The EU - Supporting Your Local Community - Europa EU
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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 and Around €22 billion will be invested in this, to boost
Technology. Irish farmers are producing high-quality products for world markets. innovation in potentially high growth sectors that
These investments are providing a further stimulus in every region of Ireland will generate high quality jobs. Much of the funding
and are supporting Roscommon‘s economic development and employment will go to public-private partnerships, called Joint
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 Roscommon:
SusFoFlex - Food Packaging €4 million funded
project
System Label, a company based in Roscommon, is a
partner in this recent project, along with Georgia Tech
from Athlone.
Continued on next page...
Roscommon
...continued from front page
The SusFoFlex project aims to deliver a technology which targets
the customers with exciting new features and which could possibly
yield new production-consumption patterns, by using cutting edge
sustainable technologies with smart features.
The project is involved in the development of solutions that will be
sustainable, increase/improve shelf life of packed food and that will
reduce food losses. The consortium investigated different traditional
packaging materials and identified key areas where improvement
could be made by using natural additives, filler and nanomaterials
and by developing nanomaterials based sensors that can assess the
condition of the product.
Renewable Energy SAVING OUR HABITAT
Some of Ireland’s most important raised bogs are to be restored in
a €5.5 million programme, with €4 million of this coming from the
GREBE Project - €1.77 million funding for renewable energy EU’s LIFE fund. The restoration of active raised bogs across Ireland’s
project midlands in counties Offaly, Roscommon, Galway, Cavan, Meath and
The Western Development Commission in Ballaghaderreen is Westmeath as well as Longford, has been selected for funding in the
a partner in this €1.77 million funded project, which examines the latest round of support from LIFE.
generation of renewable energy.
This means the communities around the region will see funds available
GREBE will focus on the challenges of peripheral and arctic regions for construction works such as the prevention of raising water levels
as places for doing business and help develop renewable energy and restoring the natural condition of this increasingly rare habitat. The
(RE) business opportunities provided by extreme conditions. It will project will run from 2016 to 2020.
support successful development of SMEs and start-ups through
analysis of advanced RE options, expert business mentoring, Active raised bogs (as opposed to the more common blanket bogs)
transnational models of successful growth strategies, policy analysis are unique to the midlands of Ireland and have been referred to as
and information on funding mechanisms for businesses and support Ireland’s rain forest, being of great importance for biodiversity, flood
agencies. control and control of carbon emissions.
SEAI Renewable Energy Award for Roscommon company The areas of active raised bogs on protected SACs in Ireland decreased
Aurivo Dairy Ingredients from Ballaghaderreen, won the SEAI by 38% between 1995 and 2011 - the main reason being the pressure
Leadership Award last year for their on-going energy efficiency of turf cutting. From 12 sites in Ireland, two of these are in Roscommon:
and training projects. The company achieved a 70% reduction in Carrowbehy/Caher Bog and Derrinea Bog.
oil consumption, following the installation of a biomass boiler that
uses locally sourced fuel. Aurivo carried out many efficiency projects,
as well as installing the biomass boiler and delivered many socio
economic benefits to the North West region. The project has delivered
energy cost savings in excess of 33%. Aurivo Diary Ingredients is an
indigenous company, using largely Irish designed and manufactured
equipment.
Local Infrastructure
SPARA2020 – Smart Peripheral and Remote Airports
The Northern and Western Regional Assembly, in Ballaghaderreen,
is involved in another project worth almost €2.5 million which is
focussing on regional airports.
The EU Cohesion goal calls for an improvement to the framework
conditions for peripheral regions. Better accessibility and the
sustainability of this access remains one of the central means of
achieving this goal. This project aims to address this by focusing on
the unique challenge of air access to remote and sparsely populated
areas, including Roscommon. These areas depend on their peripheral
airports to play a vital social and economic development role and
support local communities and employers’ needs for investment,
purchasing power, tourism and welfare. This project will deliver
increased innovation within public service provision of these airports.
Roscommon
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.
The LEADER Initiative was established to improve the quality of life Riverhaven Eco-Tourism Logcabins, Knockvicar
in rural areas and encourage diversification of the rural economy by
providing support initiatives in the area of rural/agri-tourism, local • Riverhaven Log Cabins in Boyle was awarded almost €41k to
enterprise development and community facilities. The LEADER initiative develop a second phase of its self-catering eco cabin business.
will provide €250 million in financial resources of which Roscommon
has been allocated over €8.8 million. Business
• Bio Friendly in Castlerea was awarded €13.5k to increase its
Here are some of the more recent projects funded through this manufacturing capacity for sewage systems.
programme: • Mimar Media in Athleague is an innovative video production
company. The company received €14.4k towards expanding the
Tourism business and services.
• Roscommon Lamb Festival received grant aid of €29k towards • Michael Shannon in Boyle received almost €15k to expand his
the costs of this annual festival. existing stone carving business.
• Cuisle Holiday Centre received funding of over €32k towards
upgrading the accommodation for wheelchair use. Farm Diversification
• Bay Sports in Hodson Bay received over €29k to expand the • Eamon Egan from Taughmaconnell received over €8k funding
existing water sports facilities. As well as offering training, the towards opening a Sheep Dog Training Facility.
centre now has a water park. • Barry Caslin from Grange Lodge near Strokestown, was
awarded almost €19k towards his leisure boat, kayaking and
bike business.
