Western Development Commission

Marking 25 years of driving balanced growth in Ireland’s Western Region, the Western Development Commission has unveiled a landmark report highlighting the region’s remarkable progress and the critical challenges still facing the West and Northwest. Below is the full report, for a 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 please read here: https://lnkd.in/eyD7zH4Y With huge thanks to Indecon International Consultants: Hugh Hennessy and Peter Kingston for their rigorous analysis; to Dr Aisling Moroney our Policy Analyst for her insightful regional analysis over 25 years; and to report designer Andrea Kavanagh of Resonate Design for bringing the data to life. #WDCsummit Mayo County Council Sligo County Council Galway County Council Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe / Galway City Council Clare County Council Donegal County Council Leitrim County Council Roscommon County Council Local Enterprise Office Clare Local Enterprise Office Donegal Local Enterprise Office Leitrim Local Enterprise Office Sligo Local Enterprise Office Mayo Local Enterprise Office Roscommon Local Enterprise Office Galway Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment Department of Rural and Community Development Dara Calleary Alan Dillon TD Simon Harris Denis Naughten TD Seán Kyne Ciaran Mullooly Platform94 PorterShed Jack Chambers

We were delighted to host the recent Interreg Europe GRANDIS Project Stakeholder Meeting in Sligo. GRANDIS is an EU-funded initiative dedicated to shaping regional policies and initiatives that better support female entrepreneurs and founders. The meeting brought together key stakeholders from across the Western region’s enterprise ecosystem, fostering a dynamic exchange of insights and expertise. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, offering invaluable guidance to drive the initiative forward and enhance its impact. 💡 Learn more about GRANDIS and its mission here: https://lnkd.in/eGxjFGDQ #Innovation #FemaleEntrepreneurship #RegionalDevelopment #EUfunded Interreg Europe

Hard-pressed urban workers moving to where the grass is greener reports Sandra O'Connell in today's The Irish Times. Read the article: 👉 https://lnkd.in/eJWZFENT

𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 💫 Applications for the BioInnovate Programme 2025/26 are officially open. Join our programme and learn a proven needs-led innovation process that can help you create meaningful impact and shape the future of healthcare. 👉 Apply now at www.bioinnovate.ie 👈 BioInnovate is supported under the Innovators' Initiative Programme co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the Northern and Western Regional Programme 2021 - 2027. #euinmyregion #Healthcare #Innovation #BioInnovate #MedTech #DigitalHealth #CareerTransformation University of Galway University of Galway - College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Enterprise Ireland Northern and Western Regional Assembly Western Development Commission IDA Ireland PorterShed Dogpatch Labs NDRC Health Innovation Hub Ireland

🚀 Exciting News from the DIBEST Programme: 96 micro-enterprises have been selected! The call for participation in the DIBEST Programme has officially closed, and we are thrilled to announce that 96 micro-enterprises in the tourism sector from Ireland, Spain, France, and Portugal have been selected! 🌍✨ These micro-enterprises are set to embark on a transformative journey, leveraging digital tools and sustainable practices to innovate and thrive in the evolving tourism landscape. 🌱💻 Read more about this milestone and what’s next for the selected participants in our latest blog post: https://urlr.me/n6hUjy #DIBEST #DigitalInnovation #BlueEconomy #SocialTourism #Sustainability #TourismInnovation Western Development Commission RDI Hub Munster Technological University Málaga TechPark | Parque Tecnológico de Andalucía Universidad de Málaga Promalaga EM Normandie Business School Pôle TES NERA Agan Plus Sines Tecnopolo Universidade do Algarve Kerry Tourism Industry Federation Cultural Roadmapp Cotentin Unique Turismo de Portugal

That's a wrap on 2024 – a year of collaboration at Western Development Commission From Lorient to New York, from Brussels to Donegal, from the Houses of the Oireachtas to the European Parliament, this year was all about working with those who share our vision for a thriving West – a place to live, work, and do business. We celebrated 25 years of the WDC, scaled the Connected Hubs network, and worked with stakeholders to shape our next five-year strategy. Alongside these milestones, our core work continued: managing the €90m evergreen Western Investment Fund, contributing to national policy through government submissions, publishing essential research, and securing EU funding to strengthen our regional development mission. We also welcomed seven new colleagues, expanded our focus to scratch the surface with the Irish diaspora, and hosted international delegations eager to learn from the West’s successes. For me, 2024 has been a reminder of the power of shared goals and collective passion for this region. Despite the challenges, the story of this year has been one of positivity, progress, and possibility. Thank you to everyone who worked alongside our team over the past 12 months. Read our full roundup 👉 https://loom.ly/KJvjQQY

It's that time of year, time for our 𝗪𝗗𝗖 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗪𝗿𝗮𝗽 𝗨𝗽🥳 Read it here 👉 https://loom.ly/KJvjQQY Grá Chocolates CitySwift BIA Innovator Campus CREW ByoWave Ovagen Group Ltd Loci Orthopaedics We Are Global Irish Inc .ie AwakenAngels

Éiru Films recently wrapped production on Rebekah Fortune's 'Learning to Breathe Under Water', filmed on location in Galway, and WRAP was delighted to be one of its supporters! The film stars Rory Kinnear, 'The Apprentice' actor Maria Bakalova, and newcomer Ezra Carlisle, and Bankside Films has unveiled a number of pre-sales on the comedy drama including Benelux (September Film), Bulgaria (Beta), Eastern Europe excluding Poland (HBO), Former Yugoslavia (Karantanija Cinemas), Middle East (Front Row), Poland (Best Film) and airlines (Aardwolf). The project is produced by Jack Tarling of the UK’s Shudder Films and Patrick O’Neill of Ireland’s Wildcard, who previously collaborated on Ireland’s international Oscar film race entry and box office success, Kneecap. Read more about the film and the production on Éiru Film's website and in Screen International: https://lnkd.in/eJR9xpQG WRAP is a joint initiative between Ardán and the Western Development Commission, in association with local authorities in Clare, Donegal, Galway City, Galway County, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, and Údarás na Gaeltachta. Heather Higgins Ivan McMahon

🌟 𝗔 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻! 🌟 We were thrilled to host Transition Year students from Inis Oírr at the PorterShed Galway as part of the N-LITE Project! The students took part in an Ideation Workshop and a Rapid Idea Improvement Session, crafting innovative concepts for Literary Tourism. The day was a resounding success, filled with enthusiasm, creativity, and incredible project ideas. A huge well done to these budding innovators! 👏 #YouthEngagement #LiteraryTourism #Innovation #NLITE #PortershedGalway Karan Thompson Imelda McCarron Niall Brady Mary Keaveney Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic

🚨 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀! 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 – 𝟭𝟯𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 🚨 Are you a tourism micro-enterprise in a coastal region? Don’t miss this opportunity to join the DIBEST programme (Digital Innovation for Blue Enterprise & Social Tourism). 🌊 This tailored support programme offers training, mentoring, and resources to help small tourism businesses thrive. 🔹 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆? Micro-enterprises (fewer than 10 employees) in sectors like: • Accommodation • Cultural Activities • Car Rental & Transfers • Transportation • Marine Tourism • Tour Operations • Catering 👉 Apply Now: https://lnkd.in/eZJWFDxs ⏳ Deadline: Tomorrow, 13th December RDI Hub Málaga TechPark | Parque Tecnológico de Andalucía Agan Plus Pôle TES Universidade do Algarve Promalaga NERA Universidad de Málaga Sines Tecnopolo Munster Technological University EM Normandie Business School