Ms. Fiona Ni Chuin, A/Director of Services updated the meeting on the Draft Strategy:

·         KPMG Future Analytics has been appointed by Longford and Roscommon County Councils to prepare an Economic and Enterprise Development Strategy for Lanesborough - Ballyleague. This strategy is currently at draft stage and is under a second review by both Local Authorities and is nearing finality

·         The Vision is that by 2040 Lanesborough-Ballyleague will be a better place to live, visit, work and study; a place with a high quality of life and a range of employment opportunities where people chose to locate and visit. A thriving integrated and attractive town at the heart of the economy and a hub for the mid Shannon area.

·         The objective of the strategy is to develop and deliver an effective short, medium, and long-term path to enterprise and job creation in the area, building on existing and planned investment and innovation initiatives while unlocking the economic growth potential of Lanesborough-Ballyleague and providing a sustainable employment opportunity in the context of Just Transition.

·         The Core focus must be the identification of economically and environmentally sustainable projects that have the potential to transform the economic landscape of Lanesborough-Ballyleague

·         Four key enabling pillars are identified for capital projects, focussing on making the town a more desirable place to choose to live, visit, work and study, and to raise awareness of the town’s offering targeting investors, those seeking to re-locate, and visitors. Ten themes have been identified under the pillars and it is envisaged that a number of transformational projects will flow from the themes.

·         Roscommon County Council has secured funding under Just Transition for two feasibility studies - Lough Ree Board Walk and Cloontuskert Visitor Centre and Organic Farm. Both projects sit under the pillar “a better place to visit”

·         The Lough Ree Bay Boardwalk (Roscommon shore segment) aims to create a stunning and quite unique access pathway to Lough Ree Bay, and shoreline. The boardwalk follows the shoreline along wetlands, then reaching a proposed glamping site and birdwatching huts, linking up to the Longford Shore leg. The provisional letter of offer issued in September 2020.  The RFT to carry out the feasibility study is nearing completion and it is anticipated that it will be uploaded to ETenders next week.

·         Clontuskert Visitor Centre & Organic Farm: The Bord Na Mona Machinery works, is a collection of industrial buildings on the edge of the bog which formed a machinery repair and storage depot. This project envisages creating an educational and interactive, audio visual, and virtual reality visitor experience which will bring tourists back in time to origins of monastic settlements, to the first trackways across the bogs, to the eventual industrial development of the bogs as Ireland's main energy natural resource. The provisional letter of offer issued in November 2020 and letter of support from Bord na Mona to carry out the study was received on the 2^nd Feb 2021.  The RFT to carry out the feasibility study is nearing completion and it is anticipated that it will be uploaded to ETenders next week.

The members welcomed the presentation.

·         Clondra/Tarmonbarry is also an area that should be considered for a similar scheme. It suffered a major loss of jobs over the years. The Just Transition fund has to be applied fairly across the area to counteract these job losses.

·         Can the draft strategy be sent back to the Ballyleague Lanesboro Collaboration Group so they have a final input into the strategy? It is important that the group is informed as to what is happening. A meeting should be held with the group in the coming week to discuss the update.

·         There is a large area from Rooskey to Tarmonbarry to Curraghroe that was also part of Bord na Mona and are they entitled to funding/projects from Just Transition.

·         Hope that funding will be spread out over time but we need the IDA to focus on job creation in this area.

·         Is there an update on Just Transition and securing maximum funding from the fund as a result of the closure of Shannonbridge and the consequent job losses in South Roscommon?

·         This funding will need to provide real sustainable jobs

·         There is an opportunity with the Greenway to provide more tourism facilities in the area.

The Chief Executive stated that in relation to issued raised about Shannonbridge, other Local Authorities are looking at the impact of this and he will be in discussions with them. He also confirmed he will be meeting with the IDA next week.

Fiona Ni Chuin replied that with regard to the wider catchment area referred to by the Councillors, it would be anticipated that there should be some spinoff from the projects approved. The IDA are a key stakeholder in the Strategy. She will refer the proposal to circulate the strategy to the Collaborative Group and the suggestion of another meeting with them to the regeneration team in Longford County Council.

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