'Huge confidence boost for Roscrea' - Digital Hub plans go to tender

Pictured above at a recent meeting about advancing the plans are Mary Ryan (Local Enterprise Office) Seamus Hoyne   (TUS), Gerard Lynch (North Tipperary County Council), Michael Murray, NTDC, Jim Finn, NTDC. Seated left to right: Seamus Browne, Roscrea Chamber of Commerce, Olivia Kennedy, North Tipperary ETB, Deputy Michael Lowry, Brendan Hyland, Chairperson of REACH and (Roscrea Lions Club) and Liam Shanahan, Roscrea St. Vincent de Paul.

Roscrea's Digital Hub will create almost 200 jobs and last week it was confirmed the project will go to the tender stage.

The facility will be called the Roscrea Enterprise and Community Hub (REACH) and in November of 2019 €1.9 million in Rural Regeneration & Development funding was announced for the creation of the digital hub - which promised 192 jobs in the heart of Roscrea.

Brendan Hyland, Chairperson of the Board of REACH, said he wholeheartedly welcomes the recent announcement that the project will go to the tender stage.

“The announcement that the Department of Rural & Community Development now consents to the Community and Enterprise Hub Project, planned for Roscrea Town Centre, be allowed to proceed to tender stage, is a huge confidence boost to the town and the people of Roscrea and its environs”, Mr Hyland said.

“The proposed development will comprise the complete refurbishment of 11,500 square feet of office and hub space, fitted out to the highest and most modern IT specifications.

“We acknowledge the great work done by Deputy Michael Lowry, behind the scenes, to assist in getting the project progress to Tender Stage. The Board had reached an impasse in getting approval from the Department of Rural and Community Development to allow the project to proceed to Tender Stage”, he said.

“Through Deputy Lowry's personal intervention a delegation from the REACH Board met with Minister Humphries in Dáil Eireann recently.

“Following this meeting, Deputy Lowry had further meetings with the Department Officials and Minister Humphries, and also had meetings with Mr. Joe MacGrath, chief executive of Tipperary County Council, which is a co- promoter of the project with North Tipperary Development Company (NTDC).

“We are delighted to receive the full support of Tipperary County Council which has, through the good offices of Mr. Macgrath, agreed to provide a technical and professional support to supervise the delivery of the project. This is an essential component to ensure that the costs are properly supervised and that the project is completed within budget, on time and in accordance with the Department's requirements”, Mr Hyland said.

“The Board, which comprises of members of the local community, the County Council, NTDC, TUS (the Technological University of the Shannon) and North Tipperary Education and Training Board has worked tirelessly for the past two years on a completely voluntary basis.

“The local community is represented by Liam Shanahan of St. Vincent de Paul, Seamus Browne of Roscrea Chamber of Commerce and Brendan Hyland of Roscrea Lions Club.

“This is a good news story for Roscrea, which in recent years has suffered from industrial decline and some social depravation. Now Roscrea and its people can look forward to a new era where education, training, enterprise, entrepreneurship and IT skills can be promoted and encouraged”, Mr Hyland said.

“The project will also help in the regeneration of Roscrea Town Centre and provide a safe comfortable modern IT workspace for the young and progressive generation of people in Roscrea. Also, this Centre will allow people to work online in an office environment without having to commute long distances to work.

“Again, we would like to thank Deputy Lowry and all those people who have given us their full support to date”, the Chairman said.

The hub will have 45 work stations supporting up to 116 jobs, as well as 16 work studios (own-door offices) that will support a further 48-64 jobs. There will also be provision of shared services to all resident businesses.

The 11,450 sq ft commercial unit is located at the rear of Roscrea Shopping Centre and has been vacant since 2011 and will have best-in-class connectivity through a one-gigabit broadband connection. 

It is understood that the hub will operate six days a week from 9am to 6pm, and on Sundays also if there is demand. Tipperary Co Council granted planning permission for the development in July of 2019.

The project is a joint venture between North Tipperary Development Company and property investment and management company Tiernan Properties.

A new body called REACH (Roscrea Enterprise and Community Hub) CLG, a multi-agency and community initiative was established to develop the digital hub in the centre of Roscrea.