A Midlands North West MEP has criticised a new proposal from the EU to centralise regional funding.
The Single Fund Model would involve a single payment to Ireland, distributed by the state for regional projects, a change from the current model, which distributes directly to the regions.
Ciaran Mullooly says that he opposes this and is concerned that there appears to be an acceptance that regional policy has done its job despite the border region having a GDP per capita that is 70% of the EU average, according to the Northern and Western Regional Assembly.
Mr Mullooly adds that if targeted regional funding were removed, that figure would decrease:
