Mr. Martin Lydon, A/Director of Services outlined to members his proposals for countywide projects benefiting all Municipal Districts.  The key elements of the report includes the following:

1. Develop a Roscommon brand image and promote the county as a location of choice. 
2. Develop village plans to avail of Town & Village funding and CLAR funding
3. Only county with no innovation space, all plans identify the need for Innovation space and entrepreneurship.
4. Promotion and staging of large events of county importance such as All Ireland and All Nations Sheep Shearing and Wool Handling Championships in Kiltoom, Shannonside Music festival and Wrap Project which is to support the Film Industry in Galway and the West Region and explore the potential for a Regional Film Fund (action plan for jobs).
5. Coder Do Jo / Tech Space – funding required for development officer and equipment to expand the Coder Do Jo programme countywide.
6. Rhode Island Trade Centre to promote trade and tourism in the region.  An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny will officially open the Centre on 14^th March 2017.

Mr. Lydon is seeking €60,000 from each Municipal District’s allocation in 2017 to fund the proposed projects at a total cost of €180,000.  The CPG unanimously endorsed the proposal at its meeting this morning.

The members made the following comments:

·         Promoting Roscommon is an evolving process and all are very worthwhile projects. 

·         The Rhode Island Project is an excellent idea and should be supported and marketed well.

·         Innovation is key to creating jobs and we need to be able to compete with other counties.

·         Important that the SPC’s feed into this if possible and not just the CPG.

·         How will this affect the MD budgets?

·         Would like to see this feeding into the Tourism Strategy.

·         All plans and initiatives should work in parallel.

·         Welcome all of these initiatives which have positive economic benefits. 

·         Will the loss of €60,000 from each MD have any impact on LEADER Projects?

·         Welcome Village Plans – communities need help to develop them.

·         Important to support major events such as sheep shearing, which is an important event in Roscommon this year.

·         Drone footage should be carried out during summer months to capture award winning tidy towns.

·         We need to sell our county which is so centrally located - great place to live, work and bring up a family.

·         Focus should be on textile, food and creative industries as unlikely to attract large factories.

·         What is the update on the Innovation Centres for Roscommon Town and Monksland?

·         Creative Communities in Ballaghaderreen – could this be considered for Roscommon Town?

·         Rathcroghan needs to be developed – this could be one big project for the county as it has so much potential.

·         Liaise with Leitrim County Council in relation to some projects.

·         Municipal Districts should be update updated regularly.

Mr. Lydon responded as follows:

·         Expected that the Innovation Centre will be operational in next two years.

·         The SPC will have a big part to play in ensuring the plan will work and reports will issue to each MD on how the money is being spent.

• The Council are in discussions with WestBic and Galway County Council to create a link with Enterprise Ireland and a couple of sites have been identified.   Request for members of Roscommon Municipal District to come onto the committee.  A staff engineer has been assigned to get this project off the ground.
• There are a number of Roscommon businesses already working from the Rhode Island Business centre.
• Some of the proposals will require once off funding and others proposals require ongoing funding.
• The Council is working with Mayo County Council regarding Rathcroghan.
• The MD allocation for 2017 will reduce from €145,000 to €85,000 (same allocation as last year).

On the PROPOSAL of Councillor Fallon

SECONDED by Councillor Shanagher

It was AGREED that €60,000 be transferred from each Municipal District to fund countywide projects as proposed by the executive.