Minister English launches Mid-East Regional Enterprise Plan for Kildare, Meath and Wicklow
Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English, was at Wicklow County Council offices today as he launched the Mid-East Regional Enterprise Plan (REP) to 2024.
The Mid-East Plan, covering counties Kildare, Meath and Wicklow is one of nine new enterprise plans throughout the country which will be funded by up to €180 million. 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.
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.
Speaking at the launch Minister English said:
"Across counties Meath, Wicklow and Kildare an enormous effort was made by our Enterprise Agencies, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland, the Local Enterprise Offices, Local Authorities, Regional Assemblies, higher and further education bodies and the private sector in delivering this new Regional Enterprise Plan for the Mid-East.
"Throughout 2021, I had the pleasure of working with the entire Mid-East Committee during the development of the plan. I want to congratulate and thank Owen Brennan, Chair of the Mid-East Steering Committee, Eamonn Sinnott, Chair before him, Conor Sweeney, Mid-East Programme Manager, and everyone involved across the three counties for their work in producing this new and ambitious plan to help develop and grow enterprise across the region.
"The Mid-East Plan contains five agreed ‘Strategic Objectives’ for enterprise development, accompanied by time-bound actions that deliver the objectives. The objectives focus on the regions areas of strength including on agri-food, screen content creation, equine sector, the regions acceleration to low-carbon and ensuring the enterprise ecosystem in the region is strong.
"The competitive funding available will allow the region to pursue their ambitious plan and I look forward to working with Owen and the Steering Committee through to 2024 in delivering growth in this thriving region."
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.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, also welcomed the plan, saying:
"The Mid-East Regional Enterprise Plan will help to drive regional growth and create new opportunities for people and businesses right across this region.
"Importantly, these Plans will build on the successes already created and ensure they go from strength to strength.
"From my fepartment’s perspective, our skills agenda will act as a key driver and enabler for growth in the region. I am pleased to see the Regional Skills Forum has been at the heart of bringing this plan to completion."
Owen Brennan, Chair of the Mid-East Regional Steering Committee said:
"I am really pleased that Minister English is here today to launch the Mid-East Regional Enterprise Plan. By focusing on the five strategic objectives across agri-food, screen content, equine, a low carbon economy and a positive enterprise ecosystem, the steering committee are putting in place projects and initiatives that ensures the Mid-East realise that sustained growth and employment creation for the longer-term. We believe these objectives will act as key differentiators for the region."