€400k windfall for Knock Airport

Neill O'Neill

KNOCK Airport is to get a substantial boost from the Government’s Rural Economic Development Zone (REDZ) funding initiative, after it was announced yesterday (Monday) that €400,000 is to be grant aided to the facility.
A further €100,000 will also benefit two enterprise initiatives in Mayo – The Leeson Centre in Westport, which is currently under construction, and an enterprise and visitor centre in Geesala. Each will receive €50,000.
The announcement of the funding was made by Michael Ring TD, Minister of State for Regional Economic Development at the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.
“Funding in the amount of €400,000 has been approved for Ireland West Airport Knock,” he said. “This funding is for the development of a state-of-the-art Visitor Discovery Centre to be located within the terminal buildings and new regional branding points within the airport and on approaches, which will showcase the best of what the west and north-west of Ireland can offer both visitors and entrepreneurs. The Visitor Discovery Centre will therefore set a positive first impression of the West of Ireland on the 1 million visitors that pass through Knock Airport annually.”
Funding of €50,000 has been approved under the REDZ Programme to develop a 1,600-square-foot section of the new Leeson Enterprise Centre on the Ballinrobe Road in Westport.
This money will be used for a new training room, food-production area, creative work spaces and hot-desk facilities. The works will will complement the development of the €1.1 million 6,500-square foot-enterprise facility currently under construction.
Funding of €50,000 has also been approved for the development of a shared services technology centre at Geesala, Belmullet, to include new workspaces for a shared secretariat and hot-desking facilities with high-speed broadband, all located within a new 5,000-square-foot building in the village of Geesala.
Meanwhile, Minister of State Ring also announced that funding in the amount of €200,000 has been approved to the Ox Mountains Biking Centre and Wild Nephin Wilderness, which, though Sligo based, will also benefit Co Mayo.
Minister Ring added that REDZ funding is very valuable, as its aim is to stimulate economic development in rural towns and their hinterlands.
“REDZ funding aims to create economic opportunity and support job creation in rural areas, and I believe each of these projects will succeed in doing that,” he concluded.