Enterprise Minister unveils €2 mill Laois jobs CUBE rescued from Celtic Tiger dereliction

A Celtic Tiger building in Portlaoise that was once derelict but which has undergone an extensive renovation has been officially opened as a centre to stimulate jobs and enterprise in Laois.

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney visited Laois on Thursday, March 30 to cut the ribbon on the  The CUBE.

Located on Towerhill, the 10,000 square foot building has been reconfigured through Laois County Council as a dedicated centre for the development of new business and economic activity. A statement said it will in turn support and assist a transition to a low carbon economy. It's also claimed that The Cube, which is part of  Portlaoise’s Cultural Quarter, is the first of its kind in the Midlands with the aim of supporting and stimulating the development of enterprise and jobs in Laois and the Midlands region.

Minister Coveney spoke at the opening of the building on Church Street.

“I am delighted be here today to officially open the CUBE in Portlaoise, Ireland’s first ‘low-carbon’ town. This remarkable state-of-the art facility, which is an integral part of the Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan, will play a central role in enabling the growth of scaling enterprises across the Midlands and further afield, supporting this critical agenda to reduce energy consumption. It will also provide numerous start-ups and high potential businesses with the space and support they needed in order to flourish and prosper.

"The Cube will be a Centre of Excellence for the management and mitigation of decarbonisation across all sectors - a key focus of this governments agenda as set out in Project Ireland 2040 and the Climate Action plan. The transition to a low-carbon economy, along with digital transformation, are the focus of my Department’s ‘Building Better Business’ Conferences which will be held throughout this year.  The next Conference will be held here in the Midlands region on the 27th April 2023.

"The opening of the CUBE, supported by over €2m in funding from my Department’s Regional Enterprise Development Fund, will see the positive contribution by low carbon businesses to economic prosperity in the long-term and I believe will serve as a roadmap for the development and rollout of similar low carbon initiatives in other towns around the country.”

John Mulholland, Chairperson of the Board of Portlaoise Innovation Centre and Chief Executive of Laois County Council spoke about the project with has seen an empty building transformed with public money.

“This is a landmark day in the ongoing development of our county town of Portlaoise.  The opening of The CUBE can be regarded as the first in a series of local rejuvenation projects whose primary purpose is to support enterprise, economic and cultural activity in the core town centre. 

"While the principal aims of developing this centre, the CUBE, is to assist the development of innovation and jobs in the low carbon economy, it is in reality about much more than that.  It is about bringing once derelict and vacant buildings back to life. It is about bringing better confidence to a place and it is also about taking small steps on the road to a low carbon Town and feeling our way towards compact town centre development,” he said.

Caroline Hofman is the newly appointed Director of The CUBE. She said she is delighted to be at the helm which she expected would benefit business and attract investment and jobs a regional, national, and international level.

"In addition, The CUBE will also provide supports to existing and expanding businesses, assisting them on their low carbon and sustainability journey. This will be achieved through various initiatives, including the creation of links between existing and emerging industries, education and training, and research, through partnerships with regional enterprise and educational and training experts.

"The CUBE will also have a dedicated space for the incubation of Low Carbon focused start-ups, encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation in this area,” she said.

A statement said numerous partners have been involved in the project since its inception, with The CUBE funded by Enterprise Ireland under the Regional Enterprise Development Fund. The project pivots around Government plans and strategic directions, including Project Ireland 2040, the Climate Action Plan to tackle Climate breakdown, and the Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan to 2024.

Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council, Cllr Thomasina Connell also spoke at the opening.

“This is a hugely important day in the ongoing development of Portlaoise and I am delighted to see such activity and life in the building and indeed the transformation of this once vacant and derelict building into a Low Carbon Centre of Excellence is most welcome.  In this regard I would like express thanks to the previous owner of the building, Mr. Tom O’ Connor.  Also, thanks to the neighbours on Church Street for their co-operation and patience during the construction phase of the project. The cube brings significant improvements to the streetscape of the area.

"Not only will the centre provide support and assist businesses in the transition to a low carbon economy, but it will greatly assist the local community in their efforts to address energy consumption and retrofitting.”

Lynne McCormack is General Manager of FRS Recruitment which is located in the building.

"As one of the leading recruitment companies in Ireland we are seeing in real time the impact ESG considerations are having across the corporate world. Businesses are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of sustainability and are taking steps to improve their environmental footprint. We have already begun that process in FRS Recruitment and WrkWrk by fostering a hybrid working envirronment with a view to reducing commuting emissions.

"Opening an office in this fantastic new facility, which has such a strong focus on low carbon and renewables, represents the next step in our ongoing green journey. We are excited to be part of The Cube and look forward to playing our part in supporting it’s important objectives, which aim to benefit all the world around us.” MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Carol Gibbons is the Divisional Manager, Regions and Local Enterprise, Enterprise Ireland.

“A key goal for Enterprise Ireland is to support companies to make the transition to the low-carbon, resource-efficient economy of the future and we are delighted to support the development of the CUBE as a state-of the-art enterprise centre here in the midlands where sustainability focused start-ups can operate, grow and learn from each other.

"Supporting innovative start-ups is a huge focus for Enterprise Ireland and the Regional Enterprise Development Fund is an effective mechanism of supporting regional development. The opening of the facility today is a momentous occasion for Portlaoise enabling the growth of scaling enterprises across the region.   As the enterprise sector transitions to a more sustainable future, we wish the entire team at the CUBE every success in driving this agenda and we look forward to supporting the start-up community in operation here as they nurture and develop their business ideas,” she said.

The CUBE is also a dedicated GigaBitHub initiative, a partnership between SIRO and Vodafone. This means that the centre is connected to SIRO 100% Fibre Broadband, providing high speed internet access comparable to speeds found in major cities.

Commenting on the announcement, SIRO CEO, John Keaney, said: “The SIRO-Vodafone GigaBitHub Initiative has connected 18 hubs to date.  “The Cube” is the first GigaBitHub of its kind with a commitment to driving sustainability within its local and regional communities. We’re excited to support “The Cube” in its goal to help Ireland’s journey to carbon neutrality. It resonates with SIRO’s mission to be Ireland’s greenest broadband network".

Sinéad Bryan, Managing Director of Vodafone Business Ireland added: “We are delighted The Cube, Portlaoise has become the first hub to be connected under phase two of our Gigabit Hub Initiative. The Gigabit Hub Initiative was created in order to empower local businesses and communities through connectivity. This connectivity means the people of Laois can benefit from a better work life balance and allow them to pursue their careers within the area they are from, without sacrificing their quality of life or being forced to move to cities or abroad.”

The CUBE Low Carbon Centre of Excellence appoints new Director in Laois

Laois County Council previously informed coucillors that the €2.56m refurbishment cost includes €1.8m on capital works, over €500,000 on wages, €126,000 on consultancy fees, nearly €49,000 on travel and subsistence expenses and over €11,000 on promotion. 

Permission was originally granted for the building's construction more than 20 years ago in 2022. It had been finished by 2007 when planning permission was granted to retain an extra floor on the building.