Complacency over regional investment must be arrested

In Britain over the past 90 years there has been a structural shift in economic activity and populations away from regional cities and towards London, writes Joe Gill

The population of Manchester is down 25%, in Liverpool it has slid almost 40% and in Glasgow it is over 40% below levels at the beginning of the 20th century. At the same time the London population has mushroomed.

This phenomenon is evident in Ireland, too, whereby Dublin continues to thrive while regional cities, including Cork and Limerick, languish behind. It is tempting to accept this change as a given that cannot be reversed but I beg to differ.