final report emerging sectors 10.03.14
TRANSCRIPT
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction 3
2. Our Approach 4
3. Assessment Criteria & Analysis 5
4. Sector Prioritisation & Impacts 9
5. Policy Context 13
6. Emerging Sectors Introduced 14
Case Studies 16
i. Tourism 22
ii. Energy 31
iii. Food & Agri 35
iv. ICT & Creative 39
v. Other Opportunities 43
7. Conclusions & Recommendations 45
Appendix Items
A. Assumptions & Research Issues
B. Sector Analysis Matrices (1 – 4)
C. Detailed SWOT Analysis
D. Strategy & Action Schedule
Case Studies
• Cluster development and management
• Inward Investment and place promotion
• Regional Branding
• Sector specific profiles x 4
• Sustainable Economic Development
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1. Introduction
1.1 Mayo County Council’s Enterprise & Investment Unit commissioned PMG Consult in June 2013 to conduct a review and analysis of the key Emerging Economic Sectors in Mayo over the coming years. The study while analytical in nature also contained the scope for strategic advice in relation to supports for the priority sectors and other critical factors and investments that would need to be present to advance Mayo’s opportunity.
1.2 The timing of this key piece of research is important in dovetailing with a number
of other strategic developments in some of the sectors under review, but also in the policy and enterprise support landscape at a local and national level. It is clear that local authorities will be responsible for a greater degree of management of the enterprise and economic development function in the coming years.
1.3 This report is intended to be visionary in nature and to engage as wide an
audience as possible to help create awareness of the emerging sector opportunities in Mayo and what the county’s employment and enterprise profile might look like in the next decade.
1.4 Much of the detail and technical material from the research is assembled into
addendum’s to this report. In particular Appendix D sets out a strategic framework for the emerging sectors and an action schedule which contains recommended activity to drive sector growth and investment.
1.5 Our Conclusions & Recommendations contained in section 7 of this report provide
advice and guidance on how to manage the development of these sectors and how to stimulate initial, or critical projects, to advance Mayo’s position as an investment location for sector specific enterprise activity, ultimately with a view to clustering impacts. Above all this report seeks to provide a roadmap for sector based employment opportunity in Mayo. This roadmap will therefore inform policy and practice towards shaping future economic development in the county.
Emerging Sectors & Opportunities for Mayo
• Tourism • Energy • Food & Agri • ICT & Creatives • Diaspora • Supply Chain
Guiding Principles
• Quality of Life • Connecting • Creativity & Innovation • Investing in our Future • Active Communities
Key Inputs • Branding • Infrastructure • Product Development • Management & Promotion
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2. Our Approach 2.1 The study methodology utilises a number of traditional research techniques
including literature and policy review, industry consultation and best practice reviews.
2.2 Secondly, a set of analyses techniques have been deployed to extract key
information relating to Mayo including a SWOT analysis and a three tier resource analysis.
2.3 Critical to the analysis was the identification of competitive advantage from Mayo’s
resource base from a natural, infrastructural and human resource perspective. While each sector will have different characteristics and levels of development there was an analysis of the cluster potential, niche opportunities and the existing gaps in support or infrastructure provision.
2.4 The post analysis phase of the study required a focus on sector definition and
segmentation into key product or market opportunities. This approach was driven by a number of factors including available data and standard classifications, where possible, but also a reliance on key trends and development in the sectors under review at a local, national and global level.
2.5 The final element of the methodology was the formulation of ideas and actions that
could produce an enhanced environment or potential for the key sectors to gain a foothold in the county or grow from an existing base. This strategic aspect to the study was conducted through consultation with sector stakeholders and project promoters as well as through case study research of success in these sectors elsewhere.
Key Objectives of the Research • Identifying competitive advantage & opportunities for growth; • Analysis of supports and investment requirements; • Analysis of cluster development potential.
Study Methodology • Desk Research • Industry Consultation • Analysis Workshops • Best Practice Case Studies • Sector Weighting & Prioritisation • Analysis of sector inputs • Strategy and Action formulation • Reporting
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3. Assessment Criteria & Analysis 3.1 As referred to in the previous section an analysis framework was established to
assess Mayo’s position and capacity to exploit the potential of emerging economic sectors.
3.2 Central to this analysis is a three tier resource assessment which examines Mayo’s
assets from a natural, infrastructural and human resources perspective and their application to sector development opportunity. The resource definitions for the purposes of this assessment are as follows:
i. Natural resources are derived from the environment including air, wind,
atmosphere, fossil fuels, rock, minerals, soil, forestry, water, lakes, ground water, oceans and the sun.
ii. Infrastructural resources are the physical and other assets that support and enable the functioning of transport, communications, energy, environment that are used by enterprise and the community to conduct business.
iii. Human Capital is the talent, skills and capabilities of its population. A populations’ human capital endowment are the skills and capacities that reside in its people and that are put to productive use.
3.3 The application of this resources analysis in summary:
• Natural – examines Mayo’s natural resources that lend towards sector requirements;
• Infrastructural – refers to the infrastructural assets in place to facilitate sector activity and growth;
• Human Capital – the skills and labour force available to service the sector in question.
3.4 Mayo’s position and future opportunity is assessed against a set of resource
requirements that will be essential to underpin investment and development. The resource assets that any area holds will be critical to determining and attracting enterprise activity that relies on those resources. Mayo will need to marry its key resources with emerging sector opportunities in a sustainable manner and in the context of global competition.
Mayo’s Resource Assets 3.5 Mayo is rich in natural assets many of which will be critical to industry. The county
hosts significant areas of undeveloped and cheap land, a vast coastal marine environment, strong wind and wave forces and a beautiful and rugged landscape.
Natural Assets Landscape - Marine / costal - Wind & Wave - Fossil fuels – Minerals –
Environment - Land bank 3.6 These natural assets will fit with a function for a number of sectors including
energy production, agri-food and adventure tourism as well as supporting other industries and sectors in manufacturing and services.
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3.7 Mayo’s Human Capital is a key determinant of sector capacity and investment decisions as with any area.
Human Capital Workforce & Labour force - Education & Training - Health & wellbeing
– Enabling - Diaspora Network 3.8 Mayo has a large and productive labour force. Mayo and Roscommon, as a
combined region, rank second only to Cork in terms of value of industrial gross output per person engaged, at €0.78m 2011. This is almost twice the average national figure. The county also has a strong profile in the skilled manual labour and agri skills areas as well as in engineering. Mayo’s human capital also benefits from a massive resource in its vast diaspora spread across the globe with many holding positions of power and influence.
Infrastructural Resources Airport / Ports Water utilities / treatment Road & Rail Serviced Sites Gridwest/ Intercon National Park Energy Recreational Facilities /Parks Dark fibre cable Education Facilities Broadband network Enterprise Infrastructure 3.9 While Mayo does not possess the same degree of enterprise infrastructure as
more established cluster locations such as the north east, south west or mid west it does nonetheless have a concentration of critical assets essential for attracting and supporting enterprise. Mayo is classed as a secondary hub for pharmaceutical manufacturing by IDA and contains significant employment and investment in these facilities. This together with proximity to Galway’s global medical devices cluster will benefit Mayo through supply chain activity and a skilled talent pool in life sciences.
3.10 Ireland West International Airport Knock (IWAK) and the GMIT campus at
Castlebar are key assets supporting enterprise in the county. Also the rail infrastructure in the county is already responsible for a significant amount of rail freight distribution and passenger services in the region. Mayo also ranks high in water treatment facilities making quality water readily available for residents and large enterprise users such as life science and food and drinks manufacturers and the hospitality sectors.
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3.11 Mayo can also look forward to two major infrastructure projects in the future, both playing a national and international role in energy and broadband capacity. The Gridwest project will allow for the export of energy from renewable resources as well as maintain a power capacity in the county to support growth in population and enterprise activity. Also a major fibre cable project linking Europe to the USA will land at a point on the Erris coast potentially delivering spurs to communities and urban areas in the county as well as opportunities to host key data storage and management facilities. A detailed resource analysis is presented in Appendix B1.
3.12 Alongside this resource analysis a review of the competitive position of Mayo was
conducted. This element of the analysis included a review of other established clusters, trends and emerging opportunities and drivers for each sector.
3.13 In this element an analysis of the factors and variables associated with competitive
advantage and location advantage were considered and cross referenced with Mayo’s positioning.
3.14 A separate assessment of the county’s capacity to attract and host emerging
sectors, and which ones, was also conducted. This element examined Mayo’s soft ‘infrastructure’ that will be essential to sector investment and growth. This capacity assessment focused on enterprise support, sector investments or planned projects and the planning and policy environment that will facilitate the sectors in question.
3.15 Each of these assessment stages and criteria are necessary to allow for an analysis
of Mayo’s competitive and comparative position in attracting, hosting and sustaining activity in the sector under review.
3.16 The competitive advantage of any area is associated with the cost of operation,
particularly labour costs, but also set up and other fixed operational costs. In this regard Mayo is considered in the national context rather than on an international level. Any area or region will need to score above average to provide any competitive advantage.
3.17 Alongside this competitive analysis there is a need to establish the comparative
advantage of the location vis-à-vis other regions for developing and attracting sector activity. This comparative advantage will rely on the availability and value, or cost, of the resource inputs and their efficiency in deployment. Comparative advantage will be possible to gain without having absolute advantage as long as one location can provide relative efficiency in a productive or value added process over another. Most sectors tend to spread their activity over a number of locations in order to gain comparative advantage and to be present in key markets.
SWOT Analysis 3.18 The SWOT analysis is an important function in developing an understanding of,
and consensus, around the key information that relates to Mayo at present and what will be relevant for the future in the context of sector and cluster development.
3.19 The SWOT analysis is used to identify and structure information relevant to the
subject where the end game requires strategic decision-making. A SWOT helps to channel key facts and possible future scenarios without the risk of confusing
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factors or variables and their relevance or impact. From here, options and ideas are developed, evaluated and eliminated to help the strategy formulation process.
