Th government has approved €850m in funding for Ireland's two European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) programmes until 2027.

The ERDF programmes were negotiated by the government and the European Commission over the summer, and Commission approval and adoption of the programmes is expected before the end of the year.

The two programmes support Irish regions in promoting economic, social and territorial cohesion in line with key EU priorities, with €396m of the €853m investment being financed financed by the EU.

The programme for the north-west of the country is to be managed by the Northern and Western Regional Assembly, while the programme for the midlands, south and east will be managed by the Southern Regional Assembly (SRA) in collaboration with the Eastern and Midlands Regional Assembly (EMRA).

Commenting on the agreement of the ERDF Programmes, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Michael McGrath said:  “We have secured €396m of EU funding for the ERDF programmes. When national co-financing is included the programmes total over €850m for the period out to 2027.

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"The programmes will focus on three strategic outcomes. The first is the focus on developing smarter more competitive regions through measures like building RD&I capacity in public research institutions and by strengthening regional innovation systems in line with Ireland's Smart Specialisation Strategy and the Regional Enterprise Plans.

"Second, it will also support actions to scale up energy efficiency measures for those in energy poverty. Finally, it will support the sustainable regeneration of towns and urban centres using a Town Centres First Framework.

"I look forward to the adoption of the programmes by the European Commission in the coming weeks. This will be followed by the launch and implementation of the programmes by the Northern and Western Regional Assembly and the Southern Regional Assembly in conjunction with my department over the coming months.” 

Sport to Start-Up Programme

Elsewhere, Minister Damien English launched the latest edition of the Sport to Start-Up programme at the Sport Ireland Institute in Blanchardstown on Tuesday.

The programme is run by Local Enterprise Offices, and supported by Enterprise Ireland and Sport Ireland, funds full-time sports people to engage in entrepreneurship and explore setting up their own businesses.

The initiative is now open for applications with the 2022 programme beginning in mid-November and a free online taster for potential participants takes place on Thursday, 27 October.  

A total of 60 athletes, including Olympic medallist Gary O'Donovan, Paralympic medalists Michael McKillop and Niamh McCarthy, League of Ireland players Paddy Kirk and Patrick Hoban, cricketer Kevin O’Brien, Irish player Nicci Daly and boxer Adam Hession, have taken part in the programme since its launch in 2020. 

The programme is based on the LEO's Start Your Own Business scheme and brings participants through the key areas of starting a business from validation, customer journey and market research to legal and compliance, funding, sales and marketing and pitching. They finish the programme with a business plan for their business.

Minister English said: “The Sport to Start-Up programme is the first of its kind for full time sports people in Ireland and allows them to use their transferable skills and apply them to a business idea they may have.   It’s a fantastic initiative by the Local Enterprise Offices in partnership with Sport Ireland and Enterprise Ireland.  

“We see many Irish sports people go into business and indeed set up businesses after they finish competing so it is great to now have a pathway of support that they can join before retirement and begin building for a life in after sport.  

"We hope to see our current sports stars become the next wave of entrepreneurs, creating new businesses and jobs across the country.”

Orlagh Farmer, six-in-a-row All-Ireland winner with Cork, Louth GAA star Ciaran Byrne, Irish rugby Sevens international Hugo Lennox and Hession were in attendance at today’s launch to outline how the programme benefitted them.   

Orlagh Farmer is now rolling out her own programmes across schools in Ireland through her EmpowerEd Coaching business to engage and retain more girls in sport, while Ciaran Byrne has established his own Bodyrock Reformer Pilates business in Louth. 

Oisin Geoghegan, of Local Enterprise Offices, said; “The Sport to Start-Up programme has been a great initiative for sports people across the country.  There has been significant interest to date and great to see so many have already been through the programme.  

"It is important to remember that the programme enables participants to take those first steps but it also gives them the resources and opens them up to the entrepreneurial eco-system so if it is not the right time now, they know where to go in the future. This is a hugely beneficial programme and is giving sports people that chance to plan for a life after sport.”

Enda McDonnell, of Enterprise Ireland, said; “This programme is a great initiative between the Local Enterprise Offices, Sport Ireland and Enterprise Ireland.  

"It is positive to see this cross-agency collaboration working to help both existing sportspeople look to the future but also helping the LEOs and Enterprise Ireland create a new group of potential entrepreneurs and business owners for the future.”    

Una May, CEO of Sport Ireland, said: "The Sport to Start Up Programme has brought a very unique career and personal development opportunity to full time sportspeople.

"Everything about the initiative is bespoke and geared towards the needs of the participants, allowing them to progress through the modules alongside their busy training and competition schedules. 

“The feedback from the athletes and players we support has been fantastic, many noting the unexpected benefits of networking, sharing ideas and learning alongside their peers from different sports as the course progressed.

"Our current and future sporting stars possess skills and characteristics that can help pave the way to becoming successful entrepreneurs and this terrific programme continues to create a safe space for them to explore and develop their ideas with the guidance of the experts."

Each participant will also be allocated a mentor who can guide them outside of the programme hours and will be available to them after the programme to help them build out their idea / business.  

Anyone eligible can contact their athlete or player representative for more information, or log on to www.LocalEnterprise.ie/sport.

Photo: Michael McGrath. (Pic: Fran Veale)