Taoiseach Enda Kenny at Western Development Commission reception  and launch of RE:CONNECT Western Regional Business Network at Irish Embassy, London 12th January 2012.

New Network to Create International Business Opportunities for West of Ireland Businesses

The Western Development Commission (WDC) and six local authorities in the western region have established a new business network to facilitate growth for businesses in the region. RE:CONNECT Western Regional Business Network will help foster contacts between businesses in the west of Ireland and individuals and businesses abroad. The network was launched at the Irish embassy in London by An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, T.D., on Thursday, January 12th.

In his address the Taoiseach said the network was a pioneer and leader in what it sets out to do. He commended the WDC and the six local authorities on the initiative and said that such collaboration at a regional level was the way to move forward. The Taoiseach told the 220 attendees at the launch, which was hosted by the Irish ambassador to the UK Bobby McDonagh, that there is a bright future for Ireland and he restated the government objective of making Ireland the best small country in the world in which to do business by 2016.

Helen Rochford-Brennan, Chair of the WDC said that the main objective of RE:CONNECT Western Regional Business Network is to promote and develop links between businesses in the western region and businesses in the UK that are owned or managed by people from the region. “There are significant opportunities for investment and growing business and by creating this new network we hope to exploit those opportunities,” she said.

Ian Brannigan, Acting Chief Executive of the WDC said: “We foresee a wide variety of new contacts and links as a result of the network. For example, a west of Ireland business with ambitious export plans makes contact with a London business owner originally from the region. The London business could themselves become a customer, make an introduction to another customer or simply share their knowledge and experience of the UK market. This type of contact could be invaluable to the small business owner.”

Mr Brannigan said that regardless of their location, RE:CONNECT would offer businesses in the west the opportunity to position themselves for growth by taking advantage of commercial opportunities through new relationships and social networks.

RE:CONNECT Western Regional Business Network will facilitate businesses at the larger end of the scale as well as the many small and medium sized enterprises, especially those in the creative, ICT, financial services, manufacturing and food sectors, who are competing in the global market. Supported by six local authorities in the region (Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon and Galway) the network will be hosted by the WDC’s LookWest.ie platform, which promotes the western region as an attractive location for enterprise and investment. Since its establishment, the award winning LookWest.ie has attracted over 1 million visits and is the ideal channel to facilitate communication between Ireland’s diaspora and the region.

The origins of RE:CONNECT stem from collaboration between the Sligo Business Network in London and the WDC over the past two years. The initiative is also in line with recommendations of the Second Global Irish Economic Forum Report to strengthen connections with the Irish Diaspora.

“We decided to start the network in London for a number of reasons, namely; the UK is Ireland’s closest and largest trading partner, there are existing county structures and contacts in London with whom we have built up strong relationships, excellent air access directly into the region and numerous examples of influential and successful people and businesses who have a link with the west of Ireland. We also plan to roll out the concept in other major cities worldwide in the future,” Joanne Grehan of the WDC said.

A new section of the LookWest.ie website will act as the virtual hub of RE:CONNECT (www.lookwest.ie/reconnect ). A number of events where people can meet and do business face to face will also be hosted throughout the year with an event in the west in 2013 to coincide with “The Gathering” project.

“Ensuring that key influencers can engage in positive dialogue and commercial activity will contribute to delivering renewed economic growth in the West of Ireland, and the WDC is confident that RE:CONNECT Western Regional Business Network can play an important role in that. We strongly encourage businesses in the west to get involved by joining the network at www.lookwest.ie/reconnect  or at http://linkd.in/LookWestREConnect ,” Ms Grehan concluded. Joanne Grehan, RE:CONNECT Network Manager can be contacted at joannegrehan@wdc.ie  or 094 986 1441 for further information.

Ends

For further information please contact:

Joanne Grehan, Western Development Commission, 086 856 5802
or
Angela Bane, Bane Mullarkey, 087 286 5217

Ian Branigan, WDC acting chief executive said: “The announcement by Pipiper Infrastructure of its intention to grow this high speed commercial fibre capability through the western region by 2013 will offer locations in the region unprecedented ability to develop and attract industries associated with high speed data transfer, including data management, storage, and gaming and online sports.”

As well as the proposed direct employment opportunities offered, the development will place the West of Ireland to the forefront of locations for international data storage and associated industry investments, and according to WDC Chair, Helen Rochford-Brennan: “the development represents one of the most promising growth opportunities for the region in recent years”.

