Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Flaherty for his question. As the House knows, regional development is at the centre of IDA Ireland's current strategy, Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth 2021-2024. Under this strategy the IDA is targeting half of all investments to regional locations which aligns with the objectives of the programme for Government. Specifically, the IDA is targeting 25 investments for the midlands region, including Longford, in the period from 2021 to 2024.

Longford, as Deputy Flaherty has said, is already home to six IDA Ireland client companies directly employing more than 1,300 people and has an impressive range of companies across all industry sectors, with strengths in life science, technology, global business services, international financial services and engineering in industrial technologies.

In respect of the specific question from Deputy Flaherty, IDA Ireland has advised me that the site selection process for the advanced building solution in Longford is ongoing. The IDA continues to liaise with Longford County Council and with wider stakeholders as it seeks to find a suitable site for the proposed facility.

The timely provision of appropriate, innovative and cost-effective property and infrastructure solutions that meet the needs of our multinational community remains essential to winning FDI. Over the last five years the IDA regional property programme enabled the winning of capital-intensive projects of significant scale to regional locations. In a competitive and uncertain global environment, the IDA's regional property programme, supported by my Department, ensures the supply of land, buildings and infrastructure in regional locations, as required by current and prospective clients of both IDA and Enterprise Ireland.

The IDA's plan is to deliver 19 advanced building solutions in 15 regional locations across the country, including in Athlone, Longford and Mullingar. National capital investment plans outlined in the new IDA strategy, subject to planning permission and public procurement processes, are expected to commence and be delivered within the term of the new strategy at all identified locations. The Exchequer allocation for the IDA regional property programme in 2022 includes an additional €10 million, bringing the budget for that programme to €52 million.

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