Four Leitrim Enterprise Funds share €6m from North-West Regional Enterprise Plan

Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Robert Troy TD, today launched the North-West Regional Enterprise Plan (REP) to 2024, in Sligo.

The North-West REP, covering counties Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo, is one of nine new enterprise plans throughout the country which will be funded by up to €180m. This funding will drive the implementation of the plans which will develop and implement collaborative and innovation enterprise projects in the regions and support sustainable jobs.

In Leitrim four enterprise funds will share over €6million.

Leitrim Enterprise Fund will receive €1,284,000 for three digital and innovation hubs.

Leitrim Food Enterprise Zone will get €953,640 for the development of a food enterprise zone and to create a hotspot for food companies to grow in the county.

Leitrim Design House will benefit from €371,600 to create a digital hub to create a creative cluster to support creators in the region.

Manorhamilton Innovation and Development CLG (trading as Future Cast, www.futurecast.info is set to get over €3,762,300 in combined funding for an Innovation and R&D Centre for the Quarry and Construction industry under Industry 4.0 focussing on robotics and cobotics, artificial intelligence and smart data, virtual reality, augmented reality, 3 D industry Printing, software development to develop new prototypes or products and upskill staff, within both industries.

The REPs have been developed using a ‘bottom up’ approach by people who have a real stake in their community. This model makes the plan unique and responsive to the opportunities and needs of the region, with a focus on regional collaboration.

Minister for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Robert Troy TD, outlined the importance of the Plan, saying: “I am delighted to be in Sligo today to launch the North-West Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024. Congratulations to Seamus Hughes, Chair of the North-West Steering Committee, Anne McTernan, North-West Programme Manager and the Steering Committee members for delivering this new plan for the region.

“Over the past year the enterprise community from across Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo came together to develop ambitious, achievable objectives to capitalise on the unique strengths and seize the opportunities for the North-West. The Plan reflects the region’s huge appetite to build a balanced regional recovery, one that is focussed on future enterprise development and sustainable job creation for the longer term.

“I was determined to ensure that funding will be made available to drive the Regional Enterprise Plans and I am very pleased that we have secured up to €180 million in funding over the coming years. This is necessary for the development of collaborative regional projects that will drive delivery of the objectives developed in this North-West Plan. I look forward to working with Seamus and the Committee throughout implementation.”

Delivering balanced regional growth is a stated objective within the Programme for Government and in the Economic Recovery Plan 2021. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment contributes to the regional agenda in a number of ways, including through the enterprise agencies, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland; the Local Enterprise Offices and through national enterprise policy.

Chair of the North-West Regional Steering Committee, Seamus Hughes said, “I would like to thank Minister Troy for his visit to Sligo today for our launch of the North-West Regional Enterprise Plan. I would like to acknowledge his support and involvement during the consultation process which was key in ensuring momentum and engagement was maintained in the region. Additionally, our steering committee members, previous Chair Philip Martin of CORA Systems and the private companies in the region who inputted to the development of the plan.

“Coming out of the consultation process, we have an impactful Enterprise Plan for the North-West focused on a number of key areas including recognising our regions unique border location and encouraging our enterprises transition to low carbon as well as focusing on strengthening our SME ecosystem while supporting some of our key growth sectors including the wind energy sector, blue economy and creative economy.

“I am now looking forward to a successful and impactful implementation period.”

The North-West Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024 can be accessed on the Department’s website - North-West Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024