If the power of Meath football could be translated into an industrial development programme, then a match to remember took place last week at the Fairyhouse Racecourse. That venue, better known as a showcase for the county's horse flesh, was chosen for another display of the best the county has to offer in an investment context, the County Meath Investment Showcase 2000, organised by the local county council.
On one side you had almost 200 potential investors with companies behind them and cash in their pockets. Facing them was the Meath County Enterprise Board, economists, county development officers and keynote speaker, Mr Dan Flinter, chief executive of Enterprise Ireland.
Time will tell whether the Meath team were the victors and the investment rolls in, but clearly they won the PR battle and look like a county ready to take on the world. Speaker after speaker extolled the virtues of the Royal County and how these virtues could be made to work to the benefit of outside investors.
The initiative for the showcase could be traced back to the Government decision to encourage the creation of local government-led County and City Development Boards (CDBs). These have been established in 34 county and city local authorities, bringing together each area's local politicians, development officials, social partners and public agency representatives to build strategies to foster economic development.
The Meath County Enterprise Board Ltd is the county's manifestation of the CDB movement and its efforts hit the ground running at Fairyhouse last Thursday. The board becomes like a mini-Enterprise Ireland, selling the county and its facilities and people and hustling investors and encouraging them to have a look.
It was truly a hard sell throughout the programme which included eight speeches, the launch of a website and lunch, all wrapped up by 2 p.m.
It was kicked off by the chairman of Meath County Council, Mr Brian Fitzgerald, who said that the county's strategic location gave it an unparalleled competitive advantage. "Its location on the Dublin/Belfast economic corridor and its proximity to Dublin, the airport and major ports are matched by major investment in the county's infrastructure and its demographic profile.
"Our young, well educated workforce, as well as existing and proposed developments, create a dynamic for major growth opportunities," he said.
He pointed out that Meath's population had risen by 20,000 over the last four years and was predicted to reach 200,000 by 2010. "We need to attract business to sustain the growth in population we are expecting," he stated. The county had one of the lowest commercial rates in the State; while Meath had long depended on agriculture and a few industries to sustain it, that was no longer enough.
"We will actively promote the county as an investment showcase," he concluded, and to make his point later in the day he launched the council's new website. It includes the county's new development plan, general county information, details on land banks and zonings, right down to the proceedings and decisions taken by the council as shown in its minutes.
The County Manager, Mr Joe Horan, was next up to bat for the Royals, describing the county's infrastructure and how it hoped to support investors in an open, professional and efficient way.
"Our approach to achieve sustainable development ensures that those working and living in Co Meath have state-of-the-art facilities and infrastructure. "We want to create an e-democracy environment in the county where everybody has access to up-to-date information. Our experts will work with those wishing to invest and develop in the county to ensure that they have access to the very best facilities." Mr Joe Fahy, senior engineer, planning, said there would be a Dublin/ Navan dual carriageway by 2004, the reopening of the rail link between the two locations, as recommended by a recent study. There would also be a £32 million investment in water and waste water infrastructure in Navan alone.
Development land included 261 hectares zoned industrial, 213 zoned for housing and 35 hectares currently available in the town's business park.
The plan calls for redevelopment and modernisation in the town centre to attract major office, commercial and industrial activities. Their strategic plan was designed to foster development across the county.
Meath, he said, sits in the fastest-growing region in the State, bringing rapid growth in population. The current 128,000 residents would rise to 161,000 by 2006.
The plan calls for employment development occurring close to housing, linked by high quality public transport and other services. Zonings will require strategic green belts and infrastructural needs would be met by accelerated investment.