The WDC recognises the critical importance of high quality broadband infrastructure in supporting regional growth and the knowledge economy.

Various reports and submissions prepared by the WDC have highlighted the importance of connectivity and the need for resilient fibre networks to support the delivery of high speed broadband services. High fibre bandwidth capacity is even more critical to support cloud computing as well as next generation networks and the ever-increasing range of online activities.

Mr Branigan said that the announcement is a significant boost to the dark fibre network in the western region and positions the region favourably to attract more broadband intensive businesses. “Before this, Dublin has been the main location for such facilities due to their better connectivity. In 2013, the west of Ireland will be home to one of the fastest networks crossing the Atlantic, bringing significant benefits to the region,” he concluded.

Ends

For further information please contact:
Ian Branigan, Western Development Commission, 086 604 8012
or
Angela Bane, Bane Mullarkey, 087 286 5217

Speaking about today’s announcement, Helen Rochford Brennan, Chair of the Western Development Commission said, “This is great news for the Western Region. The WDC has continually advocated for increased international air access into the west and today marks a very significant milestone in achieving that goal. Air is the preferred form of travel for most tourists, particularly for tourism to islands and long haul destinations. Air access is especially relevant in the case of the short-break market where the travel time needs to be minimised. In the Western Region, tourism is economically very important, employing nearly one in five (19.2% or 23,700 people) of those working in the accommodation and food services sector in Ireland. If the Region is to capitalise on key international markets then effective international access is critical.”

Earlier this year, a WDC Policy Briefing showed that transport infrastructure is one of the most important factors in stimulating economic growth enabling more efficient movement of goods, people and services.  The policy briefing states that regional airports play an important role in providing direct international linkages, supporting balanced regional development and stimulating economic growth; without international air connections, tourism and companies based in the Western Region are at a competitive disadvantage.   The accessibility of the Western Region has already suffered a number of blows this year with the discontinuation of direct flights from West of Ireland airports to Dublin.  The introduction of these new international flights is therefore timely and they will facilitate access to new markets and new opportunities for a range of sectors throughout the Region.

Ian Brannigan, Acting Chief Executive of the WDC said. “Today’s announcement offers real opportunities to develop the untapped tourism potential of the Western Region. The WDC, through its Lookwest.ie initiative will work with all interested stakeholders in the Region to ensure that the full potential of today’s announcement is maximised and that we will continue to grow international tourism into the Region. Historically, relatively poor direct international air access was a factor in the weakness of the tourism sector in the North West and parts of the West. The growth in popularity of short-break tourism, coupled with the inaccessibility of the Region compared to other regions made it difficult to compete in this market. The direct international air services into the Western Region announced today will support enterprise and tourism development into the future and we would urge companies from all sectors throughout the Region to make use of the new services in order to safeguard their longevity”.

To celebrate these four new Ireland West Airport Knock routes, Ryanair has made available 1 million seats for travel across Europe in January with prices starting at €14.99.  These seats are available for booking on www.ryanair.com.

For further information please contact:
Paul Keyes, Western Development Commission, 094-98-61441 or 086-6048014
or
Bernadette Mullarkey, Bane Mullarkey, 086 806 2540

Notes to editors on the Western Development Commission (WDC)

15TH NOVEMBER, 2011

Earlier today, as part of the Western Development Commission (WDC) RASLRES Wood Energy Workshop in Tuam, with partners Teagasc and the County Clare Wood Energy Project launched their Wood Energy Guide “Using local timber to heat your home”. This brochure is an ‘all you need to know guide’ for end users in considering locally produced timber as a renewable energy resource for their homes and businesses. It provides practical information for home owners and small scale businesses on;

•  boiler types and sourcing suitable appliances
•  types of fuel available and
•  practical tips for wood storage

It includes checklists for buying firewood and appliances intended for use when making investment decisions for small scale installations.

The brochure is the result of a continuing partnership between RASLRES, Teagasc and the County Clare Wood Energy Project in their continued development of renewable wood energy in the western region.

Over 80 people attended today’s RASLRES workshop, from public sector heat users, installation companies and fuel suppliers to local development players, showing the developing demand for renewable wood energy in the west. The workshop created active engagement on how local action can drive the growth of wood energy supply chains in the region.

The workshop brought together experts in the wood energy field to provide information and learning to those who have an interest in being part of the wood energy community. It highlighted the lessons learned from the RASLRES project and the experiences of Teagasc, Department of Education and Donegal County Council in their development of wood energy solutions.

