The EU - Supporting Your Local Community - europa.eu
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
The EU - Supporting Your
Local Community
Ireland has received approximately €72.5 billion funding since joining the EU
in 1973. In addition to these funds, Ireland has also benefited in recent years
from funding for research projects. In 2014, research receipts amounted to
€127 million and a further €110 million was paid in 2013.
The majority of Irish funding from the EU now comes through the Common
Agricultural Policy (CAP). The next largest amount of funding comes from the
Structural and Cohesion Funds, which have contributed considerable investment
into our transportation, educational and water-related infrastructures as well In 2014, the European Union’s new research and
as educational training and other supports used to up-skill our workforce. innovation programme, Horizon 2020, came into
force. It is designed to make it easier for researchers
From 2014 to 2020, structural funding will focus mainly on areas such as and businesses, (including SMEs) to collaborate on
research, technology and innovation supporting small, medium enterprises projects. A key element of Horizon 2020 is a proposal
(SMEs), Information and Communication Technology (ICT), energy efficiency and to join forces with the private sector and member
education, training and labour activation measures. states of the EU, to achieve results that one country
or company is less likely to achieve alone.
Ireland is developing a clean, innovative and highly skilled economy, providing
world-class leadership and competitiveness in areas such as IT, Research Around €22 billion will be invested in this, to boost
and Technology. Irish farmers are producing high-quality products for world innovation in potentially high growth sectors that
markets. These investments are providing a further stimulus in every region of will generate high quality jobs. Much of the funding
Ireland and are supporting County Westmeath’s economic development and will go to public-private partnerships, called Joint
employment generation. Technology Initiatives (JTIs) that will carry out
research into: innovative medicines; fuel cells and
This information leaflet provides an insight into some of the ways that the EU hydrogen; aeronautics; bio-based industries; and
supports Irish citizens throughout every county in Ireland. electronics.
Irish participants in existing JTIs have already received over
€12.5 million from the EU research budget. Here are some
successful examples of this in Westmeath:
Technology Gateway Programme (previously ARE
Applied Research Enhancement)
The programme aims to harness the applied research and
technology expertise within the Institutes of Technology
sector, for the benefit of industry in Ireland. The new
Technology Gateway programme has a 5-year funding
term, with funding amounts of up to €1.2 million. The
Institutes of Technology have a key role to play in
developing innovative technologies in collaboration with
local industry to deliver maximum industrial impact.
Athlone IT Running Track Continued on next page...
Westmeath
...continued from front page
The APT Gateway is based on the Athlone IT campus. Applied
Polymer Technologies (APT) provides polymer technology solutions for
companies in the medical, composite, recycling and pharmaceutical
sectors.
Shasta Ltd. is a highly innovative company that specialises in baby
care products and leads the way in portable baby care sterilisation
technologies. Shasta wanted to develop the world’s first portable
baby bottle sterilizer ‘Steri-Ova’. In collaboration with Shasta,
APT developed a plastic prototype using 3D modeling and rapid
prototyping technology. The collaboration brought the Steri-Ova
concept to reality, producing a superior product in terms of speed,
size, convenience and reliability. ‘Steri-Ova’ is currently poised for
launch worldwide in partnership with one of the leading names in the
baby care market.
The Shabra Group & APT Gateway
Shabra are global market leaders in integrated plastics recycling,
reprocessing, manufacturing and supply of recycled products. Many Incubation Centre
issues currently exist with the supply of recycled polymer that makes
it unsuitable for use in some commercial product ranges. If the The technology developed in this study has enormous potential
properties of these polymers can be enhanced to bring them into line to reduce the overall burden placed on patients and on European
with those of a virgin material, then the recycled material may part healthcare systems by reducing the costs involved in using Growth
or wholly replace the virgin polymer and thus enable the recyclate to Factors in a variety of applications. To perform this work the Fellow in
be used in a higher value product. In collaboration with Shabra Group, AIT, will move from AIT to join a leading orthopaedic research group
APT conducted research to developing a standard testing protocol at one of Harvard University’s teaching hospitals where he will be
for polyethylene terephthalalate (PET) recyclate for the Shabra group trained in nanotoxicity testing, detection of growth factor release, cell
and how the material could be used in higher value products. loading and orthopaedic preclinical models. This ‘fellowship’ will allow
him to develop his knowledge in the field of biocompatibility testing.
