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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 Laois‘s economic development and employment generation. will go to public-private partnerships, called Joint
Technology Initiatives (JTIs) that will carry out
This information leaflet provides an insight into some of the ways that the EU research into: innovative medicines; fuel cells and
supports Irish citizens throughout every county in Ireland. hydrogen; aeronautics; bio-based industries; and
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 Laois:
MACCSOL – Circa €6 million funded project with
Laois partnership
The generation of power using solar radiation has the
potential to provide a significant portion of the EU’s
renewable energy targets. The European concentrated
solar power (CSP) industry has identified the shortage of
water to cool the condensers of CSP plants as being a
significant barrier to CSP’s deployment, coupled with the
fact that current air cooled condenser technologies are
highly inefficient.
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Laois
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MACCSOL technology will enable concentrated solar power (CSP) start-ups, and makes available the resources and expertise of the
plants to increase net output and to reduce costs compared to Centre available to support client companies.
existing dry cooled plants by incorporating sensors that detect
change in temperature, ambient wind, fan flow rate and control INFRASTRUCTURE
algorithms. This Irish-led research project optimises turbine outlet Irish Water, in partnership with Laois County Council, completed
conditions, maximises power output and reduces operating and a €2.6 million upgrade to 14km of water mains in Mountmellick,
maintenance costs. Portlaoise, Ballyroan and Timahoe.
Aubren which is located in Laois, R & R Mechanical (Tullamore) and Over 300 homes and businesses have benefited from the
University of Limerick are partners in this pioneering project. improvements in drinking water supply and quality.
AVAILING OF ATHLONE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (AIT) This project involved a detailed assessment of the water mains
Although there are no third level institutions based in Laois, AIT locally including burst water mains history, leakage rates, condition
is at the heart of the Midlands and available for people living in of the pipes, carrying capacity and water discolouration issues. The
Laois. The Midlands Innovation and Research Centre is based in assessment highlighted the areas of water mains that were in the
AIT. It provides incubation facilities for innovative and knowledge- poorest condition and rehabilitation and replacement works were
based enterprise, an enterprise programme for entrepreneurs and targeted on these sections.
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
in rural areas and encourage diversification of the rural economy by
providing support initiatives in the area of rural/agri-tourism, local
enterprise development and community facilities. The LEADER initiative Ballyfin Old National School
will provide €250 million in financial resources of which County Laois
has been allocated over €7 million. an automated pile driving analysis and dynamic load testing
service to the construction industry. This specialised equipment
Here are some of the more recent projects funded through this will enable the company to offer a speedy and reliable service,
programme: with higher levels of safety than manually operated systems.
The service is provided on a mobile basis, by travelling to sites
Business Support around the country.
• G’s Gourmet Jams in Abbeyleix received over €79k funding
for the development of a jam cooling tunnel. The successful Village Renewal and Conservation
company, initially funded by Leader in 1999 is now exporting to • Ballyfin Old National School received €150k for the
Harrod’s in the UK and also to the USA. Interest has also been restoration of this building which is over 100 years old. It is now
shown in the jams by Korea. a multi-use community centre for Ballyfin and the surrounding
• Wind Turbine Maintenance Training In response to the growing area.
wind turbine industry in the midlands, Laois Leader ran a number
of courses on Wind Turbine Maintenance, helping to create skills Community
and jobs in Laois to fill the demand. Over €73k was granted • Aras Eoghain received approx €106k to upgrade and
towards these courses. significantly refurbish the old community centre. It has a main
• Mountmellick received over €41k to assist the town in opening room that can be divided in two, offices, a computer room, a
a number of enterprise units for local businesses at O’Connell kitchen and a big garden. The centre is home to a preschool
Square. and homework club which had been in cramped conditions for a
• Independent Testing Ltd in Portarlington received almost €23k number of years. Now there is space for all the children as well
funding to purchase specialised equipment which can provide as music and horticulture classes, club meetings and sports.
Continued on next page...
Laois
...continued from previous page proposal from the local community and also liaised with staff
in the Mountrath Community School where Transition Year
Heritage Students assisted in the project.
• Donaghmore Workhouse Dining Hall With grant aid of almost
€100k, a major conservation project in the former Dining Hall at Tourism
Donaghmore Workhouse was completed in 2014. The building • Abbeyleix Bog received funding of €21.6k to construct board
is now open to the public as part of the Donaghmore Museum walks for visitors. The board walk facilitates access to the “High
experience, to interpret what life would have been like for Bog” which is a habitat that is otherwise difficult to enter in
inhabitants in th 19th century workhouse. This project has received Ireland. Typically within bogs / peat lands there are areas of
funding of €500k in total. open drains, pools, rough ground and very wet and unstable
• The Mountrath Heritage Photographic Society (MHPS) created underfoot conditions. The board-walk allows those who are
an archive of photographs and photographic memorabilia relating unused to visiting wild areas to walk on a safe route and view
to Mountrath community and the surrounding area. Assisted by the area from a stable platform, protecting the bog and the
€3.6k funding, the MHPS invited members of the community visitors in one action. Visitor time spent within our site allows us
to contribute suitable images to the archive. The images were to explain the resource of bogs/peat lands and their biodiversity
scanned, catalogued, and securely stored mainly in digital format. to our global community. A key output from the board walk is
Funding was secured to purchase specialist scanning, printing, the opportunity to promote good environmental management
storage equipment and also to fund an exhibition of the work through observation, formalized teaching, self learning and
in progress. The MHPS received a very positive response to this active participation thus promoting community stewardship
of natural resources. The restoration of the bog was originally
funded through the EU.