• Carrick Boat Bike at Carrick-on-Shannon received €53k to
develop a leisure boat and bike hire business.
SAINTS €1.8 million project
The Northern and Western Regional Assembly, based in Ballaghaderreen,
is a partner in this new, innovation tourist project, which supports
tourist businesses in Roscommon and other counties in the North West
of Ireland.
Slow Adventure in Northern Territories (SAINT) is a three-year Northern
Periphery and Arctic Programme (NPA) project on the development of
slow adventure. The project seeks to extend the marketing reach of
businesses in the slow adventure tourism sector, in order to encourage
more tourists to come to these areas to enjoy and experience the
outdoors and engage with remote, wild and nature-rich places.
Roscommon Lamb Festival
Supporting Local
responsible at local level for cultivating a culture of entrepreneurship
and supporting business development. They are the “First Stop Shops”
through which all State supports for small and micro businesses can be
Enterprise accessed and where companies with clear high growth potential can be
seamlessly fast-tracked to the next level of support.
A key part of the Europe 2020 Strategy is to promote jobs and growth In 2014, capital funding of almost €91 million was made available to
and to ensure that micro and small businesses can start up, grow LEOs throughout Ireland, to provide direct grant assistance for micro-
and export. As part of this, new Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) have enterprises employing up to 10 staff and training and development
been established within Local Authorities, (replacing the existing supports for micro and small businesses. Roscommon received
County Enterprise Boards) with the aim of delivering more integrated €3.3 million in 2014.
support services for micro and small business. The new LEOs are Continued on next page...
Roscommon
Cork
...continued from previous page
A number of Financial Instruments, aimed at building more
Fostering
sustainable, innovative start-ups and supporting expansion of small
companies are available for SMEs, including grants for start-ups,
business expansion and feasibility studies. Micro Finance can also
Employment,
be arranged.
Roscommon LEO, based in Roscommon, offers a number of courses
Education &
for local business people including Start Your Own Business,
Management, Social Media as well as advice and mentoring for
all areas of business. The LEO also offers small grants for website
Training
design, marketing tools and exhibition material. Two business The European Social Fund (ESF) stimulates the provision of employment
networks are also available: Roscommon Business Network and and training opportunities, emphasising sustainable and quality
ROsWIN (for women in business). employment (especially youth). Poverty, discrimination and social
exclusion are also tackled.
Young Entrepreneurs
Three of Rsocommon’s best young entrepreneurs won a total of Since Ireland joined the EU, many agencies and State bodies have
€50k investment through Roscommon LEO. The local winners and received almost €6.5 billion in investment from the ESF, including
investments won were as follows: €24.1 million in 2014. In Roscommon, the EU has co-funded projects
• Best New Idea (winning a €10k investment): Enda Mahon, and programmes dealing with the youth sector, early school leavers,
Mahon Solutions, Ballymoe. minority groups, adult literacy, upskilling and support for long-term
• Best Start-Up (winning a €20k investment): Mark Bannon, VT unemployed.
Networks, Athlone.
• Best Established Business (winning a €20k investment): Oz Erasmus+ is the EU programme for education, training, youth and
Ibrahmi, Hex CNC, Knockvicar. sport for the years 2014 to 2020. It provides funding and support
• Oz Ibrahmi, from Hex CNC, was also named as Roscommon’s for organisations to operate projects, which encourage European
‘Overall County Winner 2015’. exchange, co-operation and learning. Funding of almost €170 million
has been allocated to Ireland. Over 77% of this will be allocated to
Enterprise Ireland education and training, with a further 10% focussing on youth.
Enterprise Ireland also offers a number of grants for SMEs to support
development, marketing, exporting, training and research and
development.
The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), the world’s largest support
network for SMEs has established a new partnership with 31 Local
Enterprise Offices in Ireland, including the LEO in Roscommon.
This offers free access for Roscommon companies to Europe’s
largest database with up to 10,000 new business and technology
opportunities in the EU and many other major global markets. This
partnership provides Irish companies with an important gateway into
the EU and a bigger footprint globally by forging new international
partnerships. The Network is co-financed under ‘COSME’, the EU
funding programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and Food Dudes
SMEs. The services are tailored for SMEs but are also available to all Almost 60 schools in County Roscommon are participating in the
other businesses, universities and research centres. EU funded Food Dudes programme for schoolchildren. Funding of
€1.2 million funded or the 2015/2016 school year was agreed by the
High Potential Start Up Companies European Commission. The total funding for the scheme across 25 EU
Enterprise Ireland is responsible for supporting High Potential Member States is €150 million.
Start-Up (HPSU) Companies. HPSUs are start-up businesses with Established in 2009, the scheme is aimed at reversing the trend of
the potential to develop an innovative product or service for sale declining fruit and vegetables consumption by specifically addressing
on international markets and the potential to create 10 jobs and children.
€1 million in sales within three to four years of starting up.
In turn, higher fruit and vegetables consumption is also supporting
efforts to establish healthier eating habits amongst school children.
Nutrition plays an important role in combating health problems related
to poor nutrition, such as child obesity. Since 2014, the scheme also
supports accompanying educational measures to explain the potential
benefits.
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
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