Overview and Background to the BMW Regional Assembly

First Meeting of the BMW Regional Assembly
The first meeting of the new BMW Regional Assembly was held in the Chamber of Roscommon County Council in Roscommon Town, on October 8th 1999. The Assembly is comprised of 29 members. These are locally elected members nominated by the 14 constituent local authorities in the 13 counties of the Region. Representation is determined in proportion to the population share of each county within the Region. The Assembly meets in plenary session six times a year. Assembly Members.

First Chairperson of the Assembly
Councillor Anthony Ferguson (Leitrim) was elected as first Chairperson of the Regional Assembly from 1999-2000. Our 10th Chairperson Councillor Tom Crosby (Roscommon) was elected in July 2008. Assembly’s Chairpersons.

Appointment of Executive Directors of the Assembly
Mr. Gerry Finn was appointed full-time Director of the Assembly in February 2000 and took over from Mr. Eddie Sheehy, Roscommon County Manager, who was the Interim Director. Mr. Kieran Moylan was subsequently appointed Assistant Director in June 2000. The Assembly currently comprises 14 staff in five units; (i) Corporate Affairs; (ii) European Programmes; (iii) Finance; (iv) Monitoring; and (iv) Policy and Research.

BMW Regional Assembly Headquarters
The Government decided to locate the BMW Regional Assembly Headquarters in Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon. Pending completion of the new Assembly Headquarters the offices of the Assembly were initially based in Dillon House in the town square. Subsequently the Assembly moved next door to its permanent headquarters in the former iconic Monica Duff department store building. An Taoiseach, Mr. Bertie Ahern, T.D., performed the official opening on February 28th 2002. The headquarters include a specially designed Assembly Chamber which seats 57 and also includes a public/press viewing gallery.

Cabinet Meeting Held at the BMW Regional Assembly’s Headquarters
The Assembly headquarters hosted the first meeting of the Cabinet west of the Shannon in the history of the State in Ballaghaderreen on January 19th 2000. The Taoiseach and his Cabinet colleagues used the occasion to reinforce their commitment to balanced regional development as a core objective of the National Development Plan (NDP) and it marked a renewed focus on the economic regeneration of Ireland’s BMW Region.

Members of the Second BMW Regional Assembly 2004-2009
Following the outcome of the local authority elections held on June 11th 2004 and the resulting nomination process to the Assembly, a total of 19 newly appointed members and 10 existing members were elected to the Assembly. Assembly Members.