Ensure positive investment for Inishowen

Councillor Albert Doherty was speaking after submitting a motion to the meeting of Donegal County Council on Monday calling for a review or amendment to the IDA’s present strategy on job creation and attracting foreign direct investment. The IDA’s policy is to focus on areas such as ‘gateway towns’ and Colr Doherty believes this is to the detriment to more rural areas such as Inishowen and ‘two tier towns.’ Colr Doherty’s motion was widely supported and adopted at the council meeting and he told the ‘Journal’ the issue is one which has become even more prevalent in light of ‘Brexit.’ He pointed out how Inishowen has a population of almost 40,000 people and is the size of Co Louth, but the IDA does not focus on attracting job creation or foreign investment to the area.

Referring to the recent preliminary results of Census 2016, which showed a decrease in population in Inishowen, from 36, 504 in 2011 to 35, 829 in 2016, Colr Doherty said this must not be used as a “cause or excuse” to neglect investing in the peninsula. He said it should be quite the office and “positive investment” in areas such as Inishowen and the creation of job opportunities would be beneficial to those who are currently here and others who have emigrated and wish to return.