3.20 A detailed version of the SWOT is presented in Appendix C of this report. Below
we briefly outline the key factors for Mayo under this analysis method. Each of the points in the SWOT are further interrogated in the detailed version by way of implication and suggested solution and action.
STRENGTHS
OPPORTUNITIES
o Existing Multi national base in
Mayo
o GMIT / IiBC Castlebar
o Ireland West Airport Knock
o Natural Resources
o Natural beauty / environment
o Good quality of life factors
o Progressive Enterprise Supports
o Rural Enterprise Structure
o Strong political base
o Strong Mayo business network
and diaspora
o Branding and positioning Mayo
o Key Sector development strategies for Energy, Adventure Tourism.
Digital ICT & Software, and Food
o Building capacity and champion Enterprise & Innovation within GMIT
o LEO/ME&IU and alignment within
local government and agency
landscape o Transatlantic Fibre Pipeline project
o Tap into national and regional
enterprise / sector supports o Diaspora networks and
connections
WEAKKNESSES
THREATS
o Secondary location in terms of enterprise and innovation support
including training and
entrepreneurship programmes o Lack of distinctive Brand for Mayo
at present
o Lack of R&D / Innovation base in
county
o Low/no cluster development
o Underdeveloped infrastructure in
road, rail, power/grid, broadband bandwidth and penetration
o Institutional and budget
constraints
o Fiscal constraints at national and organizational level
o Lack of funding for key projects
o Macro economic uncertainty
o Underperformance of Mayo in
innovation investment
o Competition from other regions to
capture investment in key sectors and knowledge services
o Regional Disadvantage
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4. Sector Prioritisation & Weighting 4.1 This section deals with the metrics and key performance indicators (KPI’s) used to
analyse the emerging sector opportunities. The KPI’s selected to assess the opportunities and impacts associated with Mayo’s emerging economic sectors are:
• Development Lifecycle of the sector; • Employment Impacts; • Fit with Key Policy Objectives.
4.2 The metrics applied to each of these KPI’s are listed in the tables along with key
assumptions and the sector weighting and scoring model on the following page. 4.3 While this study in not intended to perform an economic impact assessment of the
sectors in their existing state, or under a future scenario, it is the basis for a future GVA impact assessment by virtue of the employment estimates contained.
4.4 In essence this study can, without detailed scenario development and assumptions
being created for each sector, provide employment estimates and development timeframes as well as new enterprise creation. However, detailed ex anti evaluation or assumption based impact assessment will be required to develop a reliable measure of certain KPI’s, particularly post investment indicators such as cost per job, earnings and GVA output.
4.5 Detailed analysis matrices for each sector accompany this report to highlight key
assumptions and to provide a break down of employment estimates and development timescales. See Appendix items A and B2.
Key Assumptions
i. Each sector is assessed in the context of its activity rather than under standard industrial classification (SIC) codes. This is due to the absence of a clear and comparable set of definitions for economic activity under ‘tourism’ or ‘energy’ for example.
ii. The emerging sector analysis does not attempt to provide an individual sector, or amalgamated, economic impact assessment.
iii. The SWOT Analysis provides the basis for value judgments regarding Mayo’s relative position in the context of the assessment criteria and its application to each sector.
iv. Competitive advantage is considered as a key component in the analysis but is
not given a set of values or metrics as this measure is seen as too subjective and dependent on changing variables in the external environment.
v. The analysis will give consideration to Mayo’s position in a future scenario
where a specific project or investment changes the ‘status quo’. This will apply only where knowledge of key projects is assumed.
4.6 There are two layers to the weighting and scoring of the emerging sectors:
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1) Mayo’s potential to harness growth in that sector. This evaluation of the sector
awards scores for the growth potential associated with the sector. The maturity of the sector will deliver a static or regressive scale over time therefore embryonic or emerging sectors offer greater growth potential and longer economic impact than traditional mature sectors. Weighting for growth potential: Low Medium High Aggregated with this growth potential is the development timeframe for the sector in question. This will also have a bearing on the weighting and prioritisation of the sector. In this regard the development life cycle of the sectors will be measured as follows: Short-term <3 years Medium-term 3 – 5 years Long-term 5+ years
2) Overall Economic Impact potential of that sector. This measure is based on direct
employment within the sector and indirect impacts such as a service economy to that sector through local procurement of services and goods. Finally the induced employment impact will come from economic growth associated with the additional money circulation from the direct employment in the economy from that sector. Direct employment weighting: Low <200 jobs Medium 200 – 500 jobs High 500+ jobs
Overall Weighting values: Low = 3 Medium = 5 High = 8
All sectors are given average weighting scores for each assessment layer. (see tables Appendix B1 & B2)
Sector Scoring: 1 x 2 = sector score / priority Highest possible score = 64 Lowest possible score = 9
4.7 The table below applies the assigned values from the previous two assessment
matrices to summarise the sector priority and scoring results.
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Table 4.7 Sector Measure 1:
Growth Potential (Ave weight
result)
Measure 2: Economic
Impact (Ave weight
result)
Measure 3: Sector Score (1 X 2)
Job Estimates Range
Development Timeframe
Tourism 7.5 5.6 42.0 High / 1,000+ Short to Medium term
Energy 7.1 6.3 44.7 High / 500+ Long term
Food & Agri
6.5 4.5 29.2 Medium / 200 - 500
Short to Medium term
ICT / Creatives
6.5 5.8 37.7 Medium / 200 - 500
Medium to Long term
Other High / 500+ Various
Maximum possible score = 64 Lowest possible score = 9
4.8 Examples of clusters elsewhere with suggested scores using the same model of
assessment.
• City of London for financial services = 58 – 62 • Dublin for software / internet services = 53 – 57 • Cork for Pharma and Life Science = 55 – 59 • Canary Islands for Tourism = 51 – 55
4.9 In this section we set out the method and approach to sector weighting and scoring
and present the aggregate scores for each sector under review. The analysis tables in Appendix B1 – B4 also supports this process with individual criteria assessment of each sector.
4.10 The context of the scoring is important for each sector given the relative position,
or presence, of a number of factors. These include:
• Level of development of the sector in Mayo; • Maturity of the sector and its markets; • Growth potential of the sector; • Timescale of development and growth of sector; • Employment density and value of the sector; • Tendency of sector to cluster and attract investment; • Potential for Mayo to host higher value activities of sector; • Mayo’s relative competitive position within the sector; • Overall comparative advantage of Mayo in the sector; • Sustainability of the sector in Mayo and fit with policy priorities.
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Sector Commentary 4.11 Tourism and Energy offer Mayo the best opportunity for true clustering in the
future. Each sector has the capacity to grow international scale clusters of activity which will be at the forefront of innovation and enterprise creation. Both sectors will co-exist in harmony and even offer potential for cross development and brand leverage when selling Mayo externally.
4.12 Tourism is likely to see a refreshed focus in product development across a range
of activities that relies on our natural resources and assets as well as in other niche areas of culture, heritage and spiritual / wellbeing breaks. Much of its future investment will be on a smaller scale but in many instances. The sector’s ability to generate wealth and employment indirectly through visitor spend is unrivaled.
4.13 The Energy sector will be strategic in nature and characterized by a small number
of large isolated infrastructural investments and facilities. Activity in the sector will typically be concentrated in sparsely populated and undeveloped areas e.g. Erris. However the sector will offer strong potential to have local economic impact and community benefit through employment and servicing.
4.14 The Food & Agri sector is undergoing renewal, market transformation and
expansion all at the same time. Agriculture and food production is important to all areas and communities in Ireland and therefore Mayo is operating in a very competitive market place. However, there is real potential for Mayo to become a top tier producer and exporter of quality produce with sustainable and significant employment creation in the short to medium term.
4.15 ICT and Creative sectors, including software, data management, digital media and
internet services are undergoing a second or third wave of global expansion and transformation. Mayo can and must participate in, and benefit from, this growth. Craft sectors are considered in this section also and will have a strong role to play in creating viable self employment and larger scale economic activity and can support other sectors especially tourism and the projection of a unique Mayo brand identity.
4.16 The opportunities for cross sectoral synergies and impacts are plentiful. For
example food and tourism will ultimately depend on one another for sustainability and large scale ICT projects will potentially co-locate with renewable energy facilities or at least rely on such resources.
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5. Policy Context 5.1 The policy context for the emerging economic sectors in Mayo incorporates a vast
web of treaty, policy, strategy and guidance from the EU level to the local. This spans several sectoral domains from sector specific policy to broader economic development and education and skills policy.
5.2 For the purposes of this study we highlight the key areas of consideration for the
emerging sectors in Mayo and reference the key policy authorities and stakeholders for further analysis and consideration.
Sectoral Policy – Key Departments Dept of Transport, Tourism and Sport
• New Horizons – Tourism (Under Review)
Dept of Jobs Enterprise & Innovation • Action Plan for Jobs 2013 • Innovation Ireland • Irelands Smart Economy
Dept of Education & Skills
• Hunt Review
Dept of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources • Strategy for Renewable Energy 2012 - 2020 • National Digital Strategy
Dept of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
• Food Harvet 2020
Dept for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht • Arts & Culture Plan
Dept Environment, Community & Local Government
• National Spatial Strategy (update 2010)
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6. Emerging Sectors Introduced 6.1 Following on from the assessment of resources and Mayo’s competitive position,
and capacity to grow and develop enterprise in specific areas, we have arrived at a position of identifying emerging sectors that offer the best potential for employment growth, clustering and value added.
6.2 The sectors and opportunities are now described and evaluated in a qualitative
assessment. 6.3 While these sectors are emerging from a diverse background and level of
development, there is a strong degree of interrelationship and commonality in the inputs required to grow economic activity in these sectors. In many cases these sectors can leverage off one another and add value to each other in a coherent and sustainable manner. For example, food and agri diversification will be fundamental to an accessible and quality tourism product in the county.
6.5 Furthermore, this interrelationship between Mayo’s emerging sector opportunities
will both require, and reinforce, a common message about Mayo as an attractive location for investment and enterprise in these key emerging markets and sectors. In this regard Mayo’s identity or brand will help to sell Mayo externally but also help to engender a strong sense of place within the county through local communities, businesses and citizens.
