merrion street

The Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys, today launched the first of nine new Regional Enterprise Plans to drive job creation and support enterprise growth in the regions. She was joined at the launch event in Mountmellick by Minister for Communications Climate Action and Environment, Richard Bruton, and Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan.

The Regional Enterprise Plan for the Midlands identifies seven Strategic Objectives that build on the region’s strengths and address vulnerabilities that range from leveraging big data opportunities through the iLOFAR telescope at Birr, to ensuring that the Midlands is well positioned to address the challenges and new business opportunities presented by decarbonisation of the economy.

Speaking at the Mountmellick Development Association, Co. Laois, which was a recent successful applicant under her Department’s Regional Enterprise Development Fund, the Minister said:

The collaboration in evidence here in Mountmellick is a great example of what these new Regional Enterprise Plans are fundamentally about. The Regional Enterprise Plan for the Midlands that I am launching today sets out a number of key strategic areas where regional stakeholders working together will provide a basis for future enterprise development and job creation that is sustainable in the longer term.

I am pleased to note that jobs growth has been strong in all regions, including the Midlands. There are 19,100 more people at work in the Midlands today than at the beginning of 2015, when the Government first launched regional jobs plans, and the unemployment rate has reduced from almost 15 percent down to just over 7 percent.

Read the full Press Release here.