Clare County Council has welcomed the allocation of €1,023,300 towards the development of a Multi-Service Innovation Centre in the heart of Ennistymon.
An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar TD and the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring TD announced the first successful applicants under the Government’s €1 billion Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, which aims to breathe new life into Ireland’s smaller towns and villages.
The Ennistymon project involves the conversion of an existing building on Parliament Street in Ennistymon into a Multi-Service Innovation Centre which will comprise an Digital Hub with business broadband, a family resource centre and community amenities.
Councillor Michael Begley, Mayor of Clare, said, “I welcome the fact that Clare has benefited in the initial tranche of funding under this scheme and I look forward to Clare featuring in the next announcement about funded projects in early 2019.”
Pat Dowling, Chief Executive of Clare County Council, said the development of a Multi-Service Innovation Centre in Ennistymon is a key target under the Clare Rural Development Strategy, which was launched in late 2017.
“This new centre project is going to have a significant, positive economic impact for the town of Ennistymon and wider North Clare area by contributing to employment creation and local regeneration. We therefore, welcome the support of Government under this Fund which makes the project viable into the future. We hope that Clare will benefit further under this €1 billion fund in the months and years ahead,” added Mr. Dowling.
Clare County Council confirmed that the Ennistymon Multi-Service Innovation Centre will open in late 2019.
The announcement focuses on 18 projects to be supported in 2019, totalling €24.4 million. €55 million in total has been allocated to the Fund for 2019 and further announcements of projects to be funded in 2019 will follow in early 2019.