6. SPEAKING NOTES:
MY NAME IS JENNIFER WHITMORE AND I AM A MEMBER OF THE GREYSTONES STRATEGY STEERING COMMITTEE.
I AM GOING TO TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT A PROPOSAL THAT MYSELF AND STEPHEN DONNELLY ARE WORKING ON.
AS YOU HAVE HEARD ALREADY, ONE OF THE KEY THEMES COMING OUT OF LAST YEARS PUBLIC CONSULTATION IS THE NEED AND
WANT FOR HIGH-TECH, SUSTAINLABLE JOBS IN GREYSTONES.
WE KNOW WE WANT THESE COMPANIES -
BUT, HOW DO WE GET THEM - WHAT CAN WE OFFER?
WELL WE CAN OFFER A GREAT PLACE TO SET UP COMPANY (CLOSE TO CITY, CLOSE TO UNIVERSITIES, TRANSPORT LINKS, CLOSE TO
AIRPORT.).
BUT
WE CAN ALSO OFFER A GREAT LIFESTYLE FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES – GREAT SCHOOLS, THE BEACH, THE
MOUNTAINS AND A GREAT LITTLE COMMUNITY.
THE POTENTIAL IS THERE – WE NEED TO DRIVE IT FORWARD AS A COMMUNITY.
SO, WHAT’S THE PROPOSAL?
WE ALL KNOW THE IDA LAND OPPOSITE SHORELINE. IT’S BEEN SITTING THERE, ESSENTIALLY IDLE, FOR YEARS.
THE PROPOSAL WOULD SEE THAT LAND BEING DIVIDED INTO 2 – ONE SECTION DESIGNATED AS PARKLAND FOR THE
COMMUNITY. PERHAPS WITH A PLAYGROUND, OR PICNIC AREA, A JOGGING TRACK.
A PLACE FOR EVERYBODY TO ENJOY.
THE OTHER HALF WOULD BE SET ASIDE AS AN INNOVATION CAMPUS.
7. WHAT SORT OF COMPANIES WOULD CALL THIS PLACE HOME?
THERE IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY BEING PUT INTO R&D AT THE MOMENT – INNOVATION IS THE KEY PHRASE. 1.3BN EURO
WILL BE COMING TO IRELAND FOR THE EU OVER THE NEXT 7 YEARS ALONE.
THE COMPANIES THAT GET THIS FUNDING ARE SMALL R&D OUTFITS THAT ARE USUALLY ATTACHED TO THE UNIVERSITIES.
WHEN THEY BECOME A BIT BIGGER, BECOME SUCESSFUL AND ARE READY TO COMMERCIALISE, THEY USUALLY HAVE TO FIND A
NEW SPACE FOR THEIR COMPANY.
A LOT OF COMPANIES FAIL AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT READY TO ‘STAND ON THEIR OWN 2 FEET’. SO THERE IS A
HUGE FAILURE RATE.
WE BELIEVE THAT GREYSTONES COULD OFFER A PLACE WHERE THESE COMPANIES COULD MOVE TO – WE ARE CLOSE TO THE
UNIVERSITIES (SO THE SUPPORT IS STILL THERE FOR THEM) BUT THEY COULD ALSO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF INDEPENDENCE.
AND IT WOULD NOT BE LIMITED TO THESE TYPES OF COMPANIES – OTHER HIGH-TECH COMPANIES AND CLUSTERS WOULD
WELCOME THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT
WE HAVE SPOKEN TO A NUMBER OF THESE COMPANIES ALREADY
WE HAVE SPOKEN TO PEOPLE IN THE MARINE SECTOR THAT HAVE IDENTIFIED A NEED FOR A HOME FOR A MARINE TECHNOLOGY
CLUSTER THAT SEE GREYSTONES AS THE IDEAL SPOT.
WE HAVE SPOKEN TO PEOPLE IN THE SPACE INDUSTRY THAT HAVE IDENTIFIED A NEED FOR A HOME FOR A SPACE TECHNOLOGY
CLUSTER THAT SEE GREYSTONES AS THE IDEAL SPOT.
WE HAVE SPOKEN TO CEOS OF INNOVATION COMPANIES THAT BELIEVE THAT GREYSTONES HAS WHAT IS NEEDED TO ATTRACT
THIS TYPE OF COMPANY AND WHO WOULD LIKE TO BRING THEIR COMPANIES HERE
8. WE HAVE SPOKEN TO THE IDA HAS STATED THAT IF THE OFFICE SPACE EXISTS, THEY WILL FILL IT
AND WEVE SPOKEN TO THE NATIONAL BUSINESS INCUBATION ASSOCIATION WHO ARE PREPARED TO WORK WITH US ON THIS
PROJECT
BUT
THE ONE THING WE DON’T HAVE IS THE RIGHT TYPE OF COMMERCIAL SPACE.
THIS PROPOSAL WOULD OFFER THEM THAT TYPE OF OFFICE SPACE. NOT JUST A BUILDING TO OPERATE OUT OF, BUT A CLUSTER
OF LIKE MINDED BUSINESSES AND A LIFESTLYE AND A FABULOUS HOMETOWN FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
NOW THIS PROPOSAL IS JUST THAT. WE HAVE TICKED ALL THE BOXES FOR DEMAND, THE IDA THINK IT’S A GREAT IDEA. BUT WE
NEED TO FIND SOMEONE TO BUILD IT.
BUT IT IS MY BELIEF THAT AS A COMMUNITY, WE ARE BETTER TO PROACTIVELY SPECIFY AND DRIVE A SCHEME THAT WOULD BE
BOTH A BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY, AND ALSO MAKE SENSE COMMERCIALLY. ULTIMATELY WHAT GOES INTO THE IDA SITE WILL
BE THE DEVELOPERS DECISION BUT IF WE DON’T PUT OUR IDEAS FORWARD FIRST, THEY WILL CERTAINLY NEVER BE CONSIDERED.
NOW JUST BEFORE I FINISH UP, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THINK THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE TEAM THAT ARE
WORKING WITH MYSELF AND STEPHEN ON THIS PROJECT. –ASH GLOVER, KIM FROM DRYER ARCHITECHS, MATT WILSON AND
TONY DUDDY.
