Tony McCormack (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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8. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps he is taking to ensure that County Offaly does not fall further behind neighbouring counties in attracting IDA Ireland investment and securing employment opportunities; if his Department will commit to increasing the number of IDA Ireland site visits and targeted investment in Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50722/25]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for his important question. As somebody from a rural constituency, I am aware of how incredibly important IDA Ireland site visits are. I know the Deputy feels very strongly about those engagements as important opportunities for his county and the midlands.

IDA Ireland remains committed to regional development as one of four key strategic objectives of its strategy for the period 2025 to 2029, Adapt Intelligently. The aim of this ambitious strategy is to secure 550 of the 1,000 investments targeted over the lifetime of the strategy to the regions, including 40 in the midlands. Over half of the 973 investments won under IDA Ireland's strategy for the period 2021 to 2024 went to regional locations. Some 31 of these were in the midlands region, exceeding the strategy target of 25.

There are 1,420 people currently employed in Offaly across 11 IDA Ireland-supported companies. Figures show that employment among IDA Ireland clients increased by 26% in the region over the past five years. The midlands has a significant ecosystem of well-established companies across life sciences, technology, global business and financial services and engineering and industrial technologies. IDA Ireland will continue to position the midlands as a competitive and attractive destination for global investors.

In relation to site visits, I am advised that to the end of quarter 2 of this year, there were two visits to County Offaly, five in 2024 and three in 2023. I should state, however, that these figures represent individual visits and are not necessarily indicative of the number of companies that have visited. In addition, site visits may not necessarily be a true measure of the overall level of FDI activity in a region or county. The goal for the coming years is to build on the region's strengths and competencies to win investment, with a particular focus on high-value manufacturing, services and research and innovation opportunities across established clusters.

Tony McCormack (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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In the past ten years, IDA Ireland has made 240 site visits to Westmeath but only 45 to Offaly. That is a more than a five to one imbalance between two neighbouring counties in the midlands. IDA Ireland is also overnighting most of these itineraries in Athlone, where it wines and dines potential clients and, therefore, has a better chance of landing them in the area. The people of Offaly will not stand for being ignored or pawned off by a State agency that is supposed to treat all counties equally. Does the Minister of State accept that this looks like favouritism? What immediate steps will she take to ensure that IDA Ireland directs more visits and resources to Offaly? To be honest, over the most recent period, it has been a case of everything being the same. We need that to change.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I understand the passion and frustration of Deputy McCormack. While he gives us the figures regarding what is going to Westmeath and Offaly, there can be many reasons for that, although I am not defending it in any way. If the Deputy would like me to facilitate a meeting between him and IDA Ireland regarding the visits to County Offaly to see if there is more we can do to bolster those visits, I would be more than happy to try to facilitate him.

A core objective of IDA Ireland is to enable, influence and deliver a competitive property offering that supports the winning of FDI and the growth and expansion of indigenous clients within Enterprise Ireland's portfolio and promotes national economic investment. The availability of quality business parks and strategic sites is a critical component of the regional value proposition and winning investments in the regions. It is crucial that the midlands region has a competitive and sustainable offering to enable the attraction and retention of jobs and investment in the area.

I have a list with me of the companies that have visited County Offaly. As I said, if the Deputy wants me to facilitate a meeting in the future, I am happy to do so.

Tony McCormack (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for the offer of a meeting. Unfortunately, when I have had meetings with IDA Ireland, I get very little information because it is withheld due to it being of a sensitive nature. IDA Ireland-supported employment in the midlands fell last year by 0.45%. Offaly’s only IDA Ireland business park is already full. We need another park. Without new sites and investment, Offaly simply cannot compete with neighbouring counties. What commitment can the Minister of State give today that Offaly will see targeted IDA Ireland investment, including a newly expanded advance business park in Tullamore, with a clear timeline for delivery, as part of its new national plan? Tullamore was earmarked for an advance unit. Without the space to build, however, this will not happen.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The goal in the coming years is to build on the region's strengths and competencies to win that investment. I take the Deputy’s point that you have to have the facilities - sometimes you have to build it and they will come. Very often, the metric that gets people to come is if they see nice facilities and all the wraparound things, such as infrastructure, housing, footfall or whatever. I take the Deputy’s point. As somebody from Cavan-Monaghan, I know that we do not get many visits either, so I feel his pain. From my dealings with IDA Ireland so far, I know that sometimes it cannot dictate where companies go because their representatives come with particular requirements or a vision in their heads as to where they want to go. I take the point that a balance has to be struck if we are to create the proper regional development that we are all concerned about. A part of that is for IDA Ireland to have a greater spread across the regions. I take the Deputy’s points, which are very valid, and I will raise them with IDA Ireland.