Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Robert Troy TD today met with Evelyn O’Toole, CEO of Complete Laboratory Solutions (CLS) and Chairperson of the West Regional Enterprise Plan Steering Committee, to discuss progress on the development of the new West Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024.

The new Plan for the West is one of nine new Plans being developed for each region to act on the strengths and opportunities unique to each region, and to address business ecosystem gaps. The new Plan will complement and reinforce the ongoing work of the enterprise agencies and development bodies in the region.

The development of the West Plan involves collaboration between the enterprise agencies, Enterprise Ireland, and IDA Ireland; the Local Enterprise Offices; Local Authorities; higher and further education bodies; businesses and others in the South-East.

Minister Troy said:

"I am delighted to be in Athenry today to meet with Evelyn O’Toole to discuss progress on the new West Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024. Collaboration is a key element to the success of these new Regional Enterprise Plans and I am very pleased with the progress that is being made by regional stakeholders to develop this new Plan."

The Minister added:

"My department’s Regional Enterprise Development Fund was introduced to strengthen the potential for enterprise growth and job creation in Ireland’s regions. The development of the Bia Innovator Campus here in Athenry, Co. Galway, is a result of this vital funding. Having identified the need for a dedicated food hub, it focusses on the future of food and is a hub for incubation, scaling and innovation; supporting new product development, sustainability, and trade development, as well as providing critical infrastructure for new food start-ups in the West of Ireland."

Evelyn O’Toole, CEO of CLS and Chairperson of the West Regional Enterprise Plan Steering Committee said:

"It was a pleasure to meet with Minister Troy at the Bía Innovator Campus Athenry today to discuss progress for the new West Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024. Our engagement levels have been very extensive across all stakeholders for advancing diverse opportunities in the region. We have a prosperous future ahead and we are very much focused on a Plan that will deliver positive impact for the West of Ireland."

Mark Christal, Divisional Manager, Regions and Entrepreneurship, Enterprise Ireland said:

"We are delighted to welcome Minister Troy to the site of the new Bia Innovator Campus today. Supporting innovative regional start-ups is a huge focus for Enterprise Ireland and the Regional Enterprise Development Fund is an effective mechanism of supporting regional development. Enterprise Ireland fully supports the Regional Enterprise Plans as they align with our Powering the Regions Strategy, helping to build scale and expand the reach of indigenous companies. We look forward to working with the entrepreneurs and businesses as they come through the innovation hub in the coming years."

The meeting was held at the Mellows Campus of Teagasc in Athenry, where the Bia Innovator Campus, a Food Innovation Hub will be located.

The Campus which is being developed with the support of Enterprise Ireland’s Regional Enterprise Development Fund will provide a multi-strand food and beverage incubation centre providing for scaling and innovation.

A campus of scale was designed including three buildings providing food specific resources to provide for over 40+ food related businesses onsite and hundred others remotely.

It is expected that the project will realise the creation of 360 jobs within 3 years in the businesses, with a projected payroll boost of €11.52 million per annum.

Reporting: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment