A new Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024 for the North West has been launched in Sligo this morning.
Speaking in Sligo Town Hall, Minister of State Robert Troy said the plan is the result of local stakeholders and agencies working together.
He added that the Plan took account of the unique requirements and advantages of the north west and focuses on a number of priorities.
These include encouraging entrepreneurship and scaling of micro and SME businesses in the north west, supporting the growth of the wind energy industry, both onshore and offshore, and the so-called ocean economy.
It will also focus on promoting the north west as a region to work in, and in which to invest high-value jobs.
The plan recognises the north west’s strategic border location and will support enterprise cross-border relationships and shared island initiatives.
Another focus will be fast-tracking the north west’s enterprises transition to low carbon operations and addressing the skills issues experienced by enterprises in the north west.
The chief executives of Sligo, Donegal and Leitrim county councils, Martin Lydon, John McLaughlin and Lar Power, as well as local politicians and various agency representatives and officials were present at today’s launch in Sligo Town Hall.
Minister Troy said the plan was the product of ‘a bottom-up approach’ and is unique to the north west area, its needs and advantages.
Speaking to Ocean FM News, Minister Troy outlined how the north west plan is one of nine such enterprise plans that will be funded by up to €180m.
He said in the coming weeks, Enterprise Ireland will be opening a €5m enterprise fund as well as a fund to help deal with the supply issues and to ensure that certain projects come to fruition.
Seamus Hughes, who’s general manager of Zeus Industrial Products (Ireland) Ltd in Donegal, is chairman of the North West Regional Committee involved in putting the plan together..
He said the U.S. culture of an acceptance of failure needs to be encouraged when it comes to setting up business.
He also said promotion of the region should not be about the ‘now’ but what the region will be like in the future.
The plan can be accessed on the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment’s website, North-West Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024.
