Sir, – John FitzGerald writes of the risks attached to economic growth (“Economic challenge of managing success”, Business, June 3rd).
Any solution must, of course, involve ensuring that growth is spread on an equitable basis, reducing the dominance of Dublin in the economy while promoting other cities and regions.
But I suggest this solution needs to consider the island of Ireland, rather than just the State of Ireland (to touch on a very different debate in your letters column).
Northern Ireland is currently economically outperforming all other UK regions with the exception of London, thanks to the Northern Ireland protocol and the consequent relief from the worst impacts of Brexit.
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Despite this, Northern Ireland is not at great risk of suffering a similar level of overheating to that of Dublin, though pressures on the accommodation market do need to be recognised.
It would therefore make sense for some overspill demand to be promoted North. There are barriers to this approach – the obligations of IDA Ireland to promote the South, the lack of a government in the North and the stated objective of the DUP to compete with the South, rather than to co-operate with it economically.
This is just one of many examples of the DUP rejecting in practice the principles of the Good Friday Agreement.
It should be obvious that the two jurisdictions can gain immeasurably through greater economic co-operation.
The challenge is more political than administrative. But the benefits for all must not be ignored.
– Yours, etc,
PAUL GOSLING,
Derry.