A lack of investment has resulted in the downgrading of two parts of the Shannonside region according to Northern and Western Regional Assembly.
The European Commission has included Roscommon and Leitrim in a list of counties which are described as a lagging region.
They say the area has faced a range of challenges, including lower productivity and educational attainment, as well as having a weaker skills base.CEO of the regional development group David Minton believes western counties are falling well behind their eastern and southern counterparts and he's called for positive discrimination when it comes to funding for the region.
He says reports by the assembly have found years of underinvestment locally and action must now be taken so that communities thrive.
"We find ourselves down at the lower ranking of performance of all regions all across Europe so it's really important that we do something about it. That's why the regional assembly has called for a policy at a national level, a policy of positive discrimination where we look for increased investment, resources, and an increased policy focus so we ensure communities don't get left behind".
