Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 October 2004
151 Ms O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will make a statement on the work of the Western Development Commission recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22783/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Western Development Commission was established on 1 February 1999 under the Western Development Commission Act 1998. The functions of the commission are to promote, foster and encourage economic and social development in the western region, defined as the seven western counties of Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, Roscommon, Galway and Clare. Its activities involve policy analysis and development, undertaking key regional initiatives and management of the western investment fund.
Currently the WDC is involved in a range of projects, one of which is promotion the west region. Under its strategic goal of attracting the inward transfer of skilled jobs and people to the western region, the WDC is currently planning to deepen awareness and a positive perception of the western region as a high quality place to live, work and do business. It is intended to achieve this through the creation of an effective promotional programme for the region which will incorporate the development of a campaign aimed at attracting skilled jobs and people to the region. It will also involve the creation of a website, in partnership with the local authorities, to facilitate access to practical information of relevance to persons relocating to the western region.
Another project in which the commission is involved is Knock International Airport. The WDC is currently assisting the airport with its strategy for: its advancement as an international access port and regional development hub; in reviewing the economic impact of the airport on the region; in examining relevant policy issues; and in formulating a strategy for attracting public and private funding for the airport.
The commission is also involved in projects in rural development in regard to the community ownership of wind farms. The WDC, in partnership with Brí Nua Community Wind Energy Group Donegal and Mayo Community Wind Energy Group, researched the potential for communities in the region to benefit from the establishment of wind farms. The resulting study, To Catch the Wind, a practical guide and accompanying CD-Rom was published in June 2004. The WDC will continue to work in partnership with the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources to promote the policy recommendations made in the guide. The WDC plans to explore and facilitate the establishment of a renewable energy advisory group in partnership with key stakeholders and assist in initiating a pilot community owned wind farm project in the region.
In regard to organic agri-food, the western organic strategic initiative, WOSI, a private sector-led partnership facilitated by the WDC, is registering as a limited company which will market organics agri-food as a quality banded product. The WDC will continue to raise issues relating to organic agri-food production to inform national organic policy. The WDC is bringing the WOSI model to national discussion as a model for best practice and is recommending its replication in other areas of the country.
In regard to economic infrastructure in terms of roads, the WDC is involved in the ongoing monitoring of roads investment in the region. In regard to rail, the WDC continues to work with Iarnród Éireann and the Department of Transport to progress the improvement of rail services in the western region and is participating on the western rail corridor expert working group.
In the area of telecommunications, through its involvement in the Information Society Commission, the WDC continues to pursue the issue of broadband services in rural areas. With regard to rural tourism, ongoing support is being provided to the western development tourism programme and the green box projects.
The western investment fund, WIF, was established under the Western Development Commission Act 1998. The Western Development Commission, WDC, is the statutory body charged with promoting, fostering and encouraging economic and social development in the western region comprising counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Galway and Clare. As part of this remit the WDC operates western investment fund of €32 million. To date, 60 projects have been approved for assistance totalling €12.7 million. Of this, €9.8 million has been disbursed from the fund to aid 50 of these projects. This has created 791 jobs to date, 541 of which are either strategic or in small to medium-sized enterprises and 250 are in community projects.