Speaking earlier today at the event Mary Hoade WDC board member stated, “We are delighted with the interest shown from across the region in today’s event and welcome the participation and involvement of local authorities, national agencies and those at local level who are interested in developing renewable energy solutions”.

Bernadette Phelan, Development Executive at the WDC commented, “Engagement from the sector in today’s event and through the case studies highlighted during the workshop, enables the industry to understand the issues and challenges which have the potential to impact sectoral growth”.

“The outputs from today’s event present an opportunity for the WDC to further develop meaningful supports, through the RASLRES project, to respond effectively to market need and continue growth in the sector for the Western Region. This helps us achieve the RALRES aim of doubling the wood heat energy sector. We look forward to working closely with our industry partners to further our success to date in building sustainable models for renewable energy”. Ms Phelan concluded.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Contact Bernadette Phelan at 086 8340279 or by email at bernadettephelan@wdc.ie

ABOUT RASLRES

RASLRES is a European bio-energy project led by the Western Development Commission. RASLRES goes to the heart of the local community by using local resources and local people to provide a complete solution for renewable energy in turn providing jobs and opportunities for our communities. This ground-breaking initiative has already delivered 7 pilot projects in the west from Donegal to Clare which provide the starting point for development of a sustainable wood energy supply chain delivered within the local region.

For additional information on the RASLRES Project visit www.raslres.eu

Paul Keyes, of the WDC said, “The Meet West initiative represents a major networking and business development opportunity for Western based companies. Up to 400 companies are expected to attend this unique event where they will get to learn more about doing business with each other, and doing more business nationally and internationally.

“Because of the WDC’s focus on fostering and promoting economic development in the Western Region, we are very conscious of how important international and indigenous companies are for this Region. We are delighted to support Meet West because it is closely aligned with the WDC/Local Authority initiative to build business connections and opportunities within the Region and with the Region’s Diaspora.”

The theme of the conference on the first day is ‘Growing your Business’ and speakers include business leaders who have brought their businesses to national and international markets from their bases in the West of Ireland. Workshops on that day will feature practical demonstrations and advice for companies wishing to enter into new markets on topics such as exporting, procurement in the public and private sectors and tax credits for research and development. Day one will close with a networking dinner at which An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny T.D. will be guest of honour.

Ian Brannigan, WDC Acting Chief Executive added, “We are also looking forward to the second day of the Meet West event, which will offer all delegates the chance to attend pre-arranged networking meetings. The organisers have brought in networking experts and specialised software to facilitate this element of the event and it will introduce many delegates to a new style of business development.

“We believe that sustainable economic growth and employment in the Region will come from a number of sectors which are already well represented in the Western Region. These include medical devices, renewable energy, tourism, creative industries and food and we are strongly urging companies operating in these sectors throughout the Region to take part in this unique business experience. It promises to be a major learning opportunity for all and to create a momentum for further economic growth. We have significant resources and lots of business talent in the West and Meet West will be a fantastic way to share knowledge, experience and our common plans for the future.”

The WDC will have a stand at Meet West and for further information about the event or to book your place log on to www.meetwest.ie or contact your local County Enterprise Board or County Development Board.

Ends

For further information please contact:

Paul Keyes, Western Development Commission, 094-98-61441 or 086-6048014
or
Bernadette Mullarkey, Bane Mullarkey, 086 806 2540

Although the eircom Spiders have a strong business slant, the awards also recognise the importance of promoting internet usage within the community and award an accolade for “Best Community or Charity Website”. There are two “People’s Choice” awards which look to the online community for their nominations and voted – “Big Mouth” searches for the most influential voice online in Ireland and “Online Community” which LookWest.ie has been shortlisted for, looks for the favourite online community website which maintains their peer’s interest and opens up new communication avenues.

LookWest.ie, first launched in 2004, promotes the West as an attractive and economically-advantageous location for enterprise and is the definitive guide to living, working and doing business in Ireland’s Western Region.  In recent years, social media engagement has become a key part of online activities and LookWest.ie now engages daily with thousands of people across all social media channels to promote the benefits of the Western Region.

The LookWest.ie social media drive has featured two high profile photography competitions including this year’s ‘MySummer’ photo campaign which is currently soliciting photos of best summer moments in the Western Region. Last winter, LookWest.ie launched the ‘7 Wonders of the West’ campaign to create a publicly voted list of the Region’s favourite places, events and things to do.

