‘Midas’ initiative to develop digital media corridor for East Border region of Ireland

The 'Midas' initiative, designed to support the development of a ‘digital corridor’ in the Irish East Border region, has been launched at a ceremony in the Dundalk Institute of Technology by the Irish Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Dermot Ahern.
The project aims to develop and promote a cross-border cluster of creative and digital media businesses to provide the potential for economic growth and competitive advantage in international markets for the East Border region.
The East Border region comprises seven local authorities, including Louth and Monaghan County Councils, Newry & Mourne, Banbridge and Down District Councils and Craigavon and Ards Borough Councils.
The purpose of the project is to develop a set of infrastructure and supports to generate the conditions in which there can be a development of a cluster of new creative and digital media companies, and on a cross-border basis.
The Midas Project is a joint initiative of Dundalk Institute of Technology, University of Ulster and Dream Ireland Ltd, Belfast, and funded through the EU’s INTERREG IIIA Programme and the International Fund for Ireland (IFI) and private sector to the level of €2.32 million.
Speaking at the launch of the event, Jim McCammick, Chairman of the East Border Region INTERREG IIIA Partnership, said: “This event today clearly demonstrates the benefits to be gained from working in partnership, and how initiatives such as the EU’s INTERREG IIIA Programme (which provided a grant of €1.7m to the project) can become a vehicle to increase cross border co-operation at all levels.”
(GB)