The Western Development Commission is working closely with central government to develop a coherent strategy for the west, according to its chief executive, Mr Liam Scollan.
"That's not letting the Government off the hook. The commission is not here to make excuses for Government inaction. But neither is it here to serve the blame culture and complain about the lack of development."
Apart from proposals to improve communications and infrastructure, the commission has proposed that the upper Shannon region be given the same kind of tax breaks that apply in urban renewal areas.
It is a pilot project, and if successful could be applied in other disadvantaged areas. The Government has accepted the argument in principle, subject to EU approval.
The commission also says the Government should prioritise plans to improve the N17-N18 routes, the Western Corridor, and invest substantially in rail links. Comprehensive fibre-optic cabling and full ISDN access are seen as essential if rural areas are not to be denied access to the information superhighway.
One novelty in its investment strategy is the commission's emphasis on the advantages of locating in the west. It is a co-ordinated approach involving the IDA, Forbairt, Udaras na Gaeltachta, Shannon Development and the Department of Enterprise and Employment.
The idea is to tell investors what the west has to offer. These include an educated workforce, lower house prices, clean air, uncongested roads and other quality-of-life issues.
"That hasn't to date been spelt out at a regional level anywhere in Ireland," says Mr Scollan.