Creative industries initiative could deliver jobs boost for Monaghan

An initiative to establish a creative industries hub in Co Monaghan could open up a new stream of employment opportunities for the county’s young people, Chief Executive Officer Martin G O’Brien told Monday’s meeting of Co Monaghan Vocational Education Committee.

The CEO said the VEC was leading the project and were working on its development with the Blackwater Regional Partnership.  Carol Lambe of Monaghan Co Council was also assisting in the application, which was being put forward for INTERREG funding support.

The initiative “has the potential to create a whole new stream of skills in the region, leading to employment opportunities for a significant number of people,” Mr O’Brien told the meeting.

He added that the project would also enable the region to derive the full potential from the Project Kelvin broadband provision.

The CEO said the Committee would hear more about the project the closer they got to hearing the outcome of the INTERREG application, and he hoped for the county’s sake that the application would be successful.

Joe McGrath complimented the staff on the enormous amount of work that had been devoted to this initiative and to the development of the multi-user education complex planned for Knockaconny.

Pat Treanor also commended the work which had been devoted to the INTERREG application, stating that it marked the “moving into a new era.”  He noted that Sligo and Omagh colleges had come together in partnership and obtained funding for the development of an IT Centre.  He believed that working with the Co Council and other agencies was a very good way for the VEC to proceed.

The CEO noted that if the application was successful, one of the spin-offs for Monaghan Town would be the bringing of a week-long international film camp to the area, which would involve professionals with a range of skills in film and television production.

He believed this would provide new career paths for young people in the region.  He was also of the view that with Project Kelvin the area had access to a facility that gave them an advantage in a niche market which no one else had.  This could be very positive for the county.

David Maxwell said the creative industries hub proposal had been discussed at a recent meeting of the Blackwater Regional Partnership of which he and fellow VEC member Seamus Coyle were members. He hoped the application would be successful.