Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her reply. It is good to know that there will be a decision on the fund by the end of the year. Obviously, I will make my pitch for Athy. The Minister has been in south Kildare several times. The first time she came to see the employment challenges we face was when we had the negative news of Coca-Cola pulling out of Athy. County Kildare Community Network, with the support of Coca-Cola which wanted to leave behind a lasting legacy in Athy, have put a €500,000 commitment towards this project. It will address the employment void in the area and the lack of food incubation space in the county. The development of the Athy food skills hub has been done in collaboration with Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board, Maynooth University and the Institute of Technology, Carlow. We want to address issues of youth and long-term unemployment in the area, as well as supporting interns to stay and work in the area, industry employees in need of upskilling and the farming community. South Kildare has a vibrant and strong rural community, which wants to add value to its agrifood product. We have the AgTech fund for entrepreneurs, as well as Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland clients wishing to relocate to the area, along with commuters, because it is an accessible part of the country. These are key benefits of this project for the area.

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