EU Grant Aid Decision Could Help Boost Employment

Ireland's Mid West Region

A significant investment boost for the Mid West Region comes on foot of a decision by the European Commission to allow grant aid to help boost employment. Such aid had been phased out two years ago.

This revised European Commission decision on Regional Investment rules could help create employment opportunities in the mid-western region.

The recent decision means that a large company locating to the mid-western region, which covers Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary, will now be able to get grant aid of up to ten per cent of the value of their intended investment, and thus help enterprise agencies to create and attract jobs in the area.

Certainly Grant aid acts as a strong incentive when companies are thinking about locating to an area and this together with language, education, low corporation tax rates, skills, physical and digital infrastructure, does determine a firms investment decisions, when they sit to consider and compare rival locations.

Property Options To Interested Companies In Thurles

Tipperary Technology Park is a fully serviced park with a Business Incubation Centre and quality manufacturing and office accommodation options. Thurles is readily accessible by road, rail and air. It is located on the main Dublin – Cork railway line and just 6km from the main Dublin – Cork motorway. Shannon International Airport has daily direct flights to the US, UK and Europe. International companies in Thurles and the surrounding area include Taro Pharmaceuticals and Procter & Gamble. The town is also well served with a robust broadband telecoms network where a choice of carriers ensure competitive prices and high quality service for all users. Thurles is home to two 3rd level colleges, St Patricks College and the Tipperary Institute, latter a college with an enrolment of over 700 students, with two of the Institutes departments being Business Development and Information / Communications Technologies.

For further information please contact: Brian Keating, Development Manager
Address:Tipperary Technology Park, Thurles, Co Tipperary, Ireland
Tel.: +353 (0) 504 29300 Fax.: +353 (0) 504 29305.

The decision to restore regional aid to the whole mid-west region goes beyond the recommendation in the Report of the Mid-Western Task force which sought aid for a number of business parks in the region.

This decision now puts the much neglected mid-western region in the same position as the south-eastern region, which covers Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Waterford and South Tipperary, where State aid for large investment projects is already allowed.