6.6 The diagram overleaf presents an integrated framework for the emerging sectors
strategy for Mayo. This is followed by a series of best practice case studies from an international perspective that demonstrates sector development activity in each of our emerging sectors.
Tourism Hospitality Outdoor Adventure Culture & Heritage Water Leisure Food tourism Diaspora Infrastructure
Energy Oil & Gas Renewable Energy Cleantec Marine Biomass Engineering
ICT /Creative Data storage Software Digital media Craft industries
Food & Agri Artisan Food Food processing Agri Diversification Forestry Aqua-culture
MNC & Supply Chain
Diaspora MAYO
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Supporting Case Studies Regional Branding Title: Niagara Original Location: Niagara, Ontario, Canada Sector/Type: Regional Branding Brief Description: The Niagara Orginal brand was developed as part of Niagara’s Economic Growth Strategy to Build a Stronger Collective Voice and Market the Niagara Brand. It was developed in partnership with business, government and the non-profit sector Key Features: Key features of the brand include a consistent brand identity across a number of platforms; from tourism to food, from research to history. Success Factors: Improved Regional approach to Economic Development It facilitated greater dialogue through greater facilitation and deeper partnership among stakeholders in the region, resulting in a stronger collective voice Region-wide Brand Adoption Over 100 businesses & organisations have applied to use the branding developed Recognition for Excellence in Branding The Brand has received won a number of excellence in marketing awards Application to MEES: Niagara Original provides a best practice reference in regional branding and how it can be applied across a number of sectors and platforms, including tourism and food. Link/ref: www.niagaraoriginal.com Tourism Development & Promotion Title: Fjord Norway Location: West / South West Norway Sector/Type: Regional Tourism Promotion Brief Description: Fjord Norway are responsible for the brand management and promotion of the acclaimed tourist destination of the Norweigin Fjords. The region has packaged experiences for the visitor to include dramatic landscape scenery and activity with cultural and culinary elements that offer extended stay periods. Fjord Norway brings together a wide selection of specific destinations and fjord cities under one umbrella destination and assists the visitor to assemble their own itinerary and tours in the region.
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Key Features: Landscape appreciation and photography tourism is promoted and assisted through information and online tools. Innovation Norway, in cooperation with the Norwegian Farmers' Union and Hanen, has developed an independent marketing channel for good Norwegian restaurants. At restaurants with this label you will get great quality food made from local/Norwegian ingredients. Activity product development is strong in the region and features hiking, biking, sightseeing cruises, skiing and adrenaline activities as well as relaxation and wellness breaks. This set of complimentary products is packaged and sold well online. Success Factors: The assembly of a dozen or more individual destinations under one common regional tourism brand. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts! A very strong virtual visitor experience of the region before arriving in the region is presented through the Fjord Norway website. Photo and video experience and support with tour assembly and booking is sophisticated yet simple. Regional tourism enterprises including tour operators, accommodation providers, activity providers and restaurants are strongly represented through Fjord Norway. This commercial buy-in is essential for success but confidence in the system must be there from the start. Application to MEES: This regional tourism service demonstrates how a clear regional brand and multiple destination can appear seamless. Also some of the innovative and quality services are inspiring for the visitor even ahead of their trip to the region. The application of value added services such as photography is an example of how to compliment the commercial features and services of the tourist enterprises. Link/ref: www.fjordnorway.com/en Title: Branding for Sustainability Location: Soderslatt, south-western Sweden Sector/Type: Regional Diversification and Tourism Development Brief Description: The region of Söderslätt, consisting of four municipalities in the south-western part of Sweden, was in the late 1990´s troubled with decreasing income rates from agricultural business and the awareness of an unexploited tourism opportunity. The brand “Destination Söderslätt” was created to communicate a shared vision of a sustainable tourism development. Key Features: The representatives of the four municipalities where convinced of the regional strengths
18
for destination tourism development and initiated a shared strategy in combining resources under a common umbrella. They decided to “reinvent” and strengthen the old name “Soderslatt” as a brand for gaining new tourist spread throughout the year. Connected hike and cycle paths across the area have been designed to provide an alternative and more sustainable mode of transport to and in the region. The transport framework has been complemented by brochures, digital maps and mobile Apps. Visitors and locals can experience the natural beauty, history and culture of the region, as well as products and services offered along the way. The region has developed a common product label “Söderslättsmärkt” for promoting locally produced goods and services this again works for visitor or local marketing activity. Success Factors: The collaboration between the four municipalities, local industry and academic institutions, has generated a bigger range of regional products and services, as well as a strengthened regional identity and a more diversified tourism industry based on local values and assets. The cooperation has accomplished perspectives for the tourism development, because ideas and budgets are brought together for a common goal, involving local actors and stakeholders in area-wide networks for collaboration and branding of the region. Application to MEES: Cooperation, regional destination branding, sustainable tourism promotion, agricultural diversification. Link/ref: Document available Energy Sector / Economic Development Title: Delivering community benefits from wind energy development: A Toolkit Location: UK – various locations Sector/Type: Renewable Energy Brief Description: Written by the Centre for Sustainable Enegy, the report was commissioned by the Renewables Advisory Board to examine best practice in community engagement and supports in areas where wind energy projects are planned and operational. Key Features: Key features of the report are the 11 case studies summarised in the report and used to highlight various aspects of community engagement and process in benefits provision. Success Factors: Development of a Toolkit The toolkit provides a mechanism which is designed to help make community benefits development more routine and systematic. Highlights potential components of Community Benefit
19
The report provides a detailed analysis of the various elements that can be built into a community benefit scheme. Highlights which communities should benefit The report sets out the various factors that should be considered when deciding on which communities should be compensated. Application to MEES: The report provides a strong reference point and benchmark for the development of local policy on community benefits for wind farm development. Link/ref: www.cse.org.uk Title: At Wind Speed – How the U.S. Wind Industry is Rapidly Growing Local Economies Location: USA – various locations Sector/Type: Renewable Energy Brief Description: The report highlights how wind power is having a positive economic impact on individual communities in America.. Key Features: Key features of the report are the four case studies in Illinois, Iowa, Ohio and Oregon and how these wind projects have benefited the local community through job creation and economic activity. Success Factors: Highlights the potential for Cluster development The report highlights how the wind energy supply chain creates potential for the establishment of a range of businesses. Provides clear economic data The report provides a detailed analysis of the economic outputs for four wind farm projects, including tax income, per capital income changes and jobs created. Highlights potential for Research & Academic partnerships The report highlights the potential to support the future development of the industry through R&D and academic collaboration. Application to MEES: The report provides key economic data associated with wind farm development as well as highlighting the potential for cluster development, R&D and academic partnerships. Link/ref: www.nrdc.org
20
Food Development & Agri Diversification Title: Appalachian Food Branding Location: Central & Southern Appalachia, USA (South Ohio, West & Southwest Virginia and Western North Carolina). Sector/Type: Regional Study – Food Branding Brief Description: Stakeholders in the region have seen the development of a local food economy as a means of wealth retention, job creation and economic development for local ommunities. The stakeholders looked to understand the potential for a collobaritve effort to connect local food production & systems to regional markets and to understand the latest thinking in place-based regional food branding. Key Features: Key features of the study included a current situation analysis, a review of branding and marketing literature and best practice in brand strategy, a review of current brands in the region, relevant case studies and recommendations. Success Factors: Analysis of Best Branding Practices The Study looked at best branding practices via a literature review and set these out in the report. Recommendation on Regional Food Branding Including a review of the reach of a regional food brand and its relationship to the supply chain – from producer to consumer. Application to MEES: The Appalachian Food Brand Study provides clear insights into the factors impacting on the creation of a regional food brand. Link/ref: www.cannetwork.org ICT & Creative Sectors Title: Original Kerry Location: Co. Kerry ROI. Sector/Type: Craft Sector Development & Promotion Brief Description: The Original Kerry Project is a network for craft makers based in County Kerry, Original Kerry provides support and umbrella marketing to assist the County’s craft making enterprises. Original Kerry is a consumer brand initiative of Kerry Food & Craft Forum Ltd. Key Features: • Promoting experiential craft trails as a tourist product. • Promoting local craft produce as an online gift.
21
• Training and development services for members of the network. Success Factors: Creation and development of a very wide network of craft trades and professionals to create critical mass and a support network. A common gateway site to promote Kerry crafts, trails and individual craft producers. Application to MEES: Niche sector development and management experience. Interesting link between Food and Craft brands and sector development models. Link/ref: www.originalkerry.com Regional Enterprise Promotion / Inward Investment Title: Locate Jersey Location: Jersey, Channel Islands Sector/Type: Inward Investment Promotion Brief Description: Locate Jersey is the brand developed by the Jersey Government to promote Jersey as an attractive location for investment and business location. Key Features: Key features of the brand include its emphasis on Jersey being open for business, pro-business, low tax environment and high quality of life. Success Factors: Corporate Support for Locate Jersey brand Locate Jersey has received significant support from strategic partners which include a number of leading businesses based in Jersey. Development of a Compelling Case & Case Studies The initiative has built a strong marketing campaign and collateral to support Jersey’s inward investment efforts. Job Creation The Locate Jersey Brand has assisted in attracting over 1,400 inward investment jobs in four years. Application to MEES: Locate Jersey provides a model for promoting and marketing a destination for inward investment. Link/ref: www.locatejersey.com
22
6.1 Tourism
Vision for sector The creation of a destination identity for Mayo as a whole which has unique attractions and appeal to a broad visitor base. Identity Mayo – Exploring Nature Key Objective To increase visitor numbers annually to rival Co. Clare in short / medium term and Co. Kerry in longer term. Employment Target 1,000 + jobs created in medium to long term (5 years)
6.1.1 To maximise Mayo’s position as a tourism destination it must focus on and invest in
its natural advantages and build on its successes to date. The products and actions in this regard are identified to the right. However building the Mayo brand will need to proceed in order to sell the county as a choice destination in a very competitive market place.
