TWICE THE SIZE - DIT Update - Dublin Institute of Technology

SCENARIO 3: The Falling Angel (National scenario: THE FRAGILITY OF MÉ FÉIN)
The continued marginalisation of the North West of Ireland forced local governments as early as
2012 to re-evaluate their competitiveness as a gateway region. Sligo had experienced significant
growth and expansion up to now but was still nowhere near capable of competing on a regional,
national or global level. Infrastructure, car parking and an attractive town centre have not been
adequately developed. For Sligo to become self sufficient and maintain its status as gateway
capital, a major rethink of economic and spatial policy was essential. Focus turned to the
development of Irish owned SME’s, specialising in the food technology industry. Emphasis on
Functional Food indicates a growing market for people wishing to remedy poor dietary habits
and unhealthy lifestyles.
A co-ordinated biotechnology programme was initiated in 2015 to forge links between academia,
industry, agriculture and the financial and service sectors, as exploiting R & D was seen as the
only means of moving up the value chain and away from a reliance on FDI. Mass recruitment of
top-class Irish biotechnologists resulted in the development of a strong biotechnology
infrastructure and laid the foundation for Biotechnology Clustering along the West coast. By
2030 over 35 Indigenous start up companies had set up in the region, ensuring sustained
competitiveness. The completion of the Western Rail corridor in 2016 linking Ballymote,
Ballysavine, Colloney and Buncrana was another landmark development that was to pull the
North West out of its coma. Despite thelack of State subsidies to invest in developing the
renewable energy sector, Sligo harnessed its potential for wind and wave energy, aiming to
sustain the local rural economy, and drive up home grown exports. By 2015 there was evidence
that global climate change has intensified at a faster rate than predicted at the beginning of
century.
A series of hurricanes in 2016 wreaked havoc along the Western Corridor, requiring a major
reallocation of government funds. Huge disruption to Sligo town, and neighbouring local
economies, cause mass migration out of the worst effected areas. Sligo town’s water supply has
been infected by the E-coli bacteria, reminiscent of the Kilsellagh reservoir disaster in 2005.
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For Ireland the effects are
catastrophic. Several
incidents of flooding in are
reported in low-lying coastal
areas in the North West and
places near river basins.
Extreme winters plague the
region and hot summers are
having a devastating effect
on local agricultural
businesses.