3 Geataí beaga agus bailte margaidh lch. 102 6.9 Cúram máithreachas lch. 71 6.10 Ailse agus staitéisí eile lch. 72 Aguisín 1: Téarmaí Tagartha lch. 104 Aguisín 2: Moltaí lch. 105 Caibidil 7: Oideachas agus Cúram Linbh lch. 75 Aguisín 3: Comhairliúchán lch. 112 Eochair-Theachtaireachtaí lch. 75 Aguisín 4: Tuarascáil ar Dhorchla 7.1 Costais Cúram Linbh lch. 75 Bhóthar an Atlantaigh lch. 113 7.2 Bunoideachas lch. 76 Aguisín 5: Baill den Chomhchoiste lch. 114 7.3 Cianfhoghlaim lch. 77 Caibidil 8: Garda agus Seirbhísí An Post lch. 79 Eochair-Theachtaireachtaí lch. 79 8.1 Stáisiúin Garda lch. 79 8.2 Oifigí Poist lch. 80 8.3 Eispéireas idirnáisiúnta lch. 81 8.4 Tionscnaimh Fhéideartha Stáit lch. 81 2 3 PearseDohertyReportB&W.indd 3 22/01/2009 15:26:36 Table of Contents Foreword by Senator Pearse Doherty, Rapporteur page 9 Acknowledgements page 12 Introduction page 13 Abbreviations and Glossary of Terms page 14 Executive Summary page 18 Key Recommendations page 25 Chapter 1: Introduction page 29 Key Messages page 29 1.1 Population and demographics page 29 1.2 Regional disparities page 30 1.3 Employment page 30 1.4 Retention of graduates page 30 1.5 Infrastructure page 31 1.6 Access to services page 31 1.7 Balanced regional development page 31 1.8 Funding for Regional Development page 31 Chapter 2: Economy page 33 Key Messages page 33 2.1 Economic Overview page 33 2.2 Agriculture page 34 2.3 Fishing page 35 2.4 Manufacturing and industry page 35 2.5 Construction page 35 2.6 Tourism page 36 Chapter 3: Enterprise and Investment page 39 Key Messages page 39 3.1 Locally traded services page 39 3.2 Indigenous Enterprises page 40 3.3 Accessing capital page 42 3.4 Regional development bodies page 43 3.5 Foreign Direct Investment page 43 3.6 R&D and innovation page 44 3.7 All-Ireland Economy page 44 3.8 Green Economy page 45 4 5 PearseDohertyReportB&W.indd 4 22/01/2009 15:26:36 Chapter 4: Road, rail and air transport page 47 Chapter 9: Social Exclusion and Community Key Messages page 47 Development page 83 4.1 Role of Infrastructure page 47 Key Messages page 83 4.2 Roads page 47 9.1 Poverty page 83 4.3 Passenger Rail page 49 9.2 Community development page 83 4.4 Freight page 52 4.5 Road and rail integration page 52 Chapter 10 The Islands page 89 4.6 Public transport page 53 Key Messages page 89 4.7 Rural transport page 53 10.1 The Islands page 89 4.8 Air access page 55 10.2 Infrastructure page 89 10.3 Agriculture and Fishing page 90 Chapter 5: Communications and 10.4 Enterprise development page 90 Energy Infrastructure page 57 10.5 Education page 90 Key Messages page 57 10.6 Health and social services page 91 5.1 Broadband infrastructure page 57 5.2 Cost and quality page 58 Chapter 11 An Ghaeltacht page 97 5.3 Energy infrastructure page 59 Key Messages page 97 5.4 Electricity Transmission Capacity page 59 11.1 Demographics page 97 5.5 Natural gas page 60 11.2 Socio-linguistic overview page 97 5.6 Renewable energy page 61 11.3 Economy page 98 11.4 Irish language industry and education page 98 Chapter 6: Health Care page 63 11.5 Irish language training page 99 Key Messages page 63 11.6 Translation, interpretation and technology page 99 6.1 Unequal health outcomes page 63 11.7 Cultural tourism page 100 6.2 Inequitable health provision page 64 6.3 Disparities in health funding page 65 Chapter 12 Structural Reform page 101 6.4 Mapping Disease page 65 Key Messages page 101 6.5 Centralisation page 66 13.1 Government policies page 101 6.6 The Hanly/Teamwork template page 66 13.2 Small gateways and market towns page 102 6.7 The impact of acute hospital closures page 69 13.3 Local services page 102 6.8 Role for smaller hospitals page 70 6.9 Maternity Care page 71 Appendix 1: Terms of Reference page 104 6.10 Cancer and other strategies page 72 Appendix 2: Recommendations page 105 Appendix 3: Atlantic Road Corridor Progress Report page 112 Chapter 7: Education and Childcare page 75 Appendix 4: Groups who made submissions page 113 Key Messages page 75 Appendix 5: Members of 7.1 Childcare costs page 75 the Joint Committee page 114 7.2 Primary education page 76 7.3 Distance learning page 77 Chapter 8: Garda And An Post Services page 79 Key Messages page 79 8.1 Garda stations page 79 8.2 Post offices page 80 8.3 International experience page 81 8.4 Possible State initiatives page 81 4 5 PearseDohertyReportB&W.indd 5 22/01/2009 15:26:36 Brollach an Rapóirtéara: ón tSeanadóir Pearse Doherty an dearcadh s’agam go bhfuil an bás mall i ndán d’Iarthar na hÉireann mar gheall ar na ciorruithe. Níos luaithe sa bhliain, shuigh mé le bean bhródúil ó Iarthar na hÉireann, bean a chaith 60 bliain ag reáchtáil oifig an phoist áitiúil, a chuir glas ar an doras don uair dheireanach. Le hioncaim chomh íseal sin, ní raibh duine ar bith ann chun a háit a ghlacadh. Post eile caillte, seirbhís eile imithe. Ar an lá céanna, druideadh trí oifig an phoist eile in Iarthar na hÉireann. Ar an drochuair, ní ábhar iontais é an druidim san earnáil seo. Tá stáisiúin Garda, siopaí coirnéil agus pubanna áitiúla uile ag dul an bealach céanna. Toisc an daonra beag in iarthar na hÉireann, gur ceantar tuaithe é agus an leithlis a bhíonn ar chuid mhór daoine, mothaíonn pobail nach féidir leo deireadh a chur leis an mheathlú. Níl chluintear a nguth i ndorchlaí na cumhachta.