Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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65. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of new IDA Ireland- and Enterprise Ireland-supported jobs in Longford to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62102/22]

Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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On the back of very strong FDI news in County Longford recently with jobs investment from Technimark and an ambitious new planning application for expansion at the Abbott Ireland plant, the Minister of State on a recent visit saw at first hand the excellent work under way in a number of Enterprise Ireland companies. Will the Minister of State update the House on year-to-date job creation progress from both Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland-supported businesses in County Longford?

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Flaherty for raising this. As he acknowledged, the Tánaiste was able to announce very strong annual results for IDA Ireland in 2022 yesterday which showed a substantial increase in growth in FDI employment on the 2021 figures. The growth in employment in 2022 brought the number of people employed in the FDI sector in Ireland to more than 300,000, which is the highest FDI employment level ever. The results showed continued substantial growth in FDI over 2022 despite the difficult global economic environment with 33,000 new jobs created. Job losses, which were at historically low levels in recent years, increased in the latter half of 2022 as some tech companies sought to reduce costs and employee numbers in line with reduced revenue forecasts and weakening company valuations. These lay-offs, proportionate to the size of the overall portfolio, resulted in less net employment growth this year giving a net increase of just above 24,000 jobs year on year. The strongest regional performance among IDA Ireland clients in 2022 was in the mid-east region, which saw a net change of 13.6% followed by Dublin at 10.8% and the Deputy's own region in the midlands of 9.7%, which he has just acknowledged.

In addition to the high-level results announced yesterday a more detailed analytical report with results split by ownership, region, by county and sector will follow next month. In regard to the most recent figures I have available, I can advise that in 2021, there were 13,010 IDA Ireland-supported jobs in Longford, of which 186 were new jobs. Enterprise Ireland is currently surveying its clients to collect employment data so it is not yet possible to give employment gains for 2022. However the 2021 figures were that there were 2,262 EI-supported jobs in Longford. In January 2023, we will have the employment survey from EI which will update us with the 2022 figures.

In regard to the property issue raised by Deputy Flaherty, IDA Ireland has prioritised Longford for development in its 2021 to 2024 property programme. I plan to deliver advanced building solutions in that period within Longford town. As the Deputy said we had a successful visit recently. I commend the team behind the co:worx hub space in Edgeworthstown. I recommend that Deputy Naughten call into it on his way home some day to see what can be done with a very successful hub.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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We have plenty of very successful hubs in Roscommon.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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We also met some very successful and hungry companies in the Deputy's area. I look forward to working with the Deputy. As the Minister of State, Deputy English, said, there is potentially space within the regional plan to assist them in acquiring space and in growing their operations.

Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for that extensive response. It was great to have him in Longford recently. He saw first-hand the excellent work that is under way at Lir Analytical, where Michael Savage and the team are leading in the area of biosecurity in animal feed production and healthcare. The one deficiency that was pointed out related to a site for an advanced factory and also for Enterprise Ireland-supported and LEO-supported businesses. This is critically important. The Minister of State's colleague alluded to the regional enterprise plans and how local councils can use them to identify and develop sites. We have a see-saw situation whereby IDA Ireland is saying that there needs to be an onus on the local authority to drive this and the local authorities are sitting back and saying that IDA Ireland needs to come and provide advanced building solutions. Much like the rest of the country, we cannot wait. We need to see something happen in respect of this matter. I need to see what the Department can do to impress on the council the need to move forward with this.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I commend Lir Analytical. It is a really exciting, home-grown company. I certainly look forward to working with the Deputy assisting its work. The Deputy and I had the pleasure of joining the midlands regional enterprise oversight group, which is chaired by Dr. Anne Cusack, along with programme manager Sarah Morgan. There was massive energy in the room where we met, with massive commitment from both the agencies and the various educational institutions. Given that some of the objectives in the plan involve capitalising on the existing strengths of the midlands in respect of smart specialisation, we will definitely be able to work with the local authority and its excellent chief executive, Paddy Mahon, on those building solutions. As the Deputy said, it cannot always fall on IDA Ireland or Enterprise Ireland to provide that. If Longford County Council is willing to step forward, as I absolutely know it is, we will certainly find a way to work with it.

Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State and welcome his commitment to work with Longford County Council. We have an excellent case study in Longford in a triangle on the Ballinalee Road between Abbott Ireland, Avery Dennison and Technimark. We have in the region of 2,500 jobs in IDA Ireland-assisted and supported companies. That is a real template for how regional development and job creation can be a success. I am delighted to hear that the Minister of State will put his strength and knowledge behind efforts by Longford County Council to identify and secure that land. It is good to know the money is there in terms of the regional growth plans. We need to put the emphasis and responsibility very much on the local authority. It needs to be a tandem arrangement between it and IDA Ireland. The Minister of State will have seen from his visits to Longford that we have exhausted any land that is there and urgently need to identify new land. There is a significant onus on the county council to drive this and drive the next generation of job creation in the county.