Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 132: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the Western Development Commission report Creative West; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4751/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Western Development Commission's Creative West report, published in 2009, outlined a summary of research findings and detailed a set of recommendations for developing the creative sector. The sector includes design, digital media, visual arts, architecture and crafts among others. The report provides useful information and a coherent analysis that is being used to underpin and guide the implementation of initiatives in the WDC region in order to support creative enterprises and contribute to job creation and economic development.

Baseline research by the Western Development Commission estimated that there were 4,800 enterprises employing 11,000 people which generated an annual turnover of €534m and contributed €270m to the gross value added of the regional economy in 2008.

In 2011 the WDC published an economic impact assessment, conducted by NUI Galway which measured the potential impact of supporting export growth and facilitating networks of practice among creative businesses in the region. It estimated that if these activities were supported there was potential to significantly increase (by up to 17,000) the numbers working in the creative sector over the next 10 years. In order to pursue the recommendations made in the Creative West report and to develop the sector, the Western Development Commission has worked with partners in the region including NUI Galway and Sligo County Council to access EU funding sources for development programmes. The Creative Edge project, which is a €1.2m 2-year project funded mainly by the EU under the INTERREG IVB Northern Periphery Programme, has recently been approved. Its primary objective is to develop an export platform to assist creative businesses to increase their exports, initially targeting the Diaspora. In addition, the Creative Challenge project which is a €300,000 2-year project mainly funded by the EU which aims to increase innovation in mainstream enterprises e.g. agrifood, tourism, life sciences has also been developed.

It is hoped that these two collaborative, development programmes will go some way to supporting existing creative enterprises in the region to scale-up where appropriate, to engage in joint projects and to access international markets. It is also hoped that new start-ups within the sector will be encouraged.