How Ireland has benefited from the EU• Almost €76 billion received since

joining the EU in 1973.

• Over €57 billion has been paid in support for agricultural programmes.

• The next largest area of funding came from Structural and Cohesion Funding (over €10.7 billion).

• The European Social Fund contributed almost €6.6 billion towards education and training, social inclusion and supports for vulnerable sectors of our society. Recently, a large emphasis has been placed on up-skilling our workforce.

• By the end of 2017, Ireland had secured funding of €424 million in Horizon 2020 funding.

For the 2014-2020 Budget, the majority of Irish funding will come through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and will be spent on areas such as direct income and market support to the agricultural sector.

Ireland will continue to receive significant funding under the Structural Fund. As in recent years, this funding will focus on research, technology and innovation, contributing to energy efficiency, education and training, and job creation measures.

Additional funding opportunities arise under the Horizon 2020, Erasmus+, Connecting Europe and COSME EU level programmes, which cover research, education, infrastructure networks, SME competitiveness and a number of other smaller initiatives.

This information leaflet provides an insight into some of the ways that the EU has recently supported this county.

Wave energy

Dear Mayo resident,

Over the past 45 years, Ireland’s membership of the European Union has

had a hugely positive impact on many aspects of our lives: from unlimited

access to the world’s largest consumer market to gaining a stronger voice

at international level, from using a common currency to addressing gender

inequalities and from supporting a greener society to helping reconcile

communities along the Border Region.Along the way, communities, towns, businesses, students, researchers,

farmers, and local and national organisations in each of Ireland’s 26 counties

have benefited from EU financing. This publication zooms in on Mayo and

looks at how the EU has invested in your county. However, it is important

to remember that EU financial transfers tell a fraction of the story. The true

rewards of EU membership cannot be measured in monetary terms: peace,

prosperity, political stability, and the freedom to live, work, study and travel

anywhere in the Union.

Yours faithfully

Gerry KielyHead of European Commission Representation in IrelandFor further information, you can find our contact

details on the back page of this publication.

Spring 2018

The Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy (MaREI) at University College Cork is utilising AMETS as part of a €2m MARIBE Project that is unlocking the potential of the offshore economy, known as the Blue Economy.

GALWAY MAYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (GMIT) INNOVATION HUB (IHUB)

Over two hundred jobs have been created in Mayo since the iHub in Castlebar opened in 2006. €20m in external funding has been secured by client companies of the Centre and 16 companies have transitioned to the wider Mayo area.

The GMIT iHub offers desk space, office space and virtual space to new start-up companies and individuals as well as supportive environment for start-up companies.

In March 2016, five people from Mayo secured a place on The New Frontiers Programme, which supports and develops entrepreneurs.

CONGREGATION FESTIVAL IN CONG

In November 2017, Cong village was energised by original thinkers congregating around the potential of digital technology to improve the region’s development.

Congregation is a three-day technology festival, designed to foster links between attendees from diverse backgrounds and to create discussion and dialogue. The theme of the 2017 event was Innovation.

STEM workshops for children, as well as art workshops and mountain hikes formed part of the programme.

Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU Research and Innovation programme ever, with nearly €80 billion of funding available over 7 years (2014 to 2020). It promises more breakthroughs, discoveries and world-firsts by taking great ideas from the laboratory to the market. In recent years, Mayo companies have availed of funding but currently none are participating in EU programmes.

THE ATLANTIC MARINE ENERGY TEST SITE (AMETS)

AMETS is being developed by Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to facilitate testing of full-scale wave energy converters in an open ocean environment. Located off Annagh Head, west of Belmullet, the test site is an integral component of Ireland’s Ocean Energy Strategy and focuses on wave energy, providing two separate test locations at various depths of water, to allow for a range of devices to be tested.

€3M AVAILABLE TO IRISH OCEAN ENERGY COMPANIES AS PART OF OCEANERA-NET COFUND PROJECT

In 2017, a new €17m fund was launched in support of the ocean renewable energy sector. A consortium of 7 European governments and agencies are committed to advancing research and development in the ocean energy sector. Up to €3m will be made available to Irish companies, supporting collaborative research projects on ocean energy technologies.

Eoin Kennedy of CongRegation Technology Gathering

Horizon 2020

Crossmolina is implementing a smart city and energy-efficiency platform. Silver Spring Networks has deployed an Internet of Things network canopy for Mayo County Council for smart street lighting and a residential energy-efficiency project for the council.

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

Community projects in Mayo received funding to provide energy efficiency upgrades to homes and to community and commercial facilities. The total project cost is €927k. The projects approved included:

Renewable Energy

€

Exploiting power generated primarily from waves and tides offers significant potential to contribute to Europe’s future energy needs and international business growth opportunities. The value to Ireland’s economy could be €15 billion, given our abundant ocean resources.

Since 2009, over 80 early stage ocean energy projects valued at €13m have been supported in Ireland and many are now at full-scale testing or are nearing commercialisation.

• Residential upgrades to 42 private homes in Erris.

• A private sector project in Knock.

• Clár ICH Ltd., a voluntry housing association, is retrofitting 40 residential properties and two community buildings, a national school and community hall in Belcarra.

• Tourmakeady community is implementing a range of measures across community and residential buildings, ranging from the school, church and Garda stations to community halls and two commercial businesses.

EU policy on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) aims to improve the approach to entrepreneurship in Europe, by providing a comprehensive SME policy for EU countries, including Ireland. Supported by EU funding passed directly to the Irish government, this is then implemented at local and national level.

