Derry Tops Unemployment and Deprivation Leagues

Michael Doherty with a letter that initially featured in the Derry Journal on April 2014.

Sir,

With the latest figures showing that Derry tops the Unemployment and deprivation Leagues yet again, and being aware that we are facing into another set of elections, I would ask what voting for any Party here has done for the people of this City?

Anyone with a modicum of sense knows the first steps to solving the economic desolation that Derry finds itself in. In fact, they have been known for over 50 years if not longer. Four obviously spring to mind.

(1) Proper road infrastructure linking Derry to Belfast and Dublin if not motorway at least complete dualling.

(2) A Proper Rail network, including passing loop on Belfast line, and, at least, a line through Donegal to Sligo that would allow a link to the western corridor of the Country.

(3) An International Airport based in Derry capable of servicing all of the North West Region including Leitrim, Sligo, Donegal, Fermanagh, and Tyrone.

(4) A University with at least 10,000 students, and all the economic benefits that would bring.

Bearing in mind that The Belfast Agreement was signed 16 years ago, and the current NI Executive has been in power since 2007, what has happened?

Roads – A6 Derry to Dungiven According to the Dept of Regional Development “There is no provision in the 2011-2015 NI budget for construction of the scheme and spending beyond the current budget period on schemes such as A6 Londonderry to Dungiven dualling scheme will depend on the funding made available by the Executive”. A5 Derry to Dublin has been delayed, apparently pending Public consultation on 3 Habitats Directive assessments expected March 2014. If that were true, how come the NI Executive money earmarked (£108 Million) was so quickly reallocated elsewhere?

Railways – Despite some promising developments and improvements, it is impossible to travel to Belfast from Derry by train and get to work on time! According to Mayor Martin Reilly “Cullybackey has around 38 trains passing it and Derry has only 18”. Phase 2 has been delayed because Translink said it was having difficulty finding the right supplier for signalling equipment. Plans to allow trains to pass each other will not be completed until at least 2016. No chance of rail link to Sligo via Donegal Great plans were also announced for Waterside station...until you get to the end and read “...subject to funding”.

Airport – We are all aware that the local ratepayer basically funds the Airport to a tune of £2 Million a year, apparently down from £3 Million. According to the City of Derry Airport Report on Performance and Industry Outlook of 8th January this year “Derry City Council’s Town Clerk and Chief Executive Sharon O’Connor said the annual reduction of the City of Derry Airport’s subvention by £1m was significant in helping to put the airport in a positive position for the future”. Just over a month later, as part of the local rates increase, The “Journal” reports this “ Mr Diver also revealed the annual subvention at City of Derry Airport has increased by 4.7% - the first rise in a number of years. “ Anyway, let’s not quibble about figures... According to the EU State Aid Regulations “Certain airports have an important role to play in terms of regional connectivity of isolated, remote or peripheral regions of the EU and can be entrusted with a Service of General Economic Interest (SGEI).” Have we applied for this funding? Leaving The City of Derry Airport, with basically one Carrier, and funded by the local ratepayer should never be an acceptable option. The current position is both a consequence and a cause of the current dire economic situation in our City.

University – Magee Campus has approximately 4000 students as opposed to between 32,000 and 40,000 in Belfast. On 17th September 2013 Minister Stephen Farry stated from the floor of Stormont “ I point out that the delivery of 700 additional STEM places is the only commitment relating to higher education contained in the Programme for Government”. But... The accountancy firm RSM McClure Watters is to undertake the business case for the expansion of the University of Ulster's Magee campus. A draft report is expected by the end of June, with the final report due in September. Brilliant, when they invest £200 Million in Queens University Belfast!

Despite what our politicians tell us, with 6 MLA’s costing us almost £900,000 a year, instead of moving forward this City is moving backward. Let’s stop accepting the “Bread and Circuses” and crumbs from the table. Where is the Peace Dividend for Derry? Will any politician again try to tell us “These things take time” or “we are consulting with stakeholders”

Funding that could stop this City topping all the Unemployment/Poverty League Tables is being wilfully removed and diverted elsewhere! £50 Million has been allocated to a Data Centre at Coleraine University, with their local Council claiming “ Coleraine can now justifiably claim the telecommunications “Blue-Riband” prize for making the fastest Atlantic crossing between the North American and European continents. Kelvin now remarkably connects Coleraine to the very heart of the Financial District in Manhattan and back again, in just over 66 thousandths of a second.”. What does this mean for Project Kelvin Derry? Was it another big announcement that can be cancelled a few years down the line? How come Coleraine also got the Enterprise Zone while Derry tops all the Unemployment and poverty league tables? How can Invest NI justify spending over 50% of their budget in Belfast, while less that 6% in Derry? Where are the 10,000 sustainable jobs we were told the “City of Culture” would bring? Why should we be overjoyed at 10 jobs in the new Science Park at Fort George while Science Parks lie empty all over the City?

For this we must hold our MP, MLA's, Councillors, and Statutory Bodies to account. Failure to do so will lead only to our City’s children and grandchildren continuing to seek their future in the US, Britain, Australia and elsewhere while economically, socially, and by every other metric, Derry collapses around us.

Yours,

Michael Doherty

Derry City