Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this question. An adequate supply of office and manufacturing facilities is a key component of successful enterprise development. As part of the regional Action Plan for Jobs 2015, I announced that IDA Ireland would invest €150 million over five years in property solutions designed to allow it to create opportunities to win additional projects for all regions. As part of this programme of investment, IDA Ireland is building nine advance facilities around the country, in particular in locations where the private sector has been slow to build. This includes the delivery of an advance facility in Galway. In marketing Galway as part of the west region, IDA Ireland not only promotes its own property portfolio but, where appropriate, advises prospective investors of available privately-owned properties that may be suitable. Enterprise Ireland does not provide office space or manufacturing facilities directly, but it has given its support to the provision of innovation or enterprise spaces. For example, it funded the NUI Galway business innovation centre and the innovation in business centre at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, GMIT, which provide spaces for spin-out companies, start-ups and entrepreneurs to establish their businesses.

The record results for 2015 for both IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland show there are 21,575 people employed by client companies of the agencies in County Galway, an increase of 2,964 since 2011.

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