€100,000 for Digital Hub in Cavan

Published: Tue 20 Dec 2016, 2:33 PM

Last updated: Tue 20 Dec 2016, 2:34 PM

Funding of €100,000 for the development of a digital hub in Cavan town has been announced the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

It makes up two-thirds of the overall cost of establishing the hub, an initiative driven by the combined efforts of Cavan County Council and Cavan.

Set to be established at the former Dun Ui Neill Barracks on the Dublin Road, now a CMETB education campus, the funding is being provided under the Department’s REDZ (Rural Economic Development Zones) Programme.

The Digital Hub in Cavan will meanwhile take advantage of the fact that the county town was chosen as one of only 10 nationwide for the rollout of SIRO’s 1 GB broadband network.

The objective of the Digital Hub is to nurture technology based start-up companies, as well as providing supports for existing businesses throughout the region.

Identified as a key objective under the Cavan Local Economic and Community Plan, once established the hub will cater for start-up IT entrepreneurs and also enable local companies to work collaboratively with each other.

Cavan-Monaghan TD and Minister at the Department, Heather Humphreys announced the funding earlier today, describing the proposed hub as an important project that has the potential to create jobs and give a vital boost to the local economy. She said: “Ultimately this will make Cavan a more attractive place to invest in.”

The total cost of the project is in the region of €150,000 and in this regard the €100,000 which my Department is providing is an enormous step forward.

“I always commend Cavan County Council for the excellent work they have done in developing a Digital Strategy for the county and I am delighted to be able to support this project.”

Recognising that a number of companies have already expressed an interest in working with the Council in developing the Hub, she added: “CMETB is also very supportive of the Digital Hub initiative and see it as having the potential of bringing together local digital entrepreneurs and allowing them to develop and grow together.”

CMETB is currently running a range of IT courses including an ICT Associate Professional course and a course geared towards training participants in Smart Technology. They have also helped to launch Youth2Work in partnership with the GAA, Microsoft and FIT to raise local awareness of emerging job opportunities in tech and related sectors in the Cavan region and this will be of significant benefit to the Digital Hub.

“This is a very exciting, pioneering project for Cavan. It is exactly the sort of innovative thinking we need in our rural counties and I want to commend Cavan County Council for submitting an excellent application for funding which I am delighted to be able to support. I very much look forward to seeing work commence on this project in the near future,” the Minister said.