• The Forum Hostel in Mountmellick received funding of €91k
to restore the old building. This 22 bedroom hotel occupies
the old Presbyterian church, which had fallen into disrepair
since it was vacated by the congregation some years ago. The
church was purchased by former townsman Eugene Conroy
who approached the Laois Partnership for support to aid
the development of the protected property with the aim of
promoting local tourism.
Farm Diversification
• Coolanowle Country House and Organic Farm received
€18.6k towards the costs of renovating an old stone barn and
turning it into a function room for their business The Rustic
Barn can seat up to 65 guests, who can enjoy organic, farm-
Donaghmore Famine Workhouse Museum produced food at functions.
Supporting Local
Enterprise
A key part of the Europe 2020 Strategy is to promote jobs and growth and
to ensure that micro and small businesses can start up, grow and export.
As part of this, new Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) have been established
within Local Authorities, (replacing the existing County Enterprise Boards)
with the aim of delivering more integrated support services for micro and
small business. The new LEOs are 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 accessed and where companies with clear
high growth potential can be seamlessly fast-tracked to the next level of
support. Local Enterprise Office - Laois
In 2014, capital funding of almost €91 million was made available to feasibility studies. Micro Finance can also be arranged. There is one
LEOs throughout Ireland, to provide direct grant assistance for micro- LEO in Laois, which is based in Portlaoise.
enterprises employing up to 10 staff and training and development
supports for micro and small businesses. Laois received approx Laois LEO offers a number of courses for local business people
€3.5 million in 2014. including Start Your Own Business and an Accelerate Management
Development Programme, which is a bespoke management course
A number of Financial Instruments, aimed at building more sustainable, aimed at companies that have existed for two years or longer. The
innovative start-ups and supporting expansion of small companies are LEO also offers mentoring for all areas of business.
available for SMEs, including grants for start-ups, business expansion and Continued on next page...
Laois
Cork
Fostering
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The LEO ran a number of Enterprising Women Programmes and as a
result of this, set up the Enterprising Women Network, which has over
170 members already. Employment,
Young Entrepreneurs
Three of the best young entrepreneurs from County Laois won a total
of €50k investment through Laois LEO. The winners were:
Education &
• Best New Business Idea (€10k investment)- Michael Casey of
M.A.C Developments
Training
• Best Start-Up (€20k investment)- Noel Walsh of Walsh Agri The European Social Fund (ESF) stimulates the provision of employment
• Best Established Business (€20k investment)- Stephen and training opportunities, emphasising sustainable and quality
Dowling of Dúnmasc Genetics employment (especially youth). Poverty, discrimination and social
• The overall title of “Laois Best Young Entrepreneur” was exclusion are also tackled.
awarded to Michael Casey, M.A.C Developments.
Since Ireland joined the EU, many agencies and State bodies have
received almost €6.5 billion in investment from the ESF, including
€24.1 million in 2014. In Laois, the EU has co-funded projects and
programmes dealing with the youth sector, early school leavers,
minority groups, adult literacy, upskilling and support for long-term
unemployed.
Erasmus+ is the EU programme for education, training, youth and
sport for the years 2014 to 2020. It provides funding and support
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.
Food Dudes
Approx 52 schools in County Laois are participating in the EU funded
IBYE winners Michael Casey- M.A.C Developments, Noel Walsh-Walsh Agri and Food Dudes programme for schoolchildren. Funding of €1.2 million
Stephen Dowling-Dúnmasc Genetics. funded for the 2015/2016 school year was agreed by the European
Commission. The total funding for the scheme across 25 EU Member
Enterprise Ireland States is €150 million.
Enterprise Ireland also offers a number of grants for SMEs to support
development, marketing, exporting, training and R & D. Established in 2009, the scheme is aimed at reversing the trend of
declining fruit and vegetables consumption by specifically addressing
The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), the world’s largest support children.
network for SMEs has established a new partnership with 31 Local
Enterprise Offices in Ireland, including the LEO in Laois. This offers free In turn, higher fruit and vegetables consumption is also supporting
access for Laois companies to Europe’s largest database with up to efforts to establish healthier eating habits amongst school children.
10,000 new business and technology opportunities in the EU and many Nutrition plays an important role in combating health problems related
other major global markets. This partnership provides Irish companies to poor nutrition, such as child obesity.
with an important gateway into the EU and a bigger footprint globally
by forging new international partnerships. The Network is co-financed Since 2014, the scheme also supports accompanying educational
under ‘COSME’, the EU funding programme for the Competitiveness of measures to explain the potential benefits.
Enterprises and SMEs. The services are tailored for SMEs but are also
available to all other businesses, universities and research centres.
High Potential Start Up Companies
Enterprise Ireland is responsible for supporting High Potential Start-Up
(HPSU) Companies. HPSUs are start-up businesses with the potential
to develop an innovative product or service for sale on international
markets and the potential to create 10 jobs and €1 million in sales
within three to four years of starting up.
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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