Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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336. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his Department and agencies under its remit are conducting reviews on the availability of infrastructure for use by small and medium enterprises or multinationals, to ensure sufficient capacity for expansion, with particular reference to County Galway and the West. [15827/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Enterprise Ireland is the national agency under my aegis with responsibility for the development of Irish enterprise, deepening Ireland’s footprint in world markets, and supporting employment creation in our economy. EI’s support system for young companies includes help with business planning, mentoring and development advice, feasibility funding and finance, often in the form of equity investment, as appropriate to the founder’s ambitions and the company’s potential and stage of growth. Enterprise Ireland is not conducting any reviews on the availability of infrastructure in Galway or in the West.

IDA Ireland regularly assesses and monitors property requirements in the regions and identifies locations where quality buildings and site solutions will support IDA's regional strategy.

In Galway/West Region, IDA Ireland has funded the development of property and infrastructure in the Region which can support the requirements of mobile FDI. These property solutions include Business & Technology Parks with land available to lease in Galway City (Parkmore West and East), Ballinasloe, Tuam, Gort, Castlebar, Ballina and Roscommon. In addition, there is a strategic serviced site with advance planning permission for a Bio-Pharma campus in Oranmore, while in Athenry there is a strategic IDA land bank located off the M6 motorway from Galway to Dublin on which Phase 1 of development to ensure that it is sufficiently serviced for capital intensive projects has been completed.

On 11 February 2015, it was announced that, as part of the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs – Regional, IDA Ireland would invest €150m in various property solutions which are designed to allow the Agency to create opportunities to win additional projects for the regions outside Dublin and Cork. These will involve advance buildings, improvements of existing parks, and the acquisition and servicing of suitable sites. Every region outside of Dublin and the Mid-East will benefit from this announcement.

The 5-year €150m capital investment programme will build on the recent investment by IDA Ireland in facilities in Athlone and Waterford, and will include investments over the coming years in building advance manufacturing and office facilities in various locations around the country.

In addition, the Deputy will be aware that Údarás na Gaeltachta is the regional development for the Gaeltacht which includes the Gaeltacht areas of both Co. Galway and Co. Mayo. Údarás na Gaeltachta’s role as a regional development authority is to stimulate job-creation by supporting and encouraging the development of enterprise in the Gaeltacht. Údarás does this by attracting new investment, nurturing existing businesses, developing modern business infrastructure, and enhancing the skills base of the Gaeltacht community. In that regard I understand that Údarás na Gaeltachta maintains a property portfolio of property in the Galway and Mayo Gaeltacht for the purposes of assisting enterprise to establish in those areas. Under the Action Plan for Jobs – Regional, Údarás na Gaeltachta are in close contact with Enterprise Ireland and the IDA with regard to the property that it available for letting to potential enterprise clients.