Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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13. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of investments the IDA is targeting in the midlands under its current strategy; its performance in midlands investments under the previous strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50579/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Fleming for his question on the midlands region. Regional development is a key focus in the programme for Government and is central to the work of my Department and its agencies. In that regard, IDA Ireland has reaffirmed its strong commitment to regional development as a core pillar of its 2025 to 2029 strategy, which we launched a number of months ago. This ambitious strategy aims to secure 550 foreign direct investment projects in rural and regional areas, accounting for 55% of all planned investments. The overarching goal is to create 75,000 new jobs nationwide and generate a projected €250 billion in economic impact. IDA Ireland is targeting 40 client investments to the midlands region over the lifetime of the strategy.

Last year saw the conclusion of IDA Ireland’s 2021 to 2024 strategy, Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth. Over the course of the strategy, IDA Ireland supported the delivery of 973 investments and creation of 76,790 jobs, or 121% and 153% of the respective targets. Some 54% of all investments were in regional locations outside Dublin. The investment target for the midlands over the period 2021 to 2024 was 25 investments and the total number of investments won for the region was 31. IDA’s goal for the coming years is to build on the strengths and competencies of the region, with a particular focus on high-value manufacturing, services, and research and innovation opportunities across established clusters in life sciences, technology and global business services. Emerging technology trends will continue to create new opportunities for the region in areas such as data analytics, smart manufacturing, cybersecurity and new approaches to working, such as co-working hubs.

As the Deputy will be aware, IDA Ireland’s strategy focuses on partnering with enterprises in the existing FDI base to retain and renew their Irish operations, alongside attracting new investment. The agency provides ongoing support to existing clients through investment in research and development and it will be very important in the upcoming budget to get the research and development value proposition correct. IDA Ireland also provides support for upskilling, talent development, digitalisation and sustainability in the FDI sector.

Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for that overview of the midlands region but I am sure he will understand if I speak about Laois in particular. At the end of last year, there were 8,045 IDA-supported jobs in the midlands. Laois has 30% of the population of the midland counties but has only 1.8% of the IDA-supported jobs in the area. If one looks at the county-by-county list produced by the IDA, one sees that Laois has 145 IDA-supported jobs. It is a disgrace. I say that publicly. The total of 145 is, by a mile, the lowest of any county in the country even though the services in Laois are as good and as available as anywhere else.

I was very worried by the Minister's statement. I would ask him to introduce the IDA to County Laois and to arrange a meeting for the TDs and the chief executive of Laois County Council on this. I was especially worried when the Minister said that the IDA wanted to partner with existing FDI investments that were already up and running in the midlands region and nationwide because that means it would exclude Laois. The county does not have those investments. It is remarkable that the Laois figure is so low.

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I will be categorical in stating that we are absolutely not excluding Laois. I was down there recently. The Leprino plant is an existing sector business under Enterprise Ireland that we are trying to find a replacement for through the FDI sector. It is a highly regulated plant that needs very significant support. As the Deputy will be aware, we are also working on an advance planning permit for Portlaoise. This is a very important investment which aims to get more high-quality stock into the market to assist County Laois.

As I pointed out, employment in the region increased by 26% over the last number of years. I am happy to arrange a meeting to work with Laois companies and to try to get more investment into the region but we have to be honest about the fact that we are operating in a very constrained space now. Over the next five years, relations with the US Administration will be very constrained. We are under significant pressure in terms of capital investment and we have very strong competitors. Singapore, for example, has very deep pockets. In terms of increases in capital allocations in the budget, we are looking at getting 6%, if we are lucky. That leaves us in a very tight space in the context of the work we do.

We just have to be very honest and we have to protect what we have. I absolutely want to grow Laois. I will be unequivocal about that and will work with Deputy Fleming in trying to assist through the IDA. We are committed on the capital side through our land bank there and the work we have to do on it.

Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for that and, in particular, his commitment to help arrange a meeting between the TDs, the chief executive of Laois County Council and appropriate IDA officials - or Enterprise Ireland officials, while we are at it, because the figures for Enterprise Ireland in Laois are abysmally low as well. We are almost at the bottom.

I will make a few key points. The Minister mentioned Leprino. That company provides 135 jobs. We hope we can get a replacement. It is a high-tech business. That replacement, however, would only maintain the jobs already in the county. Portlaoise is ideally located. It has the best road network in the country. It is on the M7. Thirty-two trains leave Portlaoise every day for Dublin and Portarlington. We have the best train service of any provincial town in the country. As regards the housing in Portlaoise, thousands of houses have been built in Laois in recent years, more than in any other county per capita. We therefore have all the facilities that are required in Portlaoise. The IDA has a 30 ha site already in Portlaoise. We want to see an advance factory on that site as urgently as possible. If we have that, we might have a location to bring clients to.

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I would absolutely support Deputy Fleming in what he set out, those 30 ha and the critical importance of an advance factory unit or a building solution unit because we know that it shortens lead time for investors. When you are bringing someone on site and you have a ready-made building, or the consent agreed for a building, it makes a difference. We will absolutely work with the Deputy on that. I know from my town, Mullingar, that it can be very difficult at times to secure good, high-quality investments from the IDA, and I feel the Deputy's pain in trying to get additional clients in, but I am absolutely here to work with him on that journey. As he points out, the Leprino site is very highly regulated. I have met with the IDA on a number of occasions in respect of it and met the management in Leprino to try to ensure that it is doing everything to get a good prospectus together in order that we can try to get a replacement into what is a very highly regulated site. I know Portlaoise and Laois very well. The housing increases there have been very significant. You can see as you drive through the town progress at every corner. The town's connectivity, road and rail, is exceptional. We are very happy to work with the Deputy on that.