23
Analysis of Mayo’s Potential 6.1.2 Mayo has enormous potential to grow its tourism base from a relatively strong
position currently. The county is well endowed with the natural resources and assets to meet growing demand in emerging market segments through products like walking, hiking and hill climbing, cycling, surfing, and other outdoor adventure activities.
6.1.3 Through exciting branding, and packaging &
promotion of product, Mayo can become the go to destination for key segments in the tourism market. This will include adventure breaks and experiences as well as soft adventure and leisure such as cycling, walking, golf and angling. It will be important that Mayo works closely with regional partners in presenting and promoting these activities and maintaining a quality standard in service, food and accommodation.
6.1.4 In addition to these leisure and adventure activities, Mayo can capitalise on an
improved and distinctive Cultural & Heritage product as well as some niche visitor activities such as Spiritual & Religious Tourism and Food Tourism.
Key Resources to support sector in Mayo 6.1.5 Mayo has a natural unspoiled landscape with rivers, lakes and mountain ranges.
This natural element is being sought for outdoor adventure and activity breaks. The Great Western Greenway, and looped walks & trails offer unlimited opportunity to participate at an advanced level or at a more leisurely pace outdoor adventure. The county hosts a vast coastal marine and Island network. This will play a premier role in attracting visitors interested in water adventure activities including, surfing, scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking and sailing.
6.1.6 Mayo is also home to a significant, and sometimes unknown, presence of historic
and spiritual sites including Croagh Patrick, Ballintubber Abbey, Ceide Fields, the monasteries of the Moy, round towers and many other sites and monuments.
6.1.7 Key cultural and heritage assets in the county are also plentiful with some cluster
potential for packaging as heritage trails. The National Museum of Country Life (NMCL) in Turlough is the only branch of the national museums service outside of the capital along with the Crawford Art Gallery in Cork. This asset, together with other heritage attractions such as the Michael Davitt Museum in Straide and the Foxford Woolen Mills and Admiral Brown centre in Foxford link the heritage visitor into a wealth of heritage attractions in Ballina.
6.1.8 Mayo also contains a number of other noteworthy assets in this category including
Westport House, Ballintubber Abbey, the Deserted Village at Slievemore on Achill Island and Ashford Castle in Cong to mention a few.
6.1.9 In the leisure break segment Mayo also has a quality offering. Golf facilities in the
county offer exceptional value and quality and when bundled with other activities such as angling will give Mayo a premier product for niche activity visitors.
Key Facts 2012 Over Seas Visitors: 245,000 Domestic Visitors: 260,000 6
th most visited county in ROI
Spend = €113m (2011) Accommodation Providers: 194 Hotel / B&B Beds: 7700+
24
6.1.10 The hotel and spa product in Mayo is also developed to a very high standard, in particular in the Clew Bay area but also in Ballina and other parts of the county. Indoor leisure and entertainment facilities are not on par with premier destinations elsewhere in Ireland however Castlebar does have the base from which to grow this product. In particular, the Royal Theatre and Mayo Leisure Point are large capacity facilities and the Linenhall Arts Centre provides national scale niche entertainment and cultural performances and exhibitions. Also Westport Leisure Centre performs a strong indoor leisure function alongside many of the hotel facilities in this very busy visitor destination.
Mayo Competitiveness 6.1.11 Mayo’s tourism product offers the domestic or overseas visitor real value for
money. The quality and diversity in the accommodation and hospitality sector has grown in recent years while costs and prices have been driven down. Other service providers such as leisure clubs, spas, entertainment venues and activity providers have also driven up quality and reduced prices.
6.1.12 Ireland has in recent years regained its position as a good value market and Mayo
will perform very well in that context. Competitiveness in the sector has been driven by over supply of bed nights and this has led to improvement in those facilities that have stayed the pace and the quality of the product on offer. Prices are down on average 35% on the peak of 2007.
6.1.13 Mayo has a vast offering of free assets and attractions for the visitor giving families
and other visitor groups including coach tours and couples an affordable and diverse product that also offers a different experience from many of the other destinations in Ireland.
6.1.14 Mayo is well placed to capture growth in new products such as adventure
activities and the outdoor experience. Adventure is one of the fastest growing segments in the tourism market and Mayo simply has it all. However, some infrastructure improvements and product development will have to be made prior to a strong branding and promotion of the product. In this regard Mayo is lacking focused Destination Management Organisation (DMO) and while Failte Ireland is promoting the region as a whole, and a small number of key destinations, it does not have the remit or the resources to deliver for an individual county.
6.1.15 Product development is strong in some but not all segments. The Westport and
Clew Bay area has led the way forward in product development alongside key tourism infrastructure like the Greenway and Westport House. A number of new and innovative services and service providers in the activities arena have also emerged in this cluster and are providing real competition and choice for the visitor.
6.1.16 However, tourism products are developing rapidly in other regions and the
market is highly competitive, not only on a national but international scale. Air access, modern infrastructure and services and good value for money will feature strongly in location choice for visitors. Mayo will need to invest in tourism facilities, infrastructure and a coordinated destination promotion strategy to make gains against competitor areas such as Kerry, Clare, NI and other destinations.
25
6.1.17 The county has examples of best practice in tourism development, promotion and management. Understanding this expertise and experience will be critical to future growth of the sector in key emerging segments and products including food, cultural, heritage and spiritual tourism.
Capacity in Mayo 6.1.18 Mayo hosts the capacity to deliver significant growth in visitor numbers. The
county is served by good air access through IWAK to many of our key markets including UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy among others. Rail access into the county is very strong with seven stations served daily, increased services, improved trains and competitive fares. Mayo has the benefit of a spur line to Ballina which accommodates passengers from North Mayo and Foxford.
6.1.19 There is a wide spectrum of accommodation by type and price in Mayo with
almost 200 providers and close to 8,000 bed rooms. The product is of a high standard and with lots of diversity. Ashford Castle in Cong offers timeless 5* luxury with direct access to, golf, boat trips and woodland walks. Delphi Mountain Resort is among the top spa facilities in the world and also offers a full spectrum of adventure activities in a secluded and stunning setting. Alongside these examples there are many 3* & 4* facilities through out the county with Westport alone offering unlimited range and choice through over 10 hotels and many other accommodation types.
6.1.20 Mayo critically has the experience & skills in key growth markets of tourism. The
adventure and leisure markets are served by highly trained and professional service providers. GMIT Mayo Campus is a national centre of excellence in Outdoor Education and Adventure instruction and this degree level graduate pool is complimented by the VEC’s Outdoor Education centre in Achill. Given that Mayo is a key adventure playground the county has attracted entrepreneurs and employees with the skills and experience in this sector over recent years. This combination of graduate output with the experience of existing providers will be vital to growing the sector in Mayo.
6.1.21 While there is a highly developed access to the outdoors in Mayo and an
international scale product in walks and cycleways there are still some key infrastructure gaps in Mayo including marinas to facilitate sailing as well as serviced camp sites and layby’s for touring visitors.
Where and What? 6.1.22 For the purposes of this research it is essential to provide a breakdown of the
county as well as by market segment. Certain geographic areas are identifiable for their natural travel patterns and tourism product. While there is a diverse product available in each visitor zone there is also a common theme emerging or established in each. Here we outline each of these visitor areas and some of the prominent visitor attractions in each area.
6.1.23 Below we classify each visitor area by the most identifiable market segment or
product. This approach will help focus the future promotion and product
26
development for each area and allow the county to promote a diverse product without conflict between individual areas.
6.1.24 While the county will be promoted for all its assets it is important to recognise the
patterns of behaviour associated with visitors. In the main visitors are choosing destinations for a particular product or group of products e.g. Leisure and Culture or Adventure & Sightseeing.
6.1.25 Visitors also like to have a fairly compact area to span while on holiday especially
if their stay is short. In this regard Destination Management and Promotion is a key factor in selling a distinct area.
Erris & North Mayo Killala Bay & Moy Valley Ballycroy National Park Belmullet & Blacksod Carne Golf Course Angling Walks and Trails Ceide Fields Nephin Range
Ballina Salmon Festival Monastic sites Culture & Heritage Angling Foxford Woolen Mills Davitt Museum
Clew Bay Area & Islands Castlebar & Environs Croagh Patrick Westport Westport House Delphi & Killary Newport & Greenway Achill Island & Islands
Turlough House NMCL Lough Lannagh Royal Theatre Mayo Peace Park Shopping 4 day walks
South Mayo East Mayo Tourmakeady & Lakelands Ballintubber Abbey Ballinrobe Race’s Cong Village Claremorris
Ireland West Airport Knock Shrine Kiltimagh Museum Barnachoge Stone Fort
6.1.26 While there are similarities and product over lap between some areas there are
some identifiable USP’s (unique selling points) associated with the different areas or visitor zones within Mayo. The following sub areas are now cross referenced with their core market segment strengths and opportunities.
27
Erris & North Mayo • Adventure Tourism • Leisure Tourism • Eco Tourism • Sightseeing Clew Bay Area & Islands • Leisure Tourism • Adventure Tourism • Culture & Heritage • Eco Tourism
Killala Bay & Moy Valley • Cultural & Heritage • Leisure Tourism • Festivals & Events • Spiritual Tourism Castlebar & Environs • Leisure Tourism • Adventure Tourism • Culture & Heritage • Shopping/Entertainment South Mayo • Leisure Tourism • Sightseeing • Spiritual Tourism East Mayo • Spiritual Tourism • Pilgrimage 6.1.27 A full breakdown and analysis of the sub areas and their core product is presented
in Appendix B4 as an addendum to this report. Some of the key actions to drive this sector are highlighted below.
28
Tourism Priorities & Actions 6.1.28 Successful tourism regions will
have a few common factors. A strong reputation (brand) built upon a quality product with key infrastructure and services and ease of access. It will be marketed in a confident and coherent manner and underpinned by good value for money for the customer.
6.1.29 Mayo is at the beginning of this journey or process
with regard to its emerging tourism product. The successes to date of notable areas such as Westport and Clew Bay offer best in class examples of how to build and sell the product. Mayo must replicate this success and needs to address county wide deficits in product development, management & promotion and invest in key supporting infrastructure including access to the region and to key sites and attractions within the county.