“Our social media activities have really helped to bring the website to life and the level of ongoing audience engagement is extremely encouraging,” said Paul Keyes WDC Head of Corporate Services.   “Other aspects of the website include a skills register (http://www.lookwest.ie/skills-register) where people can register their skills and experience to help create a profile of the talent, qualifications and expertise of people living in the West or considering a move here.  We believe that having access to this profile can contribute to attracting jobs and business to the Region – something we have all been very focused on in recent times.

“We hope that people from the West will support LookWest.ie’s promotion of the region by voting for us in the final stage of this year’s judging.  It would be a great achievement to bring this prestigious award back to the West again,” Mr Keyes concluded.

To vote for LookWest.ie to win in the category of ‘Community’ in the 2011 Eircom Spiders Awards, simply ‘Like’ the Eircom Spiders Facebook page (here), then choose the ‘Community’ category and vote for LookWest.ie. To cast your vote, click here.

For those of you, who do not have access to Facebook, please send your votes to info@eircomspiders.ie with the subject line of Community 2011.

The Eircom Spider Awards are managed by Business & Finance Media Group, publisher of Business & Finance magazine and owner of businessandfinancetoday.com. Eircom have been the title sponsors of the eircom Spider Awards since 2004 and are delighted to continue its sponsorship of the Awards entering their 15th year. The eircom Spider Awards have become the most prestigious internet awards in Ireland and are widely recognised, having become a benchmark of excellence and a must-attend night for the industry.

Helen Rochford Brennan, Chair of the WDC said, “Research commissioned by the WDC earlier this year found that the Creative Sector has the potential to employ an extra 17,000 people in the Western Region by 2020 and could generate €150 million in additional exports each year. The sector offers significant opportunities for the region ranging from crafts to design to computer gaming. The WDC is fully committed to nurturing this growth for the benefit of both the economy and the people of the Western Region.”

Pauline White, Policy Analyst, WDC added “The WDC’s 2009 Creative West study and the 2011 follow up report show that the Creative Sector stimulates innovation and new ideas in other sectors, plays a key role in Ireland’s social fabric and can stimulate both rural and regional development. We are extremely excited about this year’s Douglas Hyde Conference which promises to explore both the undeniable link between economic activity and cultural society and also how we can overcome the tensions which can sometimes arise”.

Keynote speakers at the Conference include Professor Diarmaid Ferriter (Professor of Modern Irish History at UCD), Finbarr Bradley (Former Professor of Finance at DCU and co author of Capitalising on Culture), Catríona Crowe (Senior Archivist of the National Archives) and Betty Purcell (Senior Producer RTE Television, Series Producer Arts Programmes). The conference will be chaired by poet and broadcaster Theo Dorgan.

Frank Dawson, Roscommon County Manager, said “A vibrant creative economy is vital to Ireland’s future but we seem to be focusing on the economy as a sole entity rather than the economy being one part of our multi-faceted society. I welcome the distinguished speakers who will explore how the current focus on the economy may be undermining the importance of the creative, cultural and civil society to us as people. Ultimately I believe that the opportunities offered by the creative economy will be a significant part of the solution to our current economic difficulties. Focusing on the economic challenges at the expense of all other facets of our society may adversely affect our ability to grow our way out of our current financial difficulties.”

Pauline White concluded, “We are delighted to partner once again with Roscommon County Council to highlight the many opportunities for the Western Region from the Creative Sector. Internationally the sector has been outpacing others in terms of growth, a pattern that we see emerging in Ireland also. We look forward to hearing more about harnessing the potential for that growth from the four keynote speakers and the panel discussions with some of Ireland’s leading creative minds.”

Attendance at the Douglas Hyde Conference costs €50.

For booking and further information contact dhydeconference@roscommoncoco.ie

Ends

For further information please contact:
Pauline White, Western Development Commission, 086 832 8055
or
Bernadette Mullarkey, Bane Mullarkey, 086 806 2540

Helen Rochford Brennan, Chair of WDC said, ‘Balanced regional development is an important Government objective and a key focus of our work. We identified, in a previous WDC policy briefing, that quality infrastructure is one of the necessary conditions for regional development and we are now calling on Government to commit to investing in natural gas infrastructure in the North West. While we are fully aware of the current financial strains on the public purse, we would urge Government to explore alternative funding sources to ensure the required investment can be made so that regional and national economic benefits can be secured for the future.

