The industrial park in the village of Ballynacargy, which has been nearly idle for more than 20 years, is now seeing the improvement that has long been anticipated.
The acquisition of one of the unoccupied properties by a firm led by Midland Robotics directors Matt Finn, Ringowney, Edgeworthstown, Co. Longford, and Maurice Gavigan, Archerstown, Co. Westmeath, has been reported as good news. The company plans to establish operations there. The Westmeath County Council has given its approval for the sale of the property, which has a market value of €28,000.
The industrial park comprises a depot for the local government and a total of 12 plots. It is envisaged that the sale of this property will spur additional growth. In fact, it is anticipated that in the upcoming months, another industry will be protected.
A surge in employment will be much-welcomed after several difficult years as the community has patiently waited for good news regarding industry. The future of Ballynacargy may depend on the Ballysallagh industrial park.
The gestation period was extensive. Willie Penrose, a former TD and minister from Ballynacargy, was approached by a local landowner in the 1990s and told the land was up for sale. In a hurry to revitalise the community, Mr. Penrose asked then County Manager Jack Taaffe if it could be bought for the creation of an industrial park.
“The whole objective was to bring employment to the area and increased economic activity. Of course, we need new people coming in to sustain the parish, sustain the school, the football club, etc. We have a lot of great organisations in the parish and the industrial park is adjacent to the best-appointed GAA facility in the county, which is expanding further,” he remarked.
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