6.1.30 In addition to this ‘internal’ product development and
promotion Mayo needs to tap into, and maximise, opportunities from national and regional investment projects in tourism like the ‘Wild Atlantic Way’ and Failte Ireland’s regional promotion strategy for the West region. Above all, building an attractive and unique brand is key for Mayo’s future development as a premier destination for both domestic and overseas visitors.
Promotion & Management • Establish a dedicated DMO to sell Mayo in key
domestic and overseas markets; • County & sub-area Promotions featuring
products; • Interactive Calendar of events & attractions
annually; • Product R&D / visitor surveys and ratings; • Enabler role with tourism providers.
Brand • Create a Mayo Tourism Identity under the
Mayo Brand project. e.g. “Mayo - Exploring Nature”
• Develop unique products that Mayo owns e.g. “city break out”
• Bundle complimentary product packages e.g. Adventure & Culture / Golf & Angling
Infrastructure Leisure and Adventure Facilities; Access to county and to Key sites; Extend and connect Tracks & Trails
Product Adventure activities Marine & watersports Greenway(s) & Walks Spa & Wellness breaks Spiritual / Religious Heritage & Culture Food Tourism
29
6.1.31 A matrix of all tourism projects is presented overleaf. This table outlines projects and actions by market segment and time scale.
6.1.32 The development and implementation of these actions with require focus,
resources and collaborative arrangements between industry players and above all an investment ready private sector. A fuller discussion of these enabling factors is presented in the final section of this document – Section 7. Conclusions and Recommendations.
30
PR
IOR
ITY
SE
CT
OR
AC
TIO
N T
YP
E
BR
AN
DIN
GC
reate
a M
ayo
Touris
m Id
entity
und
er th
e
Mayo
Bra
nd
pro
ject
Cre
ate
and
ow
n a
"City
Bre
ak-O
ut"
trad
em
ark
& p
rod
uct
Use G
reenw
ay/T
racks &
Tra
ils a
s a
n e
nab
ler
for fu
rther a
dventu
re e
vents
e.g
. Gre
enw
ay
Mara
tho
n, 1
0k e
tc.
Exte
nd
exis
ting
Gre
enw
ay to
Castle
bar a
nd
Turlo
ug
hE
xte
nd
exis
ting
Gre
enw
ay to
Erris
Develo
p a
Marin
a a
t Westp
ort Q
uay o
r at a
n
alte
rnativ
e C
lew
Bay lo
catio
n w
ith a
sso
cia
ted
wate
rpso
rts a
ctiv
ities
Co
ntin
ue d
evelo
pm
ent o
f Tra
cks &
Tra
ils to
cre
ate
inte
co
nnecin
g tra
cks a
nd
a fu
ll Co
unty
Lo
op
with
Gate
way p
oin
ts i.e
. villa
ges w
ith
ap
pro
pria
te fa
cilitie
s &
serv
ices
Exte
nd
pro
po
sed
Lo
ug
h L
annag
h O
utd
oo
r
Activ
ities/E
ducatio
n C
entre
to b
eco
me th
e
Natio
nal A
dventu
re C
entre
Develo
p a
Marin
a in
Ballin
a/K
illala
Bay w
ith
asso
cia
ted
wate
r sp
orts
activ
ities
Develo
p C
oasta
l Wate
r tours
(inc c
ulu
tral,
scenic
tour, g
reenw
ay/tra
cks&
trails
tour) &
Cle
w B
ay / K
illala
Bay/ B
lackso
d B
ay
Develo
p th
e W
este
rn R
ail C
orrid
or a
s a
Gre
enw
ay, w
hils
t pre
serv
ing
the tra
ck fo
r
po
tentia
l futu
re tra
nsp
ort u
se
Wo
rk w
ith k
ey p
artn
ers
to a
dvance th
e
Weste
rn B
luew
ay p
roje
ct fo
r co
asta
l wate
r
activ
ities in
clu
din
g k
ayackin
g, s
cub
a d
ivin
g,
sno
rklin
g, s
urf e
tc
Develo
p A
ccess a
nd
facilitie
s to
ensure
imm
ed
iate
develo
pm
ent o
f the W
ild A
tlantic
Way in
Mayo
Develo
p a
dd
itional la
y-b
ye/v
iew
ing
po
ints
at
key b
eauty
sp
ots
in th
e c
ounty
Develo
p a
dd
itional s
erv
iced
cam
psite
s in
stra
teg
ic lo
catio
ns a
round
the c
ounty
Exte
nd
pro
po
sed
Lo
ug
h L
annag
h O
utd
oo
r
Activ
ities/E
ducatio
n C
entre
to b
eco
me th
e
Natio
nal A
dventu
re C
entre
of e
xcelle
nce
Develo
p a
pp
rop
riate
facilitie
s a
t our B
lue F
lag
beaches i.e
. toile
ts/s
ho
wer
Investm
ent in
Irela
nd
West A
irpo
rt Kno
ck
infra
stru
ctu
re
Develo
p A
chill a
s th
e A
dventu
re Is
land
in
co
nju
nctio
n w
ith V
EC
outd
oo
r ed
ucatio
n
pla
ns a
nd
priv
ate
pro
vid
ers
MA
NA
GE
ME
NT
& P
RO
MO
TIO
N
Develo
p fe
stiv
als
& e
vents
whic
h s
up
po
rt the
touris
m o
fferin
g in
that a
rea o
f the c
ounty
e.g
.
Ballin
rob
e A
ng
ling
Festiv
al, K
no
ck W
ellb
ein
g
Week, e
tc
Cre
ate
a M
ayo
Touris
m Id
entity
und
er th
e
Mayo
Bra
nd
pro
ject a
nd
develo
p a
Mayo
Touris
m A
pp
and
Mayo
Touris
m C
ale
nd
ar
Esta
blis
h a
nd
Invest in
a M
ayo
Touris
m
Develo
pm
ent A
gency &
reso
urc
e it
PR
OD
UC
T D
EV
EL
OP
ME
NT
Packag
e th
e M
ayo
Leis
ure
Bre
ak in
clu
din
g
Sp
a's
, welln
ess re
treats
and
asso
cia
ted
activ
ities
Build
on "W
orld
Cla
ss" G
olf &
Ang
ling
po
sitio
n
INF
RA
ST
RU
CT
UR
ED
evelo
p a
pp
rop
riate
facilitie
s a
t our B
lue F
lag
beaches i.e
. toile
ts/s
ho
wer
Investm
ent in
Irela
nd
West A
irpo
rt Kno
ck
infra
stru
ctu
re
Bra
nd
& p
rom
ote
the u
niq
ue G
olf/A
ng
ling
co
mb
ined
po
tentia
l availa
ble
in/a
round
Ballin
a &
No
rth M
ayo
Furth
er in
vest in
pro
mo
ting
Mayo
's
attra
ctiv
eness fo
r Go
lf Bre
aks P
rovid
e a
n
inte
gra
ted
bo
okin
g s
yste
m fo
r Go
lf acro
ss
Mayo
and
neig
hb
ourin
g g
olf c
ours
es
Furth
er in
vest in
the p
rom
otio
n o
f Mayo
as a
wo
rld c
lass a
ng
ling
destin
atio
n
Esta
blis
h a
nd
Invest in
a M
ayo
Touris
m
Develo
pm
ent A
gency &
reso
urc
e it
Cre
ate
a d
ed
icate
d To
uris
m D
evelo
pm
ent
Fund
focused
on Ire
land
West A
irpo
rt Kno
ck
destin
atio
ns
Cu
lture
& H
erita
ge
PR
OD
UC
T D
EV
EL
OP
ME
NT
Develo
p a
sp
ecific
Cultu
re &
Hertia
ge
Pro
duct &
Tra
il with
hub
in B
allin
a to
NM
CL in
Turlo
ug
h (in
c, S
traid
e &
Fo
xfo
rd)
Cre
ate
a C
ultu
ral &
Hertig
ag
e n
arra
tive a
long
all o
ur g
reenw
ay/tra
cks &
trails
and
all k
ey
touris
m d
estin
atio
ns
Develo
p o
ur G
aelta
cht H
erita
ge p
rod
uct in
desig
nate
d g
aelta
cht a
reas.
Develo
p S
pecific
Herita
ge P
roje
cts
with
the
aim
of a
chie
vin
g W
orld
Herita
ge S
ite s
tatu
s
i.e. D
eserte
d V
illag
e, A
chill T
rain
co
ffins s
tory,
Tita
nic
, Fr P
eyto
n, A
dm
iral B
row
n, 1
798 e
tc.
Sp
iritua
l To
uris
mP
RO
DU
CT
DE
VE
LO
PM
EN
T
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31
6.2 Energy
Vision for sector “The creation of a world class Hub for sustainable energy production and export”
Identity Mayo – Harnessing Nature
Key Objective Maximise the use of natural resources in energy production and facilitate the development of an indigenous supply chain.
Employment Target 500 + jobs in medium to long term (5 – 7 years)
6.2.1 To maximise Mayo’s position as a hub location for
energy it must facilitate the efficient development of renewable energy production and export. In addition it must also create the environment for the development of ancillary enterprises in this sector which have an export dimension. The development of this sector will depend on actions and investments from a wide range of stakeholders in Mayo, at a national level and internationally.
Analysis of Mayo’s Potential 6.2.2 Mayo has the potential to become a world class location for renewable energy
production and a clean energy community. The county has an abundance of wind and wave resource and a considerable land and coastal bank to facilitate the development of a sustainable global energy production cluster in particular in the North and North West of the county. The renewable energy sector, and in particular wave energy, is still in its infancy and may take 15-20 years to mature. Mayo is positioned to take advantage of these opportunities.
6.2.3 This energy production will create significant jobs during construction phase but
the key long term economic benefit to the county must come from the development of a supply enterprise cluster which can export its products/services outside of Mayo.