“Such sources could include the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Interreg or other cross border funding or a loan from the European Investment Bank. We also believe that funding for investment in natural gas infrastructure could be provided for by Government retaining a portion of the Bord Gáis Éireann (BGÉ) dividends or by reinvesting profits accrued from any sell-off of the company”, added Ms Rochford Brennan.

Natural gas is widely available throughout Ireland and most larger towns and cities are connected to the natural gas grid. Demand for natural gas has grown rapidly since Kinsale gas was brought ashore in the 1970s and as the grid infrastructure expanded, there has been major industrial uptake wherever gas is available. However, significant parts of the North West have no natural gas supply.

Dr Helen McHenry, WDC Policy Analyst said, “This WDC Policy Briefing focuses on eleven towns in counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon which were recently found to be ineligible for connection to the national grid. We estimate that that every year industrial and commercial users in these towns are spending €16.2 million more on fuel than they would need to if they had access to natural gas. Research shows that where natural gas has become available in the Region, large users are quick to switch to the gas option.

“Domestic users are also paying more than they need and we have calculated that newly connecting households in the eleven towns could save up to €4.4 million on their annual fuel consumption. This represents a combined fuel cost saving of over €20 million each year at a time when we strive to improve competitiveness in the Region and indeed in the country as a whole”.

Policy for natural gas infrastructure is outlined in the White Paper ‘Delivering a Sustainable Energy Future for Ireland’ and it recognises the role of energy infrastructure in regional development.

“The White Paper is expected to be reviewed in 2012 and we believe that this presents an ideal opportunity to give more consideration to the expansion of natural gas infrastructure”, said Dr McHenry.

“The WDC believes that Government investment in natural gas infrastructure will bring regional and national benefits as has been the experience in other countries where investments have been made in remote localities. Without public investment there is a significant risk that the necessary infrastructure will never be put in place.

“Not having the option to choose natural gas means that businesses and householders in the North West will continue to face higher energy costs, have fewer choices in terms of the fuel they use and face higher carbon charges”, Dr McHenry concluded.

Ends

For further information please contact:
Dr Helen McHenry, Western Development Commission, 086 061 7565
or
Bernadette Mullarkey, Bane Mullarkey, 086 806 2540

Attached: Bord Gáis Pipeline Map. Source: Bord Gáis Networks – http://www.bordgais.ie/networks/index.jsp?p=104&n=141

Note on WDC Policy Briefings:
This policy briefing ‘‘Why Invest in Gas? Benefits of natural gas infrastructure for the North West’ is the fifth in a series of WDC Policy Briefings to highlight and provide discussion and analysis of key regional policy issues. It is an objective statistical resource for people and organisations who are interested in the Western Region’s future.

The WDC will be publishing further policy briefings throughout 2012 on a range of critical policy issues.

The full report may be accessed on http://www.wdc.ie/publications/reports-and-papers/reports-2011/

Helen Rochford Brennan, Chair of the WDC said, “When we launched the competition, we knew it would capture people’s imagination because nothing better sums up living in the Western Region than a stunning photograph. We were delighted with the response, with over 750 entries and over 2,000 members of the public voting for the shortlisted top 50 photos. Some of the photos submitted were truly spectacular and it can’t have been easy for people to pick their favourite.”

Paul Keyes, Head of Corporate Services at the WDC added, “Noelle Burke’s photo is fantastic – it represents so much of what is great about the West of Ireland; In fact Glencar Waterfall was voted as one of the LookWest.ie 7 Wonders of the West last year so it is no surprise that it featured amongst the many photos submitted for Co. Leitrim. We were really gratified with the response as it shows that people in the West of Ireland are really proud of their region and want to play an active part in promoting it as an excellent location for enterprise and employment. The photos will help us to showcase the attributes that make the Western Region such a great place to live, work and do business.”

The winner, Noelle Burke wins a fabulous prize of a weekend for four people at the 5 star Lough Eske Castle Hotel, outside Donegal town. The runner up is Brendan Lawlor with his photo ‘Jumping Ship’, which captures somebody jumping into Galway Bay from the diving board in Blackrock, Salthill. Brendan will receive a hamper from Source Sligo, the award-winning Source Restaurant, Wine Bar and a Cookery School in Sligo town. Third prize, a gift voucher from McCambridge’s of Galway, the family owned deli and fine foods store, goes to Miriam Havlin from Donegal for her photo ‘Sandcastles on Culdaff Beach, Inishowen’.

