Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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9. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of investments IDA Ireland is targeting in the west under its current strategy; its performance in investments in the west under the previous strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50584/25]

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The work of IDA Ireland cannot be underestimated. It has a proven, serious track record of delivery right across the country and of bringing in business and creating jobs. Under the current strategy, how has IDA Ireland performed in the west of Ireland, what is the plan for the future and where are we going from here? Ultimately, it is vital that we make a success of the west. I would appreciate it if the Minister could speak to IDA Ireland’s performance under its strategy.

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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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.

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Over 31,000 people are employed by IDA companies in the west of Ireland, as the Minister outlined. I welcome the fact that the ambition is going up, from 76-IDA backed investments in the last plan to a target of 100 investments over the lifetime of this strategy. I welcome the publication of the strategy.

I attended the opening of the Medical Technology Ireland conference yesterday in Galway and saw for myself the talent, business and enterprise that was ongoing in the Galway medtech ecosphere. It is vital that we continue to support that. Over the last 20 or 30 years, we have built expertise, facilities and such a successful ecosystem, including relationships between the universities and businesses. Does the Minister have any plans to continue to support that and what will that support look like?

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I do indeed. Our new life science strategy will be brought forward next year. That will be in line with the EU life science strategy and will aim to grow the 100,000 employees in the sector and the more than €100 billion in exports. Galway is very much front and centre of that, being a hub of medtech. About 70% of medtech companies are doing research and development and they are very good at the commercialisation of research in our tertiary education settings. One of the key areas of our new strategy is semiconductors, which is also important for the west. Obviously, Galway has been highlighted for its very significant and large-scale site, which will be very important for our next-generation semiconductor investment. The Deputy referenced the 31,000 people employed by IDA companies in the west, particularly in Galway, but there are an additional 25,000 jobs intrinsically linked to the IDA. If one looks at the current semiconductor companies and their supply chains, one of them has 900 SMEs intrinsically ingrained in its supply chain management process, so that will be a significant game-changer for Galway. It is very important that we get that site over the line. We are expecting to bring a memo to Cabinet on it in the next number of weeks, in consultation with our friends in the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation. It is important that we get that on the road.

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I really welcome that and I assure the Minister that, when he goes to Cabinet with that memo, he will have my full support. We must make sure that site is unlocked and the potential is realised. What is notable about that semiconductor site, adjacent to Oranmore, is its scale. It is going to be huge and the impact will secure the future of the west of Ireland for the next 20, 30 or 40 years. Something like the advance planning permit that the Minister mentioned in his reply is vital. I saw the success of Dexcom in Athenry. It had such a smooth run through the planning system. There was not one local objection and there was collegiality with Galway County Council. There was an understanding there. The council did its job and attached 58 conditions to the development but it got planning permission in eight weeks. That development will provide 1,000 jobs in Athenry, which is an absolutely huge investment.

The Minister's idea of preplanning permits so that we can have a general outline of the site's potential will be needed at the Oranmore site. Work should begin on that immediately, alongside the Minister's proposal for a €3.2 billion infrastructure package that will not only secure that site, but secure the future of Galway as well.

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I understand that work is ongoing with the local authority in relation to that. My Department is very happy to support that planning permit, which will be very important for the sector. There is huge opportunity. We hear some negative things about the planning process but one thing that strikes me, as a former Minister of State with responsibility for planning, is that over 90% of planning decisions in this country do not go to appeal. A lot of good things happen but we do not hear about them. Dexcom is a prime example of that. I met representatives of the company recently and had a chat with them at an event in Galway involving the chamber of commerce. I also met the chief executive of Galway County Council, Liam Conneally, who outlined the ambition for County Galway. If I remember correctly from my days in the Custom House, his is the second biggest local authority in Ireland and has a huge amount of opportunity. The area has grid capacity and power, which we do not have in a lot of areas of the country. Galway has a lot of good cards and hopefully it will get to play them right over the next number of weeks.