Energy Sources • Wind • Marine • Bio-mass • Oil & Gas
Key Infrastructure Requirements • Grid West and Interconnector• Planning – land use and approvals • Access – road upgrades and ports
• Marine facilities – test sites
32
6.2.4 The availability of renewable energy should also be exploited to fuel local economic and community development. The potential to utilise clean, cheap energy to subsidise energy costs for enterprises in Mayo has significant potential to create competitive advantage. The use of small scale renewable energy production and biomass facilities to support community needs will also help reinforce Mayo has the natural location for renewable energy research and development.
Resources to support sector in Mayo 6.2.5 Mayo plays host to enviable natural assets and resources that can create a true
renewable energy hub. For wind energy production the county has vast land banks of sparsely populated bogland in areas of high wind forces that hold little or no other productive value. These extended sites, particularly in the Erris area, have a tradition in the energy sector from peat power production.
6.2.6 Wave energy is very much in its infancy but has the potential to offer the next
revolution in renewables. Mayo not only has the coastal stretch but also some of the most advantageous wave forces in Western Europe to harness this energy source. In order for Mayo to gain location advantage it must be ‘first to market’ in the race for this resource. This will require a determined effort to bring partners and investors in R&D and test facilities to the county.
6.2.7 Mayo also contains a large forestry asset that can form part of and energy hub
through providing timber and timber by products and offering diversification into other biomass crops.
6.2.8 Mayo’s clean environment provides a backdrop to a future in clean renewable
energy that will help to harness the support of local communities and investors alike. This element of the cluster jigsaw will be important when large scale projects come to planning and investment phase. In this regard the county is already at an advanced stage of planning and facilitation in relation to large scale wind farm projects and biomass production facilities.
Capacity in Mayo 6.2.9 The capacity to export this renewable energy will be critical to feasibility and
investment in large scale production facilities in the future. The key infrastructure in this regard is the Gridwest project due to come on stream by 2021 and which will deliver the capacity to connect Mayo fully into the national grid system.
6.2.10 Additional capacity should be examined to facilitate the export potential that may
come on stream between 2020-2030. In addition to the planed Gridwest connection, private investors are examining the potential for a direct interconnector from the region to the UK. The potential for such an interconnector to act as a conduit for a significant portion of Mayo’s export energy should be examined in detail.
6.2.11 Mayo County Council has developed a Renewable Energy Strategy for County
Mayo 2011 – 2020 which is supportive of appropriate renewable energy development, both onshore and offshore. This strategy incorporates the objective
33
of securing a 400kV line for Mayo and takes a plan led approach to the location of renewable energy development in the County.
6.2.12 The strategy also recognises the importance of economic and social benefits for
the communities of Mayo. Further development of this strategy to provide a framework for community benefits and to examine how planning and licensing requirements for individual renewaable energy developments can be further supported by the local authority.
6.2.13 The needs of the renewable energy sector and is developing supply enterprise
cluster will require consideration to be given to a deep-harbour port in the County, possibly at Killala bay or on Erris coastline. This harbor would facilitate effective wind farm development, renewable energy supply enterprise development, marine & wave development and support the existing gas industry.
Priorities & Actions 6.2.14 Mayo can become a pioneer at the forefront of a global phenomenon – the need
for clean, green, sustainable energy. This new frontier offers extraordinary potential for the county to utilise its natural resources in a sustainable manner to create significant and sustainable enterprise and jobs.
6.2.15 Still at its early stages of development, success in this sector can be influenced
through enabling and facilitation measures that make Mayo an attractive and effective location to invest and give it competitive advantage over other locations, both national & international.
Hub Creation • R&D activities must be collocated in Mayo • Pilot sites for wind and wave • Skills & labourforce development • Incentives through planning and rates system • Spin-out’s from R&D and HEI collaboration • Professional Services and Cleantech in Mayo • Community benefit and participation
6.2.16 Mayo now needs to set in train a number of strands of activity. The table over leaf
outlines the key actions that must be executed in order to drive our ambition in the energy sector.
6.2.17 The development and implementation of these actions with require focus,
resources and collaborative arrangements between industry players and above all an investment ready private sector. A fuller discussion of these enabling factors is presented in the final section of this document – Section 7. Conclusions and Recommendations.
34
PRIORITY SECTOR ACTION TYPE
BRANDING
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Undertake generic Environmental & habitat
studies to facilitate fast-tracking of wind farm
planning applications
Investigate the feasiblity of develoing a 1/15th
Test Site for Wave production in County Mayo
INFRASTRUCTUREDevelop R&D facilities for wind/wave technology
testing and development of supply
components/services
Examine potential for energy producers to
share development costs for a submarine
interconnector to the UK
Implement Grid infrastructure and other
interconnector projects
Development of a deep-sea harbour in North
Mayo to facilitate renewable energy
development
Establish a dedicated Renewable Energy Agency
for the county to promote and facilitate
development
Create a strategy for the development of
appropiate undergraduate and skills training to
support sector development
A best-in-class Community Programme
Framework should be designed for all renewable
energy projects in County Mayo
Develop environmental data exchange system
to incentivise collaboration and information
sharing from pre-planning surveys.
Create a Competitve Start Fund for Wind and
Wave start-up enterprises
Implement a roadmap for renewable energy
crops to be grown on wind farm sites in North
Mayo
A Strategy for creating employment through
developing sub-supply enterprise for the
renewable energy sector should be developed
Project Matrix - Theme & Timing
ENERGY
MANAGEMENT & PROMOTION
Projects - Short term Projects - Long term
35
6.3 Food & Agri
Vision for sector For Mayo to become recognised as a leading producer of quality, authentic food and other agri produce. Identity Mayo – Taste Nature Key Objective Maximising the use of the land and sea to increase quality food production and distribution and to create innovative agri diversification opportunities. Employment Target 200 – 500 Jobs in medium term (3 – 5 years)
6.3.1 The development of a Mayo Food brand can act as the catalyst for a significant
increase in artisan food production, followed by the development of food processing facilities, supported by an integrated distribution system. In addition, Mayo’s key sectoral focuses can provide agri diversification opportunities i.e. forestry / biomass, food tourism, food festivals and a host of other food and culinary opportunities.
Analysis of Mayo’s Potential 6.3.2 Mayo has potential to develop a leading food
brand that can drive significant growth in artisan food production and lead to the establishment of a number of food processing enterprises. The current broad range of artisan foods and small number of large scale food production facilities provide a foundation on which Mayo can develop enterprise and job creation in this sector. In addition, particular potential exists in certain other agri areas; these include forestry and aqua culture.
6.3.3 Critical to maximising job creation from food is taking ownership of the promotion
and distribution of Mayo food products nationally and internationally, which can also enhance artisan food penetration within the county. In addition, supporting food producers to maximise the value added of their products through innovation and diversification including part or full processing offers opportunity for scaling micro food producers engaged in a limited range or single entity produce.
Resources to support sector in Mayo • Land availability / climate for high quality food production; • Marine assets and aqua culture; • Clean environment; • Water availability & quality; • Research facilities in limited areas of aquaculture; • Farmhouse tradition in food production;
Examples of Success Innocent Smoothies Cherry Blossom bakery Connemara Sea Foods Cully & Sully Pallas Foods Coilte
36
• Forestry assets resource. Capacity in Mayo • Large and growing network of artisan producers; • Some national R&D assets in fisheries and forestry; • Underdevelopment of sector in training and marketing; • Lack of effective and coordinated distribution system; • Rail and Air freight potential. Mayo Competitiveness • Large diaspora market; • Currently not ‘first to market’ in any particular category; • Natural skills set in the sector but under exploited; • Established forestry sector and skills base.
6.3.4 Further potential for employment and enterprise creation exists in supporting the
development of other emerging sectors. This includes (a) the coordination of our artisan food producers to support the development of food tourism opportunities e.g. food trails and experiences, (b) the development of additional forestry / biomass capacity to support renewable energy production at both a commercial and community level, and (c) agri – community engagement and agreement to facilitate land availability for renewable energy production.
Priorities & Actions 6.3.5 Mayo has an emerging opportunity in the development of its food sector both at
the artisan and food processing levels. The sector is highly competitive and well developed in some regions. Mayo will neither be a leader in all categories nor ‘first to market’ in the niche areas that it has the best potential in. However, there are significant growth opportunities for Mayo producers in certain key areas including aquaculture, artisan foods and some dairy categories. Combining aspects of the artisan food experience with tourism and better product distribution will drive growth.
6.3.6 The organisation and development of the sector
through a local Mayo Food Development Company alongside a strong Mayo food brand will be essential to assist this ambition. This company will be charged with product and sector development, promotion, training and development and the distribution of product, in particular exports.
6.3.7 Developing a strong local awareness in the product will be important in the
growing artisan sector. Local producers will be spawned by local market opportunities in the first instance but will need to look beyond Mayo in order to scale their operation over time.
Create a Mayo Food Brand to drive sector development, exports
and tourism.
37
6.3.8 Mayo is at the beginning of the process of developing a reputable cluster in food production with some strong signs of best in class products. However, for the county to make strides towards gaining a world class reputation in this intensely competitive market place it must become organised and managed.
6.3.9 Some of the critical factors are already there
such as a vibrant local supply of artisan produce into the hotel and restaurant sector as well as through out the grocery supermarket sector.
6.3.10 However, growth in the sector is going to come in
the form of wider distribution in Ireland and through maximizing the export potential of Mayo produce. There needs to be a focused and sector wide initiative to drive this ambition where the brand leads the development of the sector. Creating awareness of the product externally and providing reassurance that Mayo has the capacity will allow for an opening up of opportunities outside of Mayo.
6.3.10 At a macro level some investment in infrastructure and facilities will need to be
made in order to support enterprise creation and expansion. 6.3.11 Alongside direct food sector opportunities Mayo has potential to harness its
ambitions in renewable energy to grow and develop employment in diversified agricultural activities such as biomass production, forestry expansion and other areas like Agri Tourism.
6.3.12 The development and implementation of these actions with require focus,
resources and collaborative arrangements between industry players and above all an investment ready private sector. A fuller discussion of these enabling factors is presented in the final section of this document – Section 7. Conclusions and Recommendations.
