BREAKING NEWS: €14.3m for projects in Carrick-on-Shannon, Drumshanbo and Boyle announced this morning

In what has been described as a "game changer" for the local area, €14.3m in funding has been announced for three projects in Carrick-on-Shannon, Drumshanbo and Boyle. Minister for Community and Rural Development, Heather Humphreys confirmed the allocations this morning under the Rural, Regeneration and Development Fund. Welcoming the news local Fine Gael TD and Minister of State, Frank Feighan, described the funding as a ‘game changer’ for the South Leitrim and North Roscommon area.

The largest project will provide €7.2m to allow Leitrim County Council to purchase the existing 112,600 sq. ft. Bank of America MBNA building campus resulting in the sustainability of the current workforce of over 200 with the ambition of securing a further 600 jobs on this site over the next 5 years. This project is projected to cost just over €9m allowing the provision of high-quality fit out of small and medium enterprise workspace as well as the further development of high-quality individual offices, collaborative spaces and meeting rooms. 

In welcoming the project minister Feighan said, “This project will establish a vibrant enterprise hub within the town boundary of Carrick-on-Shannon, provide turnkey office accommodation, will support job creation, entrepreneurship, and innovation in this rural area, which currently lacks sufficient step-up facilities for growing enterprises. It will provide an opportunity for existing large enterprises to establish a regional office, capitalising on demand for remote working, lower commercial rates, and lower cost of living. It will sustain existing tenant (Avant Money) and encourage expansion through development of a stronger local business ecosystem, as well as encouraging other fintech companies to join this anchor tenant”

The news has also been welcomed by local FG councillor, Finola Armstrong Maguire who said, “This vital funding provided by Minister Humphreys will develop a transformative enterprise campus located here at the Carrick-on-Shannon Business Campus. The campus has been an employer of over 1000 people at one time but has been 75% vacant for several years now. This is an exciting opportunity for this region now to maximise the potential of this building which to build new today would cost more than €35m."

Meanwhile in Drumshanbo funding of €2,810,091 has been awarded to Leitrim Food Enterprise Zone for a Food Innovation and Knowledge Hub located at the old ‘Matil’ (former IDA advance factory) on the Dowra Road, Drumshanbo. The project costing €3,512,614 will develop phase 2 of the Drumshanbo Food Enterprise Zone and build on the success of the food hub project in the town which is at full capacity. The project will cultivate a pipeline of food innovators, entrepreneurs, and educators to create a lasting impact within the region.

Cllr Enda McGloin welcoming the news stating “This is terrific news, I want to thank Minister Heather Humphreys who recognises what the local Community Council have achieved with the first food hub and now supports us to develop further, this will mean an overall potential investment by government in this project of €5.5m and a projected 125 jobs when the project is complete.

Finally, Roscommon County Council’s application for the development of a new community library in Boyle has received funding of €4,335,851.  The new library will be located to the rear of the former Royal Hotel, will face out onto the river walk and will form a prominent part of the suite of public realm enhancements in the centre of the town. 

It will be accessible, flexible, and suitable for the provision of innovative library services into the future. It will provide a modern cultural and community space in the heart of the King House Cultural Quarter. Alongside traditional library services, the facilities offered in the new multi-functional library with include meeting, workshop and event spaces, technology and research spaces and indoor and outdoor sensory spaces. The new library will be a place for people to gather, to learn, to relax, to enjoy and to create.

Minister Feighan stated, "I am thrilled to another regeneration project for my hometown of Boyle which sees another significant investment of €5,444,814 in the town centre with the provision of a much-needed modern library facility for the town, I am delighted that Minister Humphreys has taken on board my representations regarding the need to regenerate the town centre of Boyle which is needed. My hope is that the King House Cultural Quarter with an investment of well over €11m to date will attract people into the town centre to visit, I am confident in time this will encourage private investment to complement the large among of public funding."

Senator Eugene Murphy also welcomed the news for Boyle noting "The library will be building on other regeneration projects in Boyle which will make the town a more vibrant and attractive place to live and do business."