Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy McLoughlin for his kind remarks. On Monday, under the second call of the regional enterprise development fund, I announced more than €25 million in funding. Some 21 projects from all over the country received funding. This is in addition to the €30 million in funding in the first call of the regional enterprise development fund that I announced in December 2017. That also funded 21 projects. This is good news for the north west.

Over the first and second calls of the regional enterprise development fund, the region secured total funding of €5.2 million for four projects. In the first call, €1.1 million was allocated to create an innovative ecosystem in Inishowen in County Donegal and €1.2 million was allocated for the development of a network of three digital and innovation hubs in counties Leitrim, Cavan and Longford. As Deputy McLoughlin mentioned, there was €1.9 million for a digital and technology hub at Sligo Enterprise and Technology Centre for entrepreneurs in digital gaming and associated technologies. The project in Leitrim is especially good because that is the project of the owner of the company that makes Drumshambo Gunpowder Gin, which has gone on to international success.

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