New Monksland Innovation Hub opened by Minister

The Minister for Rural and Community Affairs, Heather Humphreys, visited Monksland in Athlone today (Thursday), where she officially opened its new Regional Innovation Hub before turning the sod on a planned community park for the local area.

At today's launch it was stated that the new 14,000 sq. feet innovation hub would be a major driver of local enterprise and job creation, providing a high quality set-up environment for entrepreneurs with supports from local and regional agencies.

Funded by RRDF (Rural Regeneration Development Funding), the project cost €4.25m, with grant funding of €3.2m and just over €1m in matching funding provided from Roscommon County Council.

The cathaoirleach of Roscommon County Council, Cllr John Keogh, said the official opening of the innovation hub was a significant day for the Monksland area.

"The small and medium-sized business sector is the lifeblood of our local economy," Cllr Keogh commented. "The concept of a business hub also been clearly identified in our Local Economic Community Plan.

"The development has also been clearly outlined in the Western Regional Enterprise Plan and the Athlone Economic Plan, an ambitious blueprint for the development of the town as a regional growth centre."

Speaking at the opening, the chief executive of Roscommon County Council, Shane Tiernan, remarked: “This exciting development further cements this region’s reputation as the main industrial and economic driver of the county.

"It also enhances the life sciences cluster that has long been and now firmly rooted in Monksland."

He said the new hub would offer "hands-on support aimed at fostering enterprise and jobs" in new, growth sectors.

"This new innovation hub also supports the overarching objective of the current Regional and Spatial Economic Strategy, which designates Athlone as a regional growth centre under the Government’s National Planning Framework," remarked Mr Tiernan.

Minister Humphreys said she was "delighted" to be in Monksland to open the new innovation hub. "It really is a significant day for county Roscommon and indeed the entire region," she said.

"I know Monksland is now a recognised hub for businesses in the area of life science and this new facility will certainly further enhance the offering to these businesses, by providing co-working and training facilities and a soft landing space for companies starting out."

Minister Humphreys also highlighted the work of Deputy Denis Naughten on the project. The local TD, with Athlone Chamber of Commerce and the Athlone Community Taskforce 'Opportunity in a Million' project, helped initiate the work many years ago which has now ultimately led to the establishment of the new hub.

"With the support of Roscommon LEADER, they got a grant and produced and published a feasibility study and, in fairness to Roscommon County Council and to the Monksland Town Team, they took this on board.

"Despite some hiccups, and I know there were a number of hiccups along the way, it has eventually come to fruition," said the Minister.

While in Monksland, Minister Humphreys also turned the sod on the new Monkland Community Park.

The park is being delivered with Town and Village funding of just over €750,000, along with approximately 9% matched funding from Roscommon County Council and Monksland Town Team.

The project incorporates a multi-use, multi-generational space, consisting of play areas and play equipment, a skate park and a shaded dwell area along with trails, seating, lighting and car parking facility.

The new park is expected to provide connectivity between residential and commercial areas in Monksland, along with a biodiversity area and a performance space with tiered seating.

Minister Humphreys stated: "This new development will create a wonderful community space and it's going to be a place for people of all ages to come."

She added that she believes the park will be a "wonderful asset" that will attract many people to Monksland.

Design of the park was undertaken by BDP (Building Design Partnership), and construction is being carried out by Kenny Civils and Plant Ltd, with an expected completion date of the final quarter of this year.