Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The regional enterprise development fund is extremely important for the regions in Ireland and was initiated by our Department. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and I recently visited the Ludgate Hub and saw what Skibbereen can do. It is a very innovative project and a lot of micro enterprises are working out of it.

The regional enterprise development fund has benefited west Cork, together with other centres such as those in Macroom and elsewhere. There is a good news story to be told. We are of course working to ensure that balanced regional development continues, which is important and very much part of Project Ireland 2040. Regional enterprise plans have worked in the past and I believe they will continue to work in the future. It is about collaboration and working together with institutions. The Ludgate Hub and faster broadband are a template for more companies to work out of the area. West Cork is a beautiful area. As the Deputy said, tourism and the marine industry are important and contribute a lot to local industry.

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