Product Development• Artisan Food Programs;• Food Trails & Festivals;• Mayo Food Demonstration
& Awards;• Quality Standards seal; • Encourage the emergence
of a world renowned ‘Mayo Product’
Management Dedicated Mayo Food Agency; Food Festivals; Mayo Food site/App; Forestry & Biomass development program.
Infrastructure Priorities • Develop the Mayo Food Hub with shared central
facilities for producers and R&D;• Support and develop country and farmers markets in
key towns;• Aquaculture licensing & facilities audit.
38
PR
IOR
ITY
SE
CT
OR
AC
TIO
N T
YP
E
Pro
ject Matrix - T
heme &
Tim
ing
Pro
jects - Sho
rt termP
rojects - Lo
ng term
BR
AN
DIN
GD
evelop the Mayo Food B
randC
reate Food sub-brands for product groups
(Aquaculture, B
reads, Meats etc.)
Encourage cluster developm
ent of artisan
producers around tourism hubs and tracks/trails
to develop crross-sectoral opportunities
Implem
ent a Start-U
p Artisan Food program
me
Develop a M
ayo Artisan Food destination,
probably as a PP
P w
ith appropraite partner
aligned in this area.
Research &
Develop unique M
ayo food
products with national/international potential
i.e. champagne, B
elgium C
hocolate
Undertake a detailed audit of the food
processing sector and scalable artisan
producers to establish baseline and health of
sector.
Develop Food Festivals to support each Food
Trail and the Mayo Food B
rand and Tourism
offering
Develop Q
uality Standards for M
ayo branded
food products
INFR
AS
TR
UC
TU
RE
Fast track the issue of aquaculture licences to
empow
er marine developm
ent
Prom
ote & S
upport the development of
sustainable country/food markets in key
locations
Develop a M
ayo Food Hub incl. shared
facilities, exhibition / demo space, innovation
and R&
D centre
Implem
ent a roadmap for renew
able energy
crops to be grown on w
ind farm sites
Facilitate local hospitality sector to use and
promote local artisan food products
Establish the M
ayo Food Brand distribution
network
Create a dedicated Food D
evelopment Fund
focused on scaling artisan production
Develop M
ayo specific food promotional activity
Invest in, and resource, a Mayo Food
Developm
ent Agency w
ith comm
ercial focus
Encoruage developm
ent of forestry through
land zoning and funding support
FOO
D &
AG
RI
PR
OD
UC
T D
EV
ELO
PM
EN
T
MA
NA
GE
ME
NT
& P
RO
MO
TIO
N
39
6.4 ICT & Creative Industries
Vision for sector Utilising Mayo’s natural and created infrastructure to inspire the Creative Sector and support ICT development. Identity Mayo – Capture Nature Strategic Aim Carve out niches in ICT and the creative sectors which positions Mayo as leaders in these fields and supports wider development in the sector. Employment Target 200 – 500 jobs in medium term (3 – 5 years)
6.4.1 Activity in these sectors is on a global level and therefore requires positioning in a
global market place. Job creation in these sectors are experiencing natural and significant growth in line with rates of investment and innovation in technology and new approaches including disruptive strategies. Mayo needs to maximise its share of this growth.
Areas of Focus for Mayo
6.4.2 Mayo is starting from a relatively low base in the knowledge economy but there are signs of some technology specialisms emerging.
Data Management Connectivity Hubs Enterprise Data Mega Data Centres Data security
Software & Digital Media Micro enterprises; Emerging markets; Internet services; Education & Training; Creative applications; New media.
Craft Textiles / clothing; Cluster development; Craft centre’s and trails.
Supports & Infrastructure Transatlantic fibre line; Craft Brand program; Training & Mentoring; Mayo Knowledge Centre / IiBC strategy; 3
rd Level course
development at GMIT.
40
Analysis of Mayo’s Potential 6.4.3 Mayo’s current position in this sector is relatively weak. The county does not have
a recognised cluster, R&D institute nor sufficient development of 3rd level programmes to support sector development. That position remaining, the IiBC at GMIT campus is host to a number of new technology and software start-up’s and future projects such as the transatlantic fibre cable line offer opportunities. Also the development of renewable energy creates the potential to exploit emerging opportunities which rely on these and other key Mayo assets e.g. data centres.
6.4.4 A focus on niche micro enterprise creation requires further development of
innovation services and the creation of a centre of excellence in the county. This sectoral underpinning with research capabilities and skills development and attraction will be critical to any future development in this sector.
6.4.5 Marrying entrepreneurs in this sector to Mayo’s attractive quality of life and
emerging ICT and energy infrastructure has the potential to deliver inward investment. To maximise this opportunity, Mayo must provide a broad range of other supports that leverage investment opportunities.
6.4.6 Such supports include increased ICT graduates, an ICT centre of excellence,
innovation facilities and investment in skills development and conversion. Programmes such as CISNET help to create the right environment and foundation to develop ideas and collaborative ventures.
6.4.7 Other creative sectors such as Craft also have potential for development if a
similar model to that for the food sector is used i.e. brand and product development, promotion, training and distribution.
Resources to support sector in Mayo • Renewable energy resource cluster emerging; • Available land bank and serviced sites; • Research and Innovation facilities in private sector and at GMIT. Mayo Competitiveness + Quality of life and cost of living factors are strong; - Lacking R&D activity in key emerging markets; - Lack of Craft brand & coordinated support at present; + Large diaspora market;
Priorities & Actions 6.4.8 Mayo has some potential in the ICT and Creative sectors. These sectors are highly
competitive, in particular ICT which needs to be recognised as a global market. 6.4.9 Growth opportunities can be developed for Mayo if the county can focus on
developing niche areas through enabling and facilitation measures. The actions and priorities should focus on developing a suite of measures that make Mayo attractive for ICT micro enterprises to be fostered and grow.
41
6.4.10 Separately, potential does exist for the creation of a data centre business park on the back of the proposed transatlantic fibre cable(s) and other sector requirements i.e green energy co-location, reliable power sources, cooling climate, land availability and access. However, this will require further investigation and, if proven, significant capital investment to establish.
6.4.11 Priority Projects and Actions for this Sector are now outlined.
Branding• Create a Mayo Craft Brand; • Promote Mayo as a preferred quality of life location for ICT / Creative
entrepreneurs.
Product Development• ICT / Creative future trends research; • Mayo Craft Demonstration Destination; • Centre of Excellence at GMIT in niche software or data field.
Management & Promotion• Data centre feasibility in conjunction with trans-atlantic fibre cable
project; • 2
nd & 3
rd level ICT skills development programmes;
• ICT supports / incentives for SME’s and micros; • ICT / Creative networks e.g. CISNET; • Training & Development in IT/software.
Infrastructure• Mayo Knowledge Centre recommendations; • GMIT Technology & Innovation Transfer Unit; • Transatlantic Fibre cable project; • Renewable Energy strategy.
6.4.12 The development and implementation of these actions with require focus,
resources and collaborative arrangements between industry players and above all an investment ready private sector. A fuller discussion of these enabling factors is presented in the final section of this document – Section 7. Conclusions and Recommendations.
42
PR
IOR
ITY
SE
CT
OR
AC
TIO
N T
YP
E
Pro
jec
t Ma
trix - Th
em
e &
Tim
ing
Pro
jec
ts - Sh
ort te
rmP
roje
cts - L
on
g te
rm
BR
AN
DIN
GU
tilise Quality o
f Life facto
rs to attract IC
T &
Creative en
trepren
eurs to
the co
unty
Create th
e Mayo
Craft B
rand
PR
OD
UC
T D
EV
EL
OP
ME
NT
Build
up
on C
ISN
ET
pro
gram
me th
roug
h sm
all
legacy p
rojects fo
cused
on co
re gro
wth
areas.
Research
futu
re trend
s in IC
T an
d id
entify
po
tential o
pp
ortu
nities fo
r nich
e focu
s in IC
T
e.g. visu
al med
ia, health
softw
are solu
tions
GM
IT to
create and
resource a relevan
t Cen
tre
of E
xcellence in
ICT
/Dig
ital Med
ia to su
pp
ort
cluster d
evelop
men
t and
wid
er sectoral jo
b
creation
Develo
p a M
ayo sp
ecific rang
e of craft
pro
ducts an
d d
rive expo
rt sales especially
onlin
e.
INF
RA
ST
RU
CT
UR
E
Ad
vance th
e imp
lemen
tion o
f the IC
T
recom
men
datio
ns co
ntain
ed in
the M
ayo
Kno
wled
ge C
entre rep
ort
Iden
tify investm
ent p
artners th
at wo
uld
develo
p
a data cen
tre park/clu
ster and
attract tenan
ts
for th
e park.
Develo
p a Tech
no
log
y Transfer U
nit at G
MIT
Castleb
ar
Develo
p ap
pro
praite R
&D
/Inno
vation facilities in
the co
unty
Develo
p a 2
nd
Level IC
T A
waren
ess pro
gram
me
Exp
and
New
Fro
ntiers P
rog
ramm
e to facilite a
stand
alone M
ayo p
rog
ramm
e
Estab
lish a p
ackage o
f sup
po
rts and
incen
tives for IC
T &
Creative en
trepren
eurs to
be b
ased in
the co
unty
Sup
po
rt the d
evelop
men
t of C
od
erdo
jo fo
r
softw
are develo
pm
ent skills fo
r child
ren
Develo
p 3
rd L
evel pro
gram
mes to
sup
po
rt the
new
kno
wled
ge eco
no
my
Utlise th
e pro
po
sed M
ayo F
oo
d d
istributio
n
netw
ork an
d M
ayo F
oo
d D
evelop
men
t agen
cy
to ad
vance craft en
terprise
Create th
e Mayo
ICT
Netw
ork
Develo
p C
raft trainin
g p
rog
ramm
esIm
plem
ent a rates in
centive sch
eme fo
r all new
ICT
busin
esses who
establish
in th
e county
ICT
/ CR
EA
TIV
E
MA
NA
GE
ME
NT
& P
RO
MO
TIO
N
43
6.5 Other Opportunities
Vision “Minding the house” and building upon the strong and established FDI and large indigenous base, as well as building on our strong diaspora connections is a first principle that Mayo should adopt for established enterprise and networks. Strategic Objectives • Safeguard and grow employment in existing multinational plants in Mayo; • Create enterprise opportunities for local SME’s through supply chain contracts
with multinational firms in Mayo; • Leverage our diaspora to support investment and boost tourism activity in
Mayo. Employment Target 500+ Jobs in medium to long term (5 years)
6.5.1 Development of our diaspora relationships has the potential to provide a number
of opportunities in a broad range of sectors. Also support for existing MNC’s and large indigenous enterprises can help them gain competitive advantage and attract further investment. Developing the local supply chain can also support these key enterprises and act as a catalyst for creating new opportunities for indigenous industry.
