#PortofCork - An expert on regional economics has said that balanced development cannot be achieved and trying to achieve it would be counter-productive for national prosperity.

As The Irish Examiner reports, Economics lecturer at University College Cork (UCC), Frank Crowley said rather than infrastructural plans attempting to redress regional imbalance, it would be more prudent to enhance Dublin and the regions simultaneously.

He was speaking as an engineering body called for investment into a motorway linking Galway and Cork, and Ringaskiddy as a port in Cork to counterbalance Dublin Port’s dominance.

The Government will unveil the €115bn national planning plan on Friday, with 10 years of capital investment projects to be financed.

A report by the Irish Academy of Engineering (IAE) said enlarging south coast ports, particularly Ringaskiddy, would improve supply, security and direct access to Europe.

For more on this article, click here.