DCU and UU report calls for investment in Dublin-Belfast transport infrastructure in range of new cross border regional development policies
Investment in replacing the Newry-Sprucefield section of A1 route and full electrification of the Dublin-Belfast rail line are among a range of ambitious policies identified in a new repor titled ‘Identifying Pathways to Developing an Effective Regional Development Strategy on the island of Ireland’.
It also calls for grassroots consultations in policy design, and a North-South oversight body to oversee policy initiatives similar to that which regulates the Single Electricity Market on the island.
The new report, authored by researchers at Dublin City University’s School of Law and Government, in collaboration with Ulster University’s Economic Policy Centre (UUEPC), calls for ambitious, cross-border regional development policies to address deep-rooted economic imbalances across the island of Ireland.
Its focus spans spatial planning, transport and energy infrastructure, and economic development strategies. The researchers warn that the continued dominance of Dublin and the underdevelopment of other urban areas – across the island but particularly in the North - present major challenges to future prosperity.
The report makes several concrete recommendations, including:
- Establishing a North–South oversight body for regional policy, modeled on the SEM’s regulatory structure.
- Renewing and resourcing the dormant 2013 Framework for Cooperation on spatial strategies between the two jurisdictions.
- Launching bottom-up consultations in infrastructure-deficient regions, especially the Northwest, involving local councils, business, and civil society.
- Linking major infrastructure projects to all-island climate and net-zero strategies.
- Leveraging Northern Ireland’s dual market access to the EU and UK to boost inward investment.
Lead author Professor Deiric ? Broin, Dublin City University said
“We need planning processes that reflect economic realities - and those realities don’t stop at the border. In the context of the regional development challenges facing us, it is essential we stop treating the island’s two jurisdictions as spatially separate economic units.”
The report details how Belfast, once the island’s leading industrial hub, has been outpaced by Dublin, and now has a much smaller share of economic growth. A comparative analysis of sub-regional cities like Derry, Craigavon, Limerick, and Galway shows none have surpassed even a quarter of Dublin’s population size with the prospects for compact growth proving difficult to achieve.
Despite this imbalance, interviewees - including senior policymakers, business leaders and local authority officials - cited a lack of coordination, political will, and governance capacity to rebalance growth. The Dublin–Belfast Economic Corridor (DBEC), home to more than 2.5 million people, is a promising growth engine for the island. Yet infrastructure along the route, including the A1 and the non-electrified rail link, undermines this potential and both are in urgent need of upgrading. A similar approach, treating the North West and Western Corridor as inter-locking regions for planning purposes, would help address some of the historical under-development there.
Report co-author Dr Eoin Magennis of the UUEPC said
“What we’re recommending is a practical set of actions to move beyond that. Our research makes clear that while there is plenty of strategy on paper, implementation is patchy and often paralysed by either bureaucratic inertia or political disagreement.”
The report identifies the all-island Single Electricity Market (SEM) as a model of effective cross-border cooperation. Operational since 2007, the SEM has survived both political instability and Brexit to become a rare example of durable institutional integration between North and South, recognised in two EU/UK agreements (2019 and 2023).
Despite this success, both jurisdictions face steep challenges in meeting net-zero goals. Northern Ireland in particular is lagging in offshore wind development and has not yet implemented key targets from its 2021 energy strategy.
“Business leaders we spoke to are clear: energy costs, infrastructure bottlenecks, and regulatory uncertainty are impacting competitiveness,”
added Professor ? Broin
“This is an area where joined-up planning could unlock massive benefits.”
As the island of Ireland approaches key demographic and political milestones, the report argues that now is the time to begin laying the foundations for a more balanced and prosperous future across all of its regions. “We know what needs to be done and the Framework for Cooperation already exists to give direction for future action. The challenge now is political and administrative follow-through to avoid merely talking about the same regional disparities for another generation,” said Dr. Magennis,
The full report can be read here
About The All-Island Economy
The All-Island Economy is a joint research programme between Dublin City University and the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre (UUEPC). The work is partly funded by the Ireland Funds, for which we express our appreciation.
The project has three strands: (1) A focus on analysis of specific economic sectors on the island; (2) A medium term project focused on making economic data available in a comparable format on a cross-border basis and (3) Long-term economic analysis related to the public debate on possible referendums of the creation of a United Ireland.
- A report on the all-island Tourism sector was published last year to significant public interest, which can be read here.
- The project has completed a significant body of work which for the first time every allows North South comparison of the two labour force surveys – a crucial source of information on the labour market, patterns of economic activity and education levels. This is now available freely to use via a non-technical dashboard here.
The project website can be found here