Paul Keyes said, “Because the competition was promoted online, we were able to use the popularity of social media and our large following on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to spread the message about the many advantages and benefits of living, working and doing business in the Western Region. Testament to our successful use of these various channels is the fact that LookWest.ie has recently been shortlisted for a Dot ie Net Visionary Award in the ‘Best Use of Social Media’ category.”

LookWest.ie was launched by the WDC in 2004 as a guide to living, working and doing business in the Western Region. As well as the LookWest.ie website, which receives over 20,000 visitors each month, the initiative works in partnership with relevant state agencies and is developing links with the Irish Diaspora to promote inward investment and job creation in the region – both crucial to address current challenges.

The winning photos are available for viewing at http://bit.ly/MySummerVoting .

Ends

For further information please contact:

Paul Keyes, Western Development Commission, 086 604 8014
Or
Bernadette Mullarkey, Bane Mullarkey, 086 8062540

LookWest.ie, the Western Development Commission’s (WDC) online guide to living, working and doing business in Ireland’s Western Region, has been short-listed for a Dot ie Net Visionary Award in the ‘Best Use of Social Media’ category.

Speaking about the awards Helen Rochford Brennan, Chair of the WDC said, “We are delighted that LookWest.ie has been short-listed by the judging panel of on-line industry experts. Last year we won the Award for Best e-Government Website and this year, the category in which we are short-listed recognises organisations that can demonstrate best practice use of social media to drive business growth. Since the start of this year, we have seen the an increase of over 50% in the numbers of people engaging with us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and the number of visits to our website LookWest.ie has grown by over 30%. Getting to this stage in the awards programme is recognition of the important role LookWest.ie continues to play in promoting the benefits and economic advantages of the West of Ireland to a growing audience base in Ireland and to the Irish Diaspora overseas.”

Gillian Buckley, Acting CEO of the WDC added, “Winning the category is dependent on us receiving the most votes from the public so we are now asking people from the Western Region, both those living here and those living elsewhere, to vote for LookWest.ie by clicking on www.iia.ie/net-visionary/vote/39. Each person can only vote once so we are hoping that all those who have an affinity or link with the Western Region will log on and vote for LookWest.ie. Voting closes at 6pm on September 2nd and winners will be announced on September 30th.”

LookWest.ie, first launched in 2004, promotes the West as an attractive and economically-advantageous location for enterprise and is the definitive guide to living, working and doing business in Ireland’s Western Region. In recent years, social media engagement has become a key part of online activities and LookWest.ie now engages daily with thousands of people across all social media channels to promote the benefits of the Western Region.

The LookWest.ie social media drive has featured two high profile photography competitions including this year’s ‘MySummer’ photo campaign which is currently soliciting photos of best summer moments in the Western Region. Last winter, LookWest.ie launched the ‘7 Wonders of the West’ campaign to create a publicly voted list of the Region’s favourite places, events and things to do.

“Our social media activities have really helped to bring the website to life and the level of ongoing audience engagement is extremely encouraging,” said Paul Keyes WDC Head of Corporate Services. “Other aspects of the website include a skills register (http://www.lookwest.ie/skills-register) where people can register their skills and experience to help create a profile of the talent, qualifications and expertise of people living in the West or considering a move here. We believe that having access to this profile can contribute to attracting jobs and business to the Region – something we have all been very focused on in recent times.

“To build on last year’s success, we hope that people from the West will once again support LookWest.ie’s promotion of the region by voting for us in the final stage of this year’s judging. It would be a great achievement for the West to win two in a row and bring this prestigious award back to the West again,” Mr Keyes concluded.

For further information please contact:

Paul Keyes, Western Development Commission, 086 604 8014 or Bernadette Mullarkey, Bane Mullarkey, 086 8062540

Notes to editors on the Western Development Commission (WDC)

The WDC is the statutory body promoting economic and social development in counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Mayo, Galway and Clare.

The WDC’s strategic goals are:

1. Contribute to balanced regional development by ensuring that the Western Region maximises its full potential for economic and social development.
2. Promote the benefits of living, working and doing business in the Western Region.
3. Support the sustainable economic and social development of the rural economy.
4. Provide risk capital to SMEs and social enterprises.

www.wdc.ie and www.lookwest.ie