Minutes of the Louth Economic Forum meeting
Wednesday 18th of September, 2013
4pm, Ardee Business Park
Attendance:
1. Padraic A. White
2. Philomena Poole
3. Michael A. Curran
4. Frank Pentony
5. Joan Martin
6. Michael McCabe
7. Simon McCormack
8. Eddie Phelan
9. Ronan Dennedy
10. Declan Meally
11. Paschal McGuire
12. John Hennessy
13. Jim Malone
14. Anne Keeley
15. Peter Egan
16. Padraig Kierans
17. Denis Cummins
18. Paddy Malone
19. Niall O’Lamhna
20. Ray Carroll
21. Edel O’Mahony
Chair, Louth Economic Forum
County Manager
Louth County Council
Dundalk Town Council
Louth County Council
Louth County Council
Drogheda & District Chamber
Drogheda & District Chamber
Louth County Enterprise Board
S.E.A.I
Enterprise Ireland
Ardee Business Community
Ardee Business Community
Department of Social Protection
FÁS
President, Drogheda & District Chamber
DkIT
Dundalk Chamber
Teagasc
Chair, Tourism & Heritage Forum
Louth County Council
Apologies:
1. Breda O’Toole
2. Paddy Matthews
3. Gavin Duffy
4. Graham O’Rourke
5. Gerard McGivern
6. Jim Mulcahy
7. Gary Breen
IDA Ireland
President, Dundalk Chamber
Chair, Age-Friendly Business Forum
Drogheda & District Chamber
Newry and Mourne District Council
Chairman, Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Forum
Fáilte Ireland
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Agenda:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Minutes of the meeting of 23rd July, 2013
Matters Arising
Development Priorities for Ardee
Development Priorities for Drogheda
Update on Retail Strategy
Update on Broadband Action Plan
Update on the follow up of published Action Plans
 Foreign Direct Investment
 Sustainable Energy
 Indigenous Industry
 Tourism and Heritage
 Age-Friendly Business
 Education and Training
 Agriculture, Food & Fisheries
AOB
Next Forum meeting
Minutes
The minutes of the previous meeting of the 23rd July, 2013 were agreed.
Matters Arising
None
Padraic White welcomed everyone to the meeting and in particular the new County
Manager Philomena Poole and Eddie Phelan from Drogheda Chamber. Padraic also paid
tribute to Joan Martin in her role as Acting Manager and thanked her for her support to
date with the Forum.
Philomena Poole advised the Forum that she looked forward to being part of the
Economic Forum and would do everything in her power to support economic
development in Louth going forward.
Development priorities for Ardee
The issue of parking charges was raised as having a negative effect on retail in Ardee
Town Centre. It was advised that Ardee Town Council is addressing this issue.
Ardee Business Park is developing itself as a Food Hub. It was advised that this project
has been advanced and near completion. The Park intends to install a training kitchen for
food start up companies.
Ardee Castle was highlighted as a tourism gem for the town however the ongoing issue
of it not being open to the public was raised. It was advised that the reason it has not been
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opened to the public is due to fundamental infrastructural and legal constraints. More
capital funding is required in order to remedy these issues. It was agreed to reposition the
Castle on the Tourism and Heritage Forum agenda.
It was advised that the western bypass is going ahead and is in the hands of the NRA.
Funding for the purchase of the land is now in place. This project should help relieve
traffic congestion problems in Ardee Town.
Development priorities for Drogheda
At the last Drogheda Development group meeting a short list of potential properties in
Drogheda was identified which would be deemed suitable for potential investors. These
buildings are under the control of NAMA. Padraic White wrote to Frank Daly the
Chairman of NAMA to set up a meeting. They have responded to Padraic White’s letter
and have agreed to set up a meeting date.
The Drogheda Development Group is a temporary group set up to address the need for
FDI in Drogheda. It has been agreed that a portfolio will be prepared on FDI ready to
present to Brenda O’Toole in IDA. Work should be complete by the end of the year.