Knowledge developed in this area will be transferred back to Europe
during the return phase of the ‘fellowship’ . This knowledge will allow
the Fellow to further refine the research carried out at Harvard. The
goal of this research is to develop translational solutions to clinical
problems.
Incubation Facility at Athlone
The Midlands Innovation and Research Centre (MIRC) in AIT,
which was set up with EU funding, offers incubation facilities for
innovative and knowledge-based enterprise, delivers the New
Frontiers entrepreneur development programme and offers the
resources and expertise of AIT to support client companies and
companies in the region.
Athlone I.T & APT hosting a Free industry Open Day
This has yielded valuable information relating to the efficiency of
each step in the washing process and resulted in cost savings and
improved quality recyclate. Based on this research, Shabra have
opened a new research and development laboratory and have also
taken on new employees. The team in AIT has transferred methods
and technologies to Shabra, which involved the training of Shabra
employees on the testing methods.
AIT - €331k funding for Bone Grafting Study
AIT is currently involved in a research study funded through the FP7
programme that is investigating bone-grafting technology. Bone
has a remarkable capacity to heal. However, in some instances the
amount of bone that is needed to heal exceeds its healing capacity.
These cases arise following accidents, infection or surgery to remove
cancerous tissue and they result in the need to perform approximately
600k surgical bone-grafting procedures annually. These procedures
have inherent disadvantages and so there is an urgent clinical need Prof Ciarán Ó Catháin pictured with the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD, at the
to develop a tissue-engineering alternative to bone grafting. launch of the Midlands Action Plan for Jobs in Tullamore
Westmeath
Promoting
Rural
Development
Currently, Irish farmers receive EU funding of €1.2 billion every year
through CAP funding and since 2007, Irish farmers have received a total
of €10.5 billion. Further support of €2.3 billion was received through
rural development programmes, with a further €2.2 billion secured for
the 2014-2020 period. In recent years, these programmes accounted
for around 90% of our total EU public sector receipts.
Dun na Si Heritage Centre and Folkpark in Moate
The LEADER Initiative was established to improve the quality of life
in rural areas and encourage diversification of the rural economy by Business Support
providing support initiatives in the area of rural/agri-tourism, local • Mel French and Gerard Leslie, from Millbridge House, Streete,
enterprise development and community facilities. The LEADER initiative received over €35k to construct a purpose built workshop to
will provide €250 million in financial resources of which Westmeath has facilitate the making of art work on their land, in Streete. They
been allocated over €7.3 million. created a range of sculptures using different materials for
external permanent sites nationwide and work for exhibitions.
Here are some of the more recent projects funded through this The new structure allows them to consolidate all their materials
programme: and equipment into one location and allows them to engage in a
greater range of practices both in terms of materials, processes
Tourism and scale.
• Dun na Si Heritage Centre and Folkpark in Moate received • Made in Westmeath The group was able to attend a trade
funding of €106k to upgrade the facilities. This included show with funding of €1.7k. The Autumn Gift and Home Fair,
renovating to the former tea rooms building and converting which is held in Dublin, attracts buyers for the Christmas market
it to a new reception area; adaptation of the existing Teach from all over Ireland and abroad.
Ceoil to be used as a visitor Centre/cultural museum to include
displays on prominent local musicians as well as traditional Irish Community
music instruments. This is now a multi-purpose building that • Ballykeeran, near Athlone, received funding of €16k for
accommodates visitors to experience the “Sceal” exhibition, as village enhancement works, which included signs, a sculpture,
well as function for local community activities. landscaping works including lawns, hedging and shrubs. This has
• Lakeside Wheelers in Multifarnham received €3.6k funding for helped to provide a more attractive approach to the village.
promoting and marketing the national cycling championships, • Mullingar Employment Action Group was awarded €48k
which took place in June 2014. In order to enhance the race to provide a range of quality instruments for young people in
atmosphere additional festival events were organised including a Westmeath, which enables them to access music education
Food and Craft Fair, music and entertainment in the village. without the prohibitive cost of purchasing the instruments.
Supporting Local
Westmeath LEO, based in Mullingar, offers a number of courses,
mentoring and workshops for local business people. Advice on cross-
border opportunities is given in conjunction with Inter-Trade Ireland.
