Ministers English and Humphreys launch North-East Regional Enterprise Plan for Cavan, Louth and Monaghan

24th February 2022

Up to €180 million to be available for regional enterprise development projects across the country

Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English TD, was joined by Minister for Social Protection and Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, at the Cavan Digital Hub today as they launched the North-East Regional Enterprise Plan (REP) to 2024.

The North-East Plan, covering counties Cavan, Louth and Monaghan is one of nine new enterprise plans throughout the country which will be funded by up to €180 million. This funding will drive the implementation of the plans which will develop and implement collaborative and innovation enterprise projects in the regions and support sustainable jobs.

The REPs have been developed using a ‘bottom up’ approach by people who have a real stake in their community. This model makes the plan unique and responsive to the opportunities and needs of the region, with a focus on regional collaboration.

Minister for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English TD, outlined the importance of the plan, saying:

“I am delighted to be in Cavan today to launch the North-East Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024. Congratulations to Richard Hanlon, Chair of the North-East Steering Committee, Caroline Brady, North-East Programme Manager and all the Committee members for their work in delivering this ambitious plan.

Throughout 2021, I had the pleasure of working with Richard and the Committee during the development of the plan and am delighted to see the final product. The North-East Plan contains five agreed ‘Strategic Objectives’ for enterprise development, accompanied by time-bound actions that deliver the objectives. The funding announced will allow the region pursue this ambitious plan and I look forward to working with Richard and the Steering Committee through to 2024”.

Delivering balanced regional growth is a stated objective within the Programme for Government and in the Economic Recovery Plan 2021. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment contributes to the regional agenda in a number of ways, including through the enterprise agencies, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland; the Local Enterprise Offices and through national enterprise policy.

Minister for Social Protection and Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, also welcomed the plan saying,

“I am a strong supporter of the Regional Enterprise Plans, and how they encourage regional collaboration as a means to further new opportunities in the regions.

As a native of the North-East, I am delighted to be here today. This new plan will build on the positive collaboration achieved through the previous versions. They also take account of the changed economic circumstances nationally, the emergence of new challenges to enterprise development and competitiveness, the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Brexit and ensure balanced economic advancement across the regions in Ireland.”

Chair of the North-East Regional Steering Committee, Richard Hanlon said,

“I am delighted that Minister English and Minister Humphreys are here today to launch the North-East Regional Enterprise Plan.

Following in-depth regional consultation we have produced a plan that is focused around themes of importance to our region’s stakeholders, particularly around digitalisation, climate action and focusing on key existing and emerging sectors in the North East. I must thank the Steering Committee members across counties Cavan, Louth and Monaghan for their time and commitment to the plan and I look forward to engaging with you all as we move to implementation stage.” 

The North-East Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024 can be accessed on the Department’s website - North-East Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITOR

Nine new REPs to 2024 have been developed throughout 2021 by Regional Steering Committees. Each Regional Committee is chaired by a senior figure from the private sector and include the Enterprise Agencies, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland, Local Enterprise Offices, Local Authorities, Regional Assemblies, higher and further education bodies and others. The plans also complement Our Rural Future, the whole-of-government framework to develop rural Ireland in the coming years.

Because of their regional nature, the plans bring a focus and collaborative effort to address specific regional ecosystem gaps and act on the strengths and opportunities unique to each region, adding value to and complementing the ongoing work of the individual enterprise agencies and development bodies in the region.

The North-East Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024 includes the following Strategic Objectives:

1. Develop a strong and coherent messaging proposition for the North-East Region highlighting its unique attributes for investment including talent, sectoral strengths, and placemaking/quality of life.
2. Position the North-East Region as an exemplar in guiding and supporting digital transition for enterprise.
3. Strengthen the Regional SME Ecosystem through collaboration, capability, and capacity building.
4. Support enterprise to mainstream climate action and transition to low carbon into their business planning and delivery.
5. Leverage the full extent of existing and emerging growth sectors in the North-East.

North-East Regional Enterprise Development Fund, Border Enterprise Development Fund and Regional Enterprise Transition Scheme funded projects

 North West REDF project which includes a Digital Hub in Cavan

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