It's claimed the north and west are being held back due to a lack of infrastructure and investment.
A new report, looking at Mayo, Galway, Sligo, Roscommon, Leitrim, Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan, finds the counties are on par with the poorest areas of Europe for infrastructure.
Investment in transport, health, education, housing and energy is way behind other areas of the country and the continent.
The Northern and Western Regional Assembly says the government should have a policy of "positive discrimination" to deliver regional equality and take pressure off the Greater Dublin Area.
(photo credit to Alan Dillon/ Fine Gael website)