Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

IDA Ireland’s regional strategy has a proven track record of success, and the agency has reaffirmed its strong commitment to regional development as a core pillar of its strategy for the period 2025 to 2029, which I launched some months ago. The strategy aims to secure 550 regional investments over its lifetime. That is 55% of all investments, including 100 in the west, reflecting IDA Ireland's ongoing commitment to supporting transformation and growth across all regions.

IDA Ireland supported the delivery of 973 investments over the period of the strategy for 2021 to 2024, 54% of which went to regional locations. Some 91 were in the west against a target of 76. The west has a significant ecosystem of well-established companies across life sciences, engineering, international financial services, content, consumer and business services and tech. IDA Ireland will seek to build on the strengths and competencies of the region and will continue to market it, targeting these sectors for investment opportunities.

Suitable property availability can play a key part in winning investments from both new clients and the existing client base. As part of the strategy for the period 2021 to 2024, 19 advance building solutions were progressed across 15 locations, including an advance building in Galway that is available for marketing. IDA Ireland's regional building programme for the period 2025 to 2029 will consist of 23 projects across 21 locations in eight regions, primarily involving manufacturing buildings.

This will include a building in Castlebar, which is at site selection stage, and an additional new building in Galway, subject to the successful marketing of the existing building and, of course, dependent on planning and procurement outcomes. The IDA is also partnering with local authorities to deliver advance planning permits in Ballinasloe, Mayo and Roscommon. As the Deputy will be aware, IDA Ireland’s strategy focuses on partnering with the existing FDI base to increase the competitiveness of their Irish operations, providing the foundation on which they can capture new growth opportunities, alongside attracting new investment to the regions.

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