As part of this drive to encourage entrepreneurship in Ireland, a network of Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) was established to help local businesses. Working with Enterprise Ireland and the Enterprise Europe Network, the LEOs aim to support entrepreneurship and innovation amongst SMEs, to drive new firm creations, expansion and employment opportunities, as well as to assist in overcoming operational barriers.

The 31 LEOs, located in Local Authorities nationwide, have hands-on teams of experts to provide business advice and information. Each LEO is a gateway to a wide range of government and non-government supports that are available to help local businesses develop. A range of grant supports, from feasibility to local development, is also available. Their aim is to stimulate local business and economic growth and they do this through a number of initiatives.

Mayo has one LEO, based in Castlebar, that offers a number of services, including a Brexit Information Centre.

SUPPORTING SMES

Five Mayo companies exhibited at the Agritechnica international trade show in Germany, in November 2017: McHale Farm Machinery, Malone Farm Machinery, Major Equipment, Agrispread and Cashel’s, each offering specialist and innovative products.

Agritechnica is the world’s largest trade show for agricultural machinery and equipment. With almost 3,000 exhibitors, the show attracts approximately 500,000 visitors.

ENCOURAGING ENTREPRENEURS

As part of the LEOs’ initiative to stimulate business development, Entrepreneurship competitions are held at a number of levels.

Big Red Barn Ltd., from Ballyhaunis was awarded a Regional Award at the 2017 National Enterprise Awards. Set-up by Dónal Byrne and supported by Local Enterprise Office Mayo, the company is a manufacturer and provider of portable modular structures for event hire.

Supporting Local Business

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More than €1.6 billion was paid to rural Ireland in 2016 under a variety of EU agricultural schemes. Currently, Irish farmers receive over €1.2 billion of EU funding per year through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). An additional €2.7 billion in funding over a ten-year period was received through rural development programmes.

For the period 2014-2020, the CAP will invest €10.7 billion in Ireland’s farming sector and rural areas, with additional co-financing from the Irish authorities. Under CAP, County Mayo received over €105.2m in 2016, giving an average payment of €8,819 per recipient. Direct Payments of almost €64m were made to farmers, with an average amount of €5,710 per recipient.

Rural areas also receive other supports through the Rural Development Programme as well as through investment in towns and villages.

The Leader programme continues to support rural communities, including tourism projects. The Local Action Group for the new LEADER Programme is led by the Mayo Community Development Committee and is implemented by a number of partnerships: Mayo North East LEADER Partnership, covers the North and East of the County, with additional animation support from Moy Valley Resources, based in Ballina. South West Mayo Development Company covers the south west of the County, with support from IRD Kiltimagh and Comhar na nOileán covers the Mayo Islands. Mayo was allocated €11.12m for the 2014-2020 programme and projects funding began at the end of 2017.

Rural Development

€Big Red Barn Ltd. Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo being presented

with a Regional Award at the National Enterprise Awards.

For further information please contact:

The European Commission Representation in IrelandTel: 01 6341111 Email eu-ie-info-request@ec.europa.eu

www.euireland.ie www.facebook.com/EUIreland www.twitter.com/eurireland

SICAP is the new Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme, which is implemented by Mayo Community Development Committee, through South West Mayo Development Company (SWMDC) and Mayo North East. It is funded by the Irish Government with co-funding from the European Social Fund. It aims to tackle poverty, social exclusion and long-term unemployment through local engagement and partnership between disadvantaged individuals, community organisations and public sector agencies. It does this through a community development approach.

In 2016, SWMDC was short-listed for the AONTAS Adult Education STAR Awards for its Men’s Health and Fitness programme.

The programme was a collaboration between Mayo Travellers Support Group, the Association for the Social Integration of Offenders and Mayo-Sligo-Leitrim Education and Training Board.

Mayo North-East Partnership adopted an innovative approach to supporting young people into self-employment. The traditional Start your own business programme was modified to suit those younger people, who saw self-employment as the best option for them. The course was about providing the skills to turn existing informal income generation into a formal business.

Mayo Intercultural Action’s Different Together – Building a Sustainable Model of Integration provides training and support to local community leaders with refugee status. The project works with vulnerable refugees to help them integrate into Mayo society.

Erasmus+ is the EU programme for education, training, youth and sport. It provides funding and support for organisations and individuals to operate projects that encourage European exchange, co-operation and learning. Ireland will have a total €12.6m to allocate under the student/staff mobilities and strategic partnership actions in 2018 compared to €11.1m in 2017 – an increase of 13%. During the last academic year, there were 3,172 students and 262 staff outgoing participants from Ireland, with a further 7,579 students and 707 staff incoming.

Supporting Coastal

Communities

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Mayo is part of the FLAG (Fisheries Local Action Group) Northwest, which also includes Leitrim and Sligo. Fishing and tourism activities are prominent within the coastal towns of Westport, Ballina and Sligo, whilst areas such as Achill Island, Erris, Mullaghmore, Enniscrone and Louisburgh have a shorter tourism season, driven by holiday and rental homes in the areas.

With funding of €1.5m for the 6 year programme, FLAG Northwest has already allocated €285k for 32 community and business projects in the region.

Inclusion and Learning

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Mayo Intercultural Action

Proposed Care Centre - Claremorris

Urban Development

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HEALTHCARE SUPPORT

14 new Primary Care Centres are to be built across Ireland following agreement of a €70m 25 year loan from the European Investment Bank, including three centres in Mayo in Westport, Claremorris and Ballinrobe.