Enterprise The LEO also offers information on available commercial space in the
county.
A key part of the Europe 2020 Strategy is to promote jobs and growth Young Entrepreneurs
and to ensure that micro and small businesses can start up, grow and Three of Westmeath’s best young entrepreneurs won a total of €50k
export. As part of this, new Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) have been investment through Mullingar LEO.
established within Local Authorities, (replacing the existing County • Best New Idea (winning a €10k investment): Ayodele Onamusi
Enterprise Boards) with the aim of delivering more integrated support with Medalist Ireland
services for micro and small business. The new LEOs are responsible at • Best Start-Up (winning a €20k investment): Conor Cochrane
local level for cultivating a culture of entrepreneurship and supporting with Social Media Elite
business development. They are the “First Stop Shops” through which • Best Established Business (winning a €20k investment): Dean
all State supports for small and micro businesses can be accessed and Gamill with DG Ventures
where companies with clear high growth potential can be seamlessly
fast-tracked to the next level of support. Enterprise Ireland
Enterprise Ireland also offers a number of grants for SMEs to support
In 2014, capital funding of almost €91 million was made available to development, marketing, exporting, training and R & D.
LEOs throughout Ireland, to provide direct grant assistance for micro-
enterprises employing up to 10 staff and training and development
supports for micro and small businesses. County Westmeath received Continued on next page...
over €2.4 million in 2014.
Westmeath
Cork
...continued from previous page High Potential Start Up Companies (HPSU)
Enterprise Ireland is responsible for supporting High Potential Start-Up
The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), the world’s largest support (HPSU) Companies. HPSUs are start-up businesses with the potential
network for SMEs has established a new partnership with 31 Local to develop an innovative product or service for sale on international
Enterprise Offices in Ireland, including the LEO in Westmeath. This markets and the potential to create 10 jobs and €1 million in sales
offers free access for Westmeath companies to Europe’s largest within three to four years of starting up.
database with up to 10k new business and technology opportunities
in the EU and many other major global markets. This partnership H&G Midas Technology Solutions is a start up IT Service Provider
provides Irish companies with an important gateway into the EU and a based in Mullingar, which completed the 2014 HPSU class. The
bigger footprint globally by forging new international partnerships. The company offers SMEs in Ireland and Nordic regions IT Solutions
Network is co-financed under ‘COSME’, the EU funding programme for including Consulting, Infrastructure Solutions, IT Support, Call Centre
the Competitiveness of Enterprises and SMEs. The services are tailored Outsourcing and Resource Provision.
for SMEs but are also available to all other businesses, universities and
research centres.
Fostering
Employment,
Education &
Training
The European Social Fund (ESF) stimulates the provision of employment
and training opportunities, emphasising sustainable and quality Food Dudes
employment (especially youth). Poverty, discrimination and social Approx 90 schools in County Westmeath are participating in the
exclusion are also tackled. EU funded Food Dudes programme for schoolchildren. Funding of
€1.2 million funded or the 2015/2016 school year was agreed by the
Since Ireland joined the EU, many agencies and State bodies have European Commission. The total funding for the scheme across 25 EU
received almost €6.5 billion in investment from the ESF, including Member States is €150 million.
€24.1 million in 2014. In Westmeath, the EU has co-funded projects
and programmes dealing with the youth sector, early school leavers, Established in 2009, the scheme is aimed at reversing the trend of
minority groups, adult literacy, upskilling and support for long-term declining fruit and vegetables consumption by specifically addressing
unemployed. children. In turn, higher fruit and vegetables consumption is also
supporting efforts to establish healthier eating habits amongst
Erasmus+ is the EU programme for education, training, youth and school children. Since 2014, the scheme also supports accompanying
sport for the years 2014 to 2020. It provides funding and support educational measures to explain the potential benefits.
for organisations to operate projects, which encourage European
exchange, co-operation and learning. Funding of almost €170 million
has been allocated to Ireland. Over 77% of this will be allocated to
education and training, with a further 10% focussing on youth.
For further information please contact:
The European Commission Representation in Ireland
Tel: 01 6341111 Email eu-ie-info-request@ec.europa.eu
www.euireland.ie www.facebook.com/EUIreland www.twitter.com/eurireland
You can also read