Analysis of Mayo’s Potential 6.5.2 Mayo has a long established multi national manufacturing base particularly in the
fields of pharmaceuticals and other areas of health care. This sector is responsible for supporting over 6,000 jobs in the county. There is also a small number of medium to large indigenous manufacturing firms located and founded in Mayo.
6.5.3 Together these enterprises form a core base of engineering, IT and scientific skills
and experience and strong networks into the sectors in which they operate. Firms such as McHale’s Agri engineering is at the forefront of agri machinery design and production globally operating from Ballinrobe.
6.5.4 Mayo has the largest diaspora of any county in Ireland. Approximately 3.5m
people worldwide claim Mayo routes and connections. Historically, these connections have been fostered in the main for social reasons. The recent focus in developing two way investment discussions has demonstrated that significant potential exists to attract investment and build new export markets.
Priorities & Actions 6.5.5 The potential for the Mayo Brand to gain traction in an enterprise context is most
powerful amongst our diaspora. Nurturing and developing diaspora connections in strategic locations worldwide must be a key priority and appropriate resources must be invested to maximise this potential.
44
6.5.6 Utilising the Cleveland / Mayo and Brehon Symposium models to other diaspora
locations and fora can replicate the success that is already emerging from these key initiatives.
6.5.7 A foundation for future skills will need to be developed and invested in including
research capabilities and industry / HEI partnerships. 6.5.8 Also enhancing the supply chain to FDI’s and large indigenous enterprises is a
measure that proactively supports this sector and which also can create new business for Mayo based SME’s and Micro enterprises and make Mayo a more attractive location for future FDI.
6.5.9 Mayo Industries Group has indicated a willingness to participate in exploring this
local supply chain opportunity which if successful could spawn new businesses that in turn become exporters.
Enterprise Actions • Mayo Enterprise & Investment Unit expansion of supports; • Supply Chain Study and engagement with large enterprise; • Mayo Innovation Fund to boost micro and SME investment.
Mayo Diaspora
• Mayo Global Forum; • Economic Twinning; • Innovation Showcase; • Diaspora Networks; • Philanthrophy; • Connect Ireland.
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7. Conclusions & Recommendations Key Conclusions 7.1 Mayo underperforms on most enterprise measures relative to the national
average, with some notable exceptions including tourism performance. This general underperformance includes investment levels, employment rates, cluster formation and new knowledge economy activity.
7.2 Mayo is a secondary location in terms of FDI investment, regional investment, key
infrastructure and higher educational facilities. This position is also reflected by the fact that Mayo lacks a strong brand identity and in its underrepresentation of enterprise and innovation programmes and R&D activity that helps to attracts investment and drive business and sector growth.
7.3 However, Mayo has considerable assets which if harnessed can increase
enterprise development and employment in existing and new emerging sectors. In doing so Mayo will transform its identity to one as a preferred location to live, work, invest and recharge. This transformation will require careful planning and management over a period of years and must be supported by all key stakeholders to maximize its potential for success.
7.4 Competitiveness across all emerging markets and opportunities is intense both at
national and international level. This is more pronounced in Ireland because we operate in a very open economy in a global market place. Therefore the sector opportunities that Mayo has to focus on must demonstrate significant competitive advantage and strong export potential.
7.5 These sector and cluster opportunities are going to be concentrated in the areas of
Tourism, Energy, Food & Agri diversification, ICT & Creative Industries and other opportunities not specifically linked to an individual sector e.g. Supply Chain management, Diaspora development and supporting and developing entrepreneurial talent generally.
7.6 A` number of cross sectoral opportunities exist within and between the emerging
sectors identified in this report. Notable examples include the potential dependence of a large data centre on a collocated (or closely located) renewable energy facility. Also the interdependency and collaborative development of the food sector and some key aspects of tourism. Within sectors some projects can enhance the opportunity for others such as biomass crop harvesting on large wind farm sites.
7.7 As a general point there is a significant level of synergy between the identified
emerging sectors and conversely little of no conflict between them. This in essence is a core measure of the sustainability of the strategy for sector and cluster development in Mayo based on the selected sectors. Mayo can, with the right energy and focus, create in excess of 3,000 new jobs in these sectors over the next 10 years and in doing so establish viable economic clusters that deliver sustainable economic and other benefits that are embedded in local communities throughout the county.
7.8 As stated in the Strategic Framework, the vision for Mayo is:
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"By 2024 Mayo will be recognized as a preferred location to live, work, invest and recharge. The county will be a global centre for renewable energy and will have developed a premier reputation for food and creative products and services. It will be connected to the world and its diaspora. It will rank as a top 5 destination for visitors to Ireland. Mayo will embrace entrepreneurship and quality of life as the driving forces in its future” 7.9 This strategy is based on the importance of organic economic growth as the
foundation for enterprise development and job creation rather than solely pursuing large scale singular investment projects. Therefore, the ambition of this strategy must be to:
• Create sustainable employment opportunities that ensures Mayo is above the
national average on key socio economic indicators; • To develop and identity for Mayo and create a brand which reflects the vision
for the county; • To develop global and national positioning in key industry clusters that builds
on competitive advantage; • To attract entrepreneurial talent and investment that delivers economic benefit
to the county and its communities. 7.10 This approach will empower local communities and stakeholders to drive
economic development and de-risks the impact of transient global industries. 7.11 In analyzing Mayo’s economic potential we must recognize that opportunity exists
in both mature and emerging sectors. In the case of tourism, Mayo serves many different market segments simultaneously and this has required more in depth assessment to establish the new areas of focus.
Recommendations Introduced 7.12 Our recommendations for each sector are based on a Strategic Framework that
sets the vision and four strategic goals for Mayo and which schedules actions under four key themes that provides an Implementation Framework. These themes are:
– Brand – Infrastructure – Product development – Management and promotion
7.13 Each action under each theme is connected back to one or more of the strategic
goals either as a driver of that strategic objective or as a supporting activity. See Appendix E and descriptive notes.
7.14 The guiding principles in setting out these recommendations are:
– Connecting – Quality of life – Investing in OUR future – Creativity and innovation – Active Communities
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These guiding principles establish the values that inform and motivate this strategy.
7.15 Separate to the sectors, and underpinning the overall strategy, is our priority
recommendation that Mayo creates an identity for the county which captures its values, essence and which supports economic development.
Recommendations 7.16 A comprehensive list of actions and recommendations is set out by sector, theme
and timeline in Appendix D and their contribution to the delivery of the strategic goals is summarized in the Strategic Framework on page 11 above.
7.17 The implementation of this strategy and its recommendations must be coordinated
by one entity. We recommend that this role is fulfilled by the Mayo Enterprise & Investment Unit.
Next steps 7.18 To successfully implement this set of recommendations, the following actions must
be prioritised:
Brand development – “Mayo Nature’s Way” 7.19 The creation of an identity for the county which captures the essence of Mayo and
which supports economic development. 7.20 Developing a strong identity and brand that embodies Mayo’s unique assets and
characteristics will be fundamental to building the foundation and rationale for Mayo as the choice location for investment in key emerging sectors and for gaining market recognition and traction when selling into export markets.
Action – Mayo Enterprise & Investment Unit should create a brand specification that creates an identity for Mayo that is aligned with this strategy and provides a reference for consumers of Mayo products and services but also will become an overarching B2B brand to help with the objectives of investment and sector development contained in the study.
7.21 This brand development and implementation should then be advanced by an
external expert and this must be aligned closely to the numerous brand themes contained in this strategy.
Enabling and facilitation
7.22 The coordinating body, Mayo Enterprise & Investment Unit, will need to create
additional capacity to ensure successful implementation of this strategy. This capacity is most likely to be achieved through a combination of additional resources within the unit and external experts in areas of specific focus i.e. branding & PR, sectoral business development, feasibility assessment and project management.
Actions
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1. Establish which recommendations can be best implemented and managed by resources currently available to ME&IU.
2. Identify resources within connected to the ME&IU which can be drawn
upon and are best placed to support the implementation and management of these recommendations.
3. Identify the resource gaps that remain once 1 & 2 above are completed and
establish resourcing solutions and funding to address the gaps.
4. External partnership development.
i. Select the appropriate agencies and other external partners for each sector and identify roles and resources to advance each sectors recommendations.
ii. Develop international partnerships with key best practice entities as identified in the selected case studies.
iii. Develop transnational programmes that can avail of funding to advance sectoral goals.
iv. Continue to develop diaspora related partnerships, specifically in the area of mutual economic development.
Immediate Priority Projects
7.23 There are a number of immediate actions set out in the project matrix contained in
Appendix D. However, we believe that the following projects will act as catalysts for sectoral development and therefore must be prioritized:
1) Tourism Development Plan. 2) Food enterprise audit, Mayo food network development, food hub / food
distribution feasibility. 3) Data centre cluster exploration (linked to transatlantic fibre project / Erris
wind energy hub). 4) Supply chain development programme with Mayo Industries Group. 5) National Adventure centre / corridor (Lough Lannagh to Achill) feasibility and
masterplan. 6) Analysis into the growing of biomass crops on wind farm sites to support
sustainable Biomass industry in county. 7) Develop a 1/13th scale test site for wave energy production in conjunction with
IMERC. 8) Review the potential for Mayo County Council to carry out certain planning
requirements to facilitate fast tracking of renewable energy development i.e. habitat surveys and foreshore licences in particular.
7.24 In addition ME&IU should establish a clear project plan for each recommendation
contained in Appendix D.