Drogheda Chamber welcomed the great improvements in landscaping around the town
that have been made by Drogheda Borough Council.
Eddie Phelan has been selected to head up the Drogheda 2020 group along with other
members to include Sean MacEntee, Valerie Artherton and Drogheda Borough Council.
To date the existing documentation in place has been reviewed. Declan Meally agreed to
assist Eddie Phelan to get the group off the ground and identify a number of projects that
can be actioned. He also advised that there is a possibility of some funding available
under the Sustainable Energy Communities project. To date a lot of work has been done
on energy upgrades at the hospital and upgrades also at Drogheda Fire Station.
Development priorities for Dundalk
It was agreed that the Dundalk Economic Group needs to be re established to identify a
priorities development plan for the town. The BIDS programme is up for renewal at the
minute. A public meeting was held
The Forum also welcomed the move from Teeling’s Brewery to set up a distillery in the
Harp plant. It is another positive success for Dundalk.
Dundalk Chamber in conjunction with the Department of Social Protection and DkIT
have come up with a pilot project plan to address the needs of employers and employees
in matching up the correct person to a position taken from the live register. Prometric
have come on board to help develop a screening system. It is a pilot scheme and a
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number of local companies will be approached to take part. The Forum endorsed this
project and will support it going forward.
Presentation on the Retail Sector Action Plan
The key issues highlighted were;
 Ongoing concern about decline of town centres
 Numbers of vacant shops and growing air of dereliction in some streets
 Many businesses struggling to remain open
 BIDS Programme in Dundalk – currently due for renewal
 Chambers of Commerce keen to see action taken
A decision has been made to establish a working group made up of Chamber members
from Drogheda, Ardee & Dundalk and also Louth County Council Directors of Service.
The group has examined a number of models and case studies to include Retail
Excellence Ireland, The Portas Review, BIS (Genicon), Clone Britian Survey,
towncenter.com etc.
The suggested way forward is as follows:
TRACK 1
 Establish overall Steering Group with separate Town Team for each town
 Use the template and toolkits to analyse and benchmark current position
 Develop 5 Year Strategy for each town to complement existing plans inc Dundalk
BIDS
TRACK 2
 Look for Quick or Early Wins with small seed funding from Town Councils
A number of possible quick wins have been identified:
 Shop Front Improvement Grants
 Christmas Campaign
 Small Marketing Campaign
 Relax Car Parking in evening after 4 pm
 Improve Signage to Car Parks
 Minor Refurbishment Schemes
 Adopt a Street
 Variable Messaging
The intention will be to prepare an action plan that will feed into the retail section item
no. 309 in the Governments Action Plan for Jobs. It was advised that William Parnell is
the key individual in the Department that is sitting on the Retail committee. It was agreed
to link with him and advise of the work being done here and feed into the governments
plan. Declan Meally has agreed to link up the group with William Parnell.
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Update on Broadband Action Plan
A meeting was held with Padraic White, Michael Curran, Valerie Murphy and edel
O’Mahony as agreed on the 30th of July last. They went through the draft plan and agreed
on possible actions and how to structure the plan. Work is continuing on the action plan
and the final draft will be presented to the Forum at the November meeting.
Update on Sustainable Energy Action Plan
The Dundalk 2020 benchmarking model has now been rolled out nationally. This can
also be a bench mark for rolling out Ardee and Drogheda 2020. The Government has
committed €1.8m funding under the Sustainable Energy Communities programme
funding in 2013. Some funding will be available for certain projects for Ardee and
Drogheda. Declan Meally is happy to work with each of the groups to assist them to get
off the ground.
45 companies have already worked with 12 Interns with regard to reducing their energy
costs. This was very successful. 4 interns received jobs out of the 12 and possible saving
for the business of up to €1m where identified. SEAI have now relaunched this
programme countrywide with opportunity for 100 companies to join the scheme.
Businesses in Louth will also be able to apply for the programme.
