The Republic's two new regional assemblies which will - in theory at least - co-ordinate infrastructural projects and regional development plans, held inaugural meetings in Waterford and Roscommon yesterday.
The regions - called NUTS II regions in European terms - were set up under an agreement with the EU which sees part of the State, the Border, midlands and western region, retain Objective 1 status for EU funding. The second region, the Southern and Eastern Region, will be classed as Objective 1 in Transition, on a sliding scale between 2000 and 2006.
The temporary director of the Southern and Eastern Region is the Waterford city manager, Mr Eddie Breen. The temporary director of the Border, Midlands and Western Region is Mr Eddie Sheehy, the Roscommon county manager. They will be succeeded by appointees who will receive a salary in line with that of a principal officer or assistant secretary in the civil service.
In addition to a full-time director, the new assemblies will have a staff of 15 to 18, which will include professionals in such areas as planning. Six meetings of the assemblies are scheduled to take place annually over the next five years - the life of the assembly.