Dundalk councillor explains how €4.2 million funding will help support job creation in region

Dundalk councillor John McGahon has welcomed the announcement today of over €4.2 million in funding to support job creation in the area.

Cllr McGahon welcoming the announcement, explained the purpose of the funding:

“I am delighted to see DkIT Connect DAC and Creative Spark CLG have been successful and will receive funding of €3,774,337 and €500,000 under the Regional Enterprise Development Fund. 

“The fund is designed to support projects that support job creation and I am delighted to see our local area benefit in this way.

"DkIT Connect objectives are:

• To bring increased dynamism and agility to Ireland’s Connected Health & Wellbeing industry through promoting, supporting and delivering Living Lab and Quadruple Helix led innovation.

• To become a catalyst for innovation in indigenous companies, both start-ups and existing businesses, supporting job creation, enhancing leadership development, upskilling and improving competitiveness.

• To link the major stakeholders in the Connected Health & Wellbeing sector into the region

• To create, validate and help commercialise a pipeline of products, services, business models and methods that will enable Irish industry to compete in new markets. 

"The enterprise FabLab @ Creative Spark is a high impact job creator and smart economy motivator with defined ambition to stimulate enterprise, creativity, innovation and education in the North-East region through the establishment of a FabLab digital fabrication enterprise and co-working initiative.

"This will provide access to a suite of state-of-the-art digital fabrication hardware and software co-located in a thriving enterprise centre.  The FabLab aims to create 127 jobs over the next three years and educate 765 trainees. 

"Enterprise FabLab @ Creative Spark will provide small-scale high-tech business incubation for 765 entrepreneurs and members with access to invention, technological empowerment, expertise and accredited training.

"A key feature of this project is the development of an accredited training programme: Level 7 Certificate in Digital Design, Fabrication, and Advanced Manufacturing."

Cllr. McGahon added, “This news comes at a time when we now have the highest number of IDA-supported jobs in the regions ever. 

“Under the third call of the REDF, applications were invited to submit proposals under three Streams:

• Strategic Change Projects – grant funding of €500k up to €5m;

• Regional Strengthening Projects – grant funding of €100k up to €500k; and

• Enterprise Clustering Projects – grant funding of €50k up to €350k.

“The successful projects were selected through a rigorous multi-stage evaluation process managed by Enterprise Ireland, based on criteria which included: impacts and value for money; collaboration and participation; viability and sustainability; building regional strengths; and significance for innovation.”