Finance Minister Michael McGrath will underline the Government's commitment to sustainable regional development when he addresses a special three-day Regions in Focus 2023 event in Monaghan on the 7th of February next.
The Association of Irish Regions (AIR) event will see a host of leading academics and industry experts gather for workshops, seminars and specialised training from February 7-9 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Coolshannagh.
The event brings together leading figures from industry, academia, and policymaking, as well as representatives from all regional assemblies.
Those gathered will hear different perspectives on the grand challenges facing Ireland's regions - including climate change, regional inequality, and the transition to renewable energy.
Minister McGrath, meanwhile, will speak about the growing importance of regional development, while journalist and climate activist John Gibbons will deliver a keynote speech on the role regions can play in safeguarding the environment, boosting biodiversity, and helping Ireland achieve its emissions targets.
David Minton, Director of the Northern and Western Regional Assembly said the last few years had been difficult for the region. He added that events such as Regions in Focus 2023, provided an opportunity to meet with lawmakers and leading experts in industry and academia, where ideas about how to improve the prospects of Ireland's respective regions for the benefit of the whole economy, cold be exchanged.
"We've seen longstanding economic fault lines such as the shortage of housing and reliance on non-renewable energy exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. The continuing fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit is placing further pressure on households and businesses," Mr Minton said.
