Regional projects get €30m funding
Eight Munster research projects are to share a €30.5m regional funding programme managed by Enterprise Ireland,
In all, 21 applicants were successful in a first-round of funding. Over €14m of the total has been approved for projects in the south; with €11m going to projects in the east and Midlands and over €5m going to the north and western regions.
What Enterprise Ireland calls ‘major change projects’ will receive €2m to €5m; regionally-significant projects can receive €250,000 to €2m and industry cluster groups and local/ community enterprise development projects are eligible for €50,000 to €250,000 funding.
The actual amount each project has applied for has not been disclosed, but even if each were to just get the lowest available amount the eight Munster projects would share a minimum of about €4.6m in fresh funding.
Kerry’s RDI Hub Company, AgriTech Centre of Excellence, KerrySciTech, Mol Teic and Sneem Digital Hub form the Munster applicant group along with Three-D DAC from Waterford and Cork Urban Enterprises and IT@Cork. Enterprise Ireland expects to see a similar level of interest when it launches a second funding programme in March.
Rural and Community Development Minister Michael Ring welcomed the funding but said regional economic growth remains a challenge.
“The jobs recovery is finally spreading into the regions. In the last 12 months, four out of five jobs created were outside Dublin and the live register figures in all of our regions are heading in the right direction.
“But, there’s still a long way to go and no room for complacency,” he said.
“As a government, we need to continually challenge ourselves on how to create jobs outside the main cities. That’s exactly what this fund does. It will directly support innovative projects in our regions and, in doing so, help to create rural jobs. By creating jobs in rural Ireland we can convince young people to live in rural areas,” Mr Ring said.
“Supporting regional enterprise development and working with businesses to achieve their global ambition is a key focus,” Enterprise Ireland chief executive Julie Sinnamon said.
“This fund allows us to support the regional action plan for jobs, helping to drive growth in key sectors or geographies across the country, particularly in the context of Brexit,” said Enterprise Minister Heather Humphreys.
“We are backing local and regional stakeholders to drive the future of their own communities by supporting their innovative proposals which will help to deliver job creation and sustainable employment,” she said.
