Press release
Minister Troy discusses progress on creation of new West Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024
From Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Published on
Last updated on
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.
The nine Regional Steering Committees established by DETE are at present drafting new Regional Enterprise Plans to 2024. The Plans will be structured around a small number of agreed longer term ‘Strategic Objectives’ for enterprise development for their region, together with a three-year work programme to progress actions which deliver to the objectives. Progress Reports on implementation of the previous Regional Enterprise Plans to 2020 are available on the department’s website at Regional Enterprise Plans.
| Region | County |
| Midlands | Offaly |
|---|---|
| Laois | |
| Westmeath | |
| Longford | |
| North-East | Louth |
| Cavan | |
| Monaghan | |
| North-West | Donegal |
| Sligo | |
| Leitrim | |
| Mid-East | Kildare |
| Meath | |
| Wicklow | |
| West | Galway |
| Mayo | |
| Roscommon | |
| Mid-West | Clare |
| Limerick | |
| Tipperary | |
| South-East | Carlow |
| Kilkenny | |
| Waterford | |
| Wexford | |
| South-West | Cork |
| Kerry | |
| Dublin |
Complete Laboratory Solutions (CLS) is Ireland’s largest privately-owned contract laboratory and supplies microbiological, analytical, molecular, and fully trained analysts on contract to clients in the food, environmental, medical device, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries. Set up in 1994, CLS employs 235 staff, across two facilities in Galway (Ros Muc and Galway city). For more information visit www.cls.ie.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) plays a key role in implementing the government’s policies of stimulating the productive capacity of the economy and creating an environment which supports job creation and maintenance. The department has lead responsibility for Irish policy on global trade and inward investment and a remit to promote fair competition in the marketplace, protect consumers and safeguard workers.
For further information please contact Press Office, D/Enterprise, Trade and Employment, press.office@enterprise.gov.ie or (01) 631-2200.