Aindrias Moynihan
Question:120. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on the South-West Regional Enterprise Plan. [43848/21]
View answerWednesday, 15 September 2021
Questions (120)
Written answers
Regional enterprise development and sustainable local job creation is a key policy priority of mine and this Government.
My Department is currently overseeing the development of nine new Regional Enterprise Plans to 2024.
These are ‘bottom-up’ plans, developed by regional stakeholders which will identify growth opportunities, recognise vulnerabilities, and enable job creation across the regions including in the South-West region through collaborative regional actions.
The new South-West Plan to 2024 which covers Cork and Kerry will build on the core activities of the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and the LEOs and the wider range of State Bodies involved in supporting enterprise development in the region.
I have the pleasure of driving the delivery of the new Plan in the South-West and I have engaged directly with the South-West Regional Steering Committee made up of regional stakeholders and chaired by Patricia Quane, retired Vice President and General Manager, Astellas Ireland throughout 2021.
The regional stakeholders in the South-West region are currently working to finalise focused Strategic Objectives for their region, and actions to deliver on these objectives and intend to sign off on the new South-West Plan in the coming weeks.
Once this has been done it is my Department's intention to publish all these new Plans including for the South-West region, in quarter 4 this year.
Finally, my Department through Enterprise Ireland has made available €0.5 million in Feasibility Funding with grants of up to €50,000 on a 50% match fund basis through the Regional Enterprise Transition Scheme which can be leveraged to develop nascent initiatives emerging from the Regional Enterprise Plans. A closing date of October 1st 2021 applies to this funding.