Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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75. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide an update on the action being taken by IDA Ireland to bring new businesses to Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22079/23]

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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We are now back to Carlow.

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I am delighted to be getting back in again. I would like to ask the Minister about action taken by IDA Ireland to bring new businesses to Carlow and if he can make a statement on the matter.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I said it will not be forgotten this morning anyway. As we just discussed, IDA Ireland is working particularly hard to deliver in the regions through its strategy, Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth 2021-2024. IDA Ireland is identifying emerging trends and looking at the opportunities for sustainable growth among its existing client base through a focus on transformative investments to increase the productivity of existing Irish operations and to attract new ones through research, development and innovation, digitalisation, training and sustainability. The south east region, of which Carlow is part, has 86 IDA Ireland client companies, employing just over 15,500 people across technology, life sciences, international financial services, and engineering and industrial technologies.

FDI performance in the region has been strong over the past five years with employment among IDA Ireland clients increasing by 25% over the period. Carlow is part of the south-east region. There are four IDA Ireland client companies in County Carlow with a combined employment of 1,515. As we discussed earlier, the new 34,000 sq. ft. advanced building solution in Carlow town is scheduled for practical completion in the coming weeks in the second quarter of 2023. In this spirit, IDA Ireland will continue to market Carlow and the south-east region through its overseas offices to target mobile FDI opportunities with corresponding site visits. The availability of the advanced building solution will be a major plus in this marketing effort for Carlow.

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State. I welcome this and we have spoken previously about it. I welcome regional development but since Carlow is the smallest county in the south east, I always feel we have a lot more to do. I find it is a challenge for us. I thank the Minister of State for his commitment to meeting IDA Ireland with me and perhaps meeting Carlow County Council. Carlow has so much to offer. We are close to Dublin. Our road infrastructure is excellent. I could mention MSD and Unum. Glenveagh is opening a new factory. We have such potential but we need help. To get this help everybody must be involved and all of the agencies must work together. The reason I am raising this is because of my concerns that we are the smallest county and this affects us. It is a lot more challenging for us.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Small can be good. Through its strategy IDA Ireland is developing only 19 advanced building solutions in 15 regional locations and Carlow is one of them. This is a very serious statement of intent on the part of IDA Ireland and the Government that we are taking Carlow's potential seriously. We are increasing its attractiveness as a location for direct investment. Having the ability to offer a building will transform its potential to attract new clients. We will sit down with Deputy Murnane O'Connor and IDA Ireland and discuss its plans to sell this new facility, which should be due for completion in the coming weeks.

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State. I drive by the building every day. I can only say it is excellent. The quality of the workmanship is beautiful. My biggest fear, and this is why I am raising the issue, is that I want to make sure we fill the building, get clients for it and are in a position in Carlow whereby I can say to people in the coming months that the building is there with clients in it. It is an excellent building but unless we have people in it, as the Minister of State knows, it will defeat the purpose. I welcome the work that has been done. I am delighted the Minister of State has agreed to work with me on this and I know he will do so. I can only say to any investor that Carlow is an fabulous place to live. We have so much to offer. If people are going to invest, they should look at Carlow.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Obviously, I am in support of my neighbouring representative and I have to agree. At the same time I must bring to the attention of the House the necessity with regard to all of the regions to identify infrastructural deficits that affect various parts of the country, particularly with regard to bringing on board the type of enterprises my colleague has referred to.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The location of the advanced building solutions were not randomly chosen. A lot of research went in. There was a lot of analysis looking at existing companies in the areas, looking at broader macroeconomic considerations and looking at existing clusters of companies. Part of the new White Paper is on investing in clustering and ensuring it is strengthened. Carlow will be part of this. I point to the 1,000 jobs announced by the Minister, Deputy Coveney, last Friday for Athenry. It shows that IDA Ireland is very committed to regional investment. It is the biggest jobs announcement in the country for some time. It went to the regions and it is an indication not only of the seriousness of IDA Ireland but also of that of the Government.