Northern Periphery Programme Annual Conference 2010

The BMW Regional Assembly hosted the Annual Conference of the Interreg Northern Periphery Programme in Bunratty, Co. Clare on September 9th 2010. The Conference was officially opened by Councillor Joe Flanagan, Cathaoirleach of the Assembly who welcomed over 80 delegates to the Shannon region.  The event which was deemed very successful  addressed the theme of Rural Business Development and Equality of access.  Entitled Stimulating Growth, Social inclusion and equal opportunities in rural areas through enhanced rural business development and core service provision the conference brought together stakeholders from the public, higher education and community and voluntary sectors in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, Greenland and Norway.  

The programme for the event included a keynote address from Olivia Loughnane, Director of the Mid West Task Force with Shannon Development who gave a very comprehensive overview of the crucial role that Regional Development Agencies can play in stimulating business in the Shannon region. These supports include significant investment in broadband and communications infrastructure, energy investment as well as co-ordinating innovation incubation centres in five locations in the Shannon Region. The conference was also addressed by Maria Callinan representing the City and County Enterprise Boards who spoke on the theme of Equality of Access to Micro- Enterprise Supports as well as Norman Mac Askill from the Scottish Community Voluntary Organisation who demonstrated the crucial role that active communities can play in local economic development, especially the provision of services in rural areas.

Following the event BMW Assembly Director, Gerry Finn complimented the speakers on very informative and interesting presentations adding that the programme for the event included a good mix of Policy and Economic perspectives as well as more practical examples of delivery of supports to rural business and core service provision in peripheral regions of the Northern Periphery area.  The Annual Conference was organised together with a Lead Partner Seminar for approved project promoters.

Download The Conference Presentations

Equality of Access To County and City Enterprise Boards - Maria Callinan PPT 3.4mb

Equality in Projects - Martin McDonald PPT 7.9mb

Stimulating Rural Business Innovation - Dr. Kevin Heanue PPTX 8.6mb

Equality as a cross cutting theme - Niclas Forsling PPT 2.5mb

Business and Services in Rural Areas, The Challenges - Ciaran Lynch PPT 1mb

Good practice in rural service provision - Norman MacAskill PPT 3.6mb

Shannon Development - Olivia Loughnane PDF 4.7mb