Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 November 2023
9. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for an update on progress in the implementation of the Midlands regional enterprise plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51225/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraBalanced regional enterprise development continues to be a key policy for me and this Government and is reaffirmed in the White Paper on Enterprise.
My Department contributes to this agenda in several ways, including through the development, implementation and oversight of nine Regional Enterprise Plans.
The Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan is overseen and monitored at a regional level by a Steering Committee made up of stakeholders from Counties Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath.
I attended the last meeting of the Midlands Steering Committee on 12 May in Portlaoise. At that meeting an update was provided on each strategic objective and associated actions.
There is a lot of activity in the region in support of the Plan. Under Strategic Objective 1, ‘Transition to a net zero-carbon economy’, much good work is ongoing. Earlier this year, The Cube was officially opened - a Midlands-based national centre of excellence focused on facilitating economic growth, innovation and education in the Low Carbon and Renewables industry. The development of The Cube was supported by the Regional Enterprise Development Fund and Laois County Council.
Under Strategic Objective 2, which seeks to 'build on achievements to date in sectors in which the region has a competitive advantage through Smart Specialisation and Digitalisation', the Midlands ICT Cluster Action Plan was published and which I was delighted to support and launch. The action plan will be implemented under the guidance of the Steering Committee, chaired by industry, and thematic working groups.
I believe good progress is being made in delivering on all the objectives of the Plan. The next meeting of this Steering Committee is scheduled for tomorrow, Friday 24 November in Tullamore.
My Department oversees implementation at the national level and I, together with Ministers Coveney and Richmond, attended the Regional Enterprise Plans National Oversight Group meeting on 26 October.
Regional Enterprise Plan Chairs were in attendance, together with representatives from the enterprise agencies, the Head of the LEO network, the County and City Management Association and other organisations with a focus on regional enterprise development.
A topic for discussion at that meeting was the provision of funding to implement enterprise projects aligned to the Regional Enterprise Plans.
As the Deputy will be aware, my Department has secured up to €145 million in funding to support projects aligned to those Plans. This builds on the €126 million my Department has already allocated in regional enterprise funding.
The first call of €35 million under the Smart Regions Enterprise Innovation Scheme, which is co-funded under the European Regional Development Fund, is now open on the Enterprise Ireland website and will close on 31 March 2024. I expect that there will be up to four calls under this fund over the coming years.
I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the Chair of the Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan, Dr Anne Cusack, the Programme Manager, Sarah Morgan, and all on the Steering Committee, whose passion for and dedication to the region is evident in the ambition outlined in the Plan. I look forward to seeing innovative enterprise focused projects coming from the Midlands for this funding.