Casala have been working on the collection of data on the community energy
management system, monitoring homes in Muirhevna Mor that have been retrofitted.
IDA Ireland have received planning permission and funding to erect the wind turbine in
the business park. It will be located beside Xerox and will be constructed in the next 6 to
8 months.
Declan advised that there is opportunity now for Drogheda, Dundalk, Newry and Belfast
to link up with the Greenway under the guise of the Smart Eco Hub.
It was agreed that Declan Meally will meet with Philomena Poole and Padraic white and
CASALA in order to see how work could be stepped up in Louth.
Update on the indigenous Industry Action Plan
It was agreed that Paschal McGuire would re active this task group to reassess the action
plan and decide the way forward. Edel is to liaise with Paschal on organise this.
Update on the Tourism and Heritage Action Plan
Gary Breen from Fáilte Ireland has kindly agreed to replace Kevin Moriarty for a 6
month interim while Kevin is seconded to another project.
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It was agreed that the Tourism and Heritage Group needs to be re energised and review
their focus. It needs to assume a move strategic role and allow the operations on the
group to be led by the various tourism bodies, trade etc. The Forum should be seen as an
umbrella organisation for all the various bodies.
Concentration needs to be on developing of the two identified destinations Cooley
Mourne Gullion and the Boyne Valley.
Overall there is a growth in the tourism industry and so a more positive outlook.
It was agreed that the Forum would focus on 5 or 6 strategic actions that will feed into
Fáilte Irelands Strategic 5 year plan which they are just about to develop.
The Forum needs to look at adding value and take a more regional approach at this stage.
Update on the Age Friendly Business Action Plan
Padraic White is to meet Gavin Duffy to discuss the roll out of the action plan and
progress to date. The 2nd annual Age Friendly Business consumer Fair is due to take place
on Sunday the 6th of October in Darver castle.
Update on Education and Training Action Plan
Progress has been made with DCU on the strategic alliance with a number of joint
projects underway. Examples of these joint projects is working on an Institute of Digital
Learning and looking into student supports.
DCU is working with Drogheda Enterprise Centre looking at the possibility of looking
into internship programmes. There are also a number of cross border projects to get
underway.
The Education, Training and Business task group is to take place on the 14th of October
next. The makeup of the board will include DkIT, Solas, Louth & Meath Education &
training board, Department of social Protection, SME sector, Larger indigenous sector,
foreign direct investment sector, Enterprise Centres and a member of the Louth
Economic Forum.
Date of the next meeting:
 The next meeting of the Louth Economic Forum will take place on Wednesday
the 13th November at 4pm at the Mill Enterprise Hub, Greenhills, Drogheda.
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MONTHLY ACTION PLAN
NO
ACTION
1. Arrange a meeting with Frank Daly
RESPONSILBILTY REPORT BACK
Padraic White
November meeting
NAMA with regards to Drogheda
2. Re activate the Drogheda 2020 Task
group
3. Re activate Ardee 2020 Task group
Nominate a champion in Ardee to led
Eddie Phelan / Simon
November meeting
McCormack
Jim Malone / John
November meeting
Hennessy
the project
4. Re
U activate the Dundalk Economic
Frank Pentony
November meeting
Denis Cummins /
November meeting
Forum
5. Activate the Education, Training &
Business Task Group
6. Organise a meeting of the retail group
Edel O‘Mahony
Joan Martin
November meeting
Michael Curran
November meeting
Declan Meally
November meeting
Paschal McGuire /
November meeting
to agree an action plan to include
Drogheda & Dundalk Chamber, Ardee
Traders & Directors of Service for each
town.
7. Presentation on the final draft of the
Broadband Action Plan
8. Organise a meeting with Declan
Meally, Philomena Poole, CASALA &
Padraic White
9. Re activate the Indigenous Task Group
to assess the progress of the action plan
10. Tourism and Heritage Forum to meet to
Edel O’Mahony
Michael McCabe
November meeting
review the existing action plan and
agree actions going forward
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