Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for the delay. I thank the Senator for raising this issue.

Senators will recall that 2021 was a record-breaking year for foreign direct investment in Ireland, with total employment in IDA Ireland client companies now standing at 275,384, which is up over 29,000 on the 2020 figures. Growth in the regions is particularly buoyant, with 53%, or 133, of the 249 investments won by IDA Ireland going to regional locations. In the west, there are 120 IDA Ireland-supported companies that employ 29,419 people. Ninety-four of these IDA Ireland-supported companies are in Galway city and county, and they employ 22,801 people.

The timely provision of appropriate and cost-effective property and infrastructure solutions to meet the needs of multinational companies remains essential to winning foreign direct investment. Over the past five years, IDA Ireland’s regional property programme has enabled the winning of capital-intensive projects of significant scale for regional locations. In the current IDA Ireland strategy, Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth 2021–2024,IDA Ireland has committed to strategic land acquisition in the west and keeps its land portfolio under constant review. As Senators are aware, IDA Ireland is committed to ensuring a good supply of suitable property solutions for foreign direct investors in regional locations and, as such, has a network of business and technology parks across every region to support both its own and Enterprise Ireland’s client companies.

The Senator is correct about Galway, in which he has expressed an interest. To quarter 3 of 2022, IDA Ireland hosted 31 site visits to Galway. It is heartening that in-person site visits to Galway have returned to pre-Covid-19 pandemic figures, with the 2022 site-visit data comparable with those of 2018 and 2019. IDA Ireland completed an advanced building solution at Parkmore, within the economic corridor referred to by the Senator, in 2021. I am informed that IDA Ireland is currently engaging with those actively interested in the building. IDA Ireland secured planning permission from Galway County Council for an additional advanced building solution at Parkmore in the summer of 2022. It has completed a detailed design. The project is ongoing.

I am advised that IDA Ireland has regular engagement with client companies and stakeholders in the county. During 2023, IDA Ireland will continue to market Galway and the rest of the west through its overseas offices to target mobile foreign direct investment opportunities and will arrange corresponding site visits as required.

I will raise the issues relating to Irish Water to which the Senator referred with the property section of IDA Ireland, which would have the best people to pursue that project.