Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Regional Enterprise Development continues to be a key policy of mine and this Government, and which is reaffirmed in the recently published White Paper on Enterprise.

My Department contributes to this agenda in a number of ways, including through oversight of development and implementation of nine Regional Enterprise Plans.

A key feature and strength of the Regional Enterprise Plans to 2024, is that they are developed using a ‘bottom-up’ approach, by regional stakeholders who are keenly aware of the growth opportunities and vulnerabilities in their region, and of the benefits of working collaboratively.

The Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan which covers Longford, Westmeath, Laois and Offaly was launched in Mullingar on 1 March last year.

Each Plan is overseen and monitored by a Steering Committee made up of regional stakeholders and chaired by a senior level private sector businessperson.

Membership of the Steering Committee includes representation from the Local Authorities, the Enterprise Agencies, LEOs, Regional Assemblies, Higher Education bodies and others, all of whom are focused on enhancing the enterprise ecosystem of the region.

Since publication and launch, the Midlands Steering Committee and Working Groups have been meeting to drive implementation of the actions.

The Deputy may wish to note that last November I attended the Midlands Steering Committee and I was very impressed with the progress that has been made to date in delivering the Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan. Since my last visit to the Midlands, the Midlands ICT Cluster Action Plan has been agreed and work is underway on implementation.

I can also advise the Deputy that my Department has secured up to €145 million from the European Regional Development Fund to drive implementation of the Regional Enterprise Plans. This funding will support innovative enterprise focused projects across all regions.

By focusing on the strengths of the region and by taking advantage of collaborative funding opportunities I am hopeful the Midlands will continue to build on their previous successes.