Written answers

Wednesday, 13 January 2021

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

IDA Ireland

Photo of Noel GrealishNoel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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16. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to secure enterprise for the west side of Galway city, particularly the IDA Ireland zoned lands in Knocknacarra, Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44668/20]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The provision of property solutions is a key element in IDA’s marketing of Galway and the West Region.  The IDA actively promotes available buildings and land in IDA Business Parks and high-quality buildings in private ownership through our network of overseas offices. IDA Ireland does not own any land in Knocknacarra.  I am advised that IDA Ireland are aware of, and familiar with, privately owned industrial zoned lands available in Knocknacarra and will continue to market these lands to potential investors.

In Galway, IDA Ireland has invested significantly in the provision of world-class property solutions and has invested in several Business and Technology parks in Galway City and County, for example, Parkmore, Oranmore, Ballinasloe, Tuam and Loughrea and has purchased land for future strategic development in Athenry.  In relation to suitable building solutions for FDI, IDA Ireland partners with the private sector and there are several available properties in Galway.

There are 120 IDA supported companies in the West Region, employing 27,695 people in total.  There are 93 IDA supported companies in Galway City and County, employing 21,428 in total.  This is an increase in employment of 3% on the previous year.

There have been some recent significant investments and announcements by IDA supported companies in Galway, specifically:

On 6 January 2021 Genesys, a global leader in cloud customer experience and contact centre solutions, announced it is creating 100 new software roles in Ireland. The company’s R&D Centre for Digital and artificial intelligence (AI) in Galway is a key driver of technology innovation for Genesys as it works to transform the way brands and people connect in a digital-first world.

In November 2020 Diligent Corporation, a leading modern governance company, announced that it is establishing its European hub in Galway. Diligent plans to create more than 200 local jobs in Galway across several business functions, including customer support, customer success, finance, product, HR and marketing.

In July 2020 Globalization Partners, which simplifies global business by enabling companies to hire and retain team members in 180+ countries without the complexity of setting up international branch offices or subsidiaries, announced plans to hire 25 technology positions in Galway. These newly created positions include software engineers, technology leads, help centre support, DevOps engineers, UI/UX designers and many others located in the company’s Galway centre of operations. 

In June 2020 Triggerfish, the animation studio behind Netflix’s first original animated TV series from Africa, announced it is to establish its first international studio in Galway. Founded in 1996, Triggerfish was instrumental in the birth of the South African animation industry, co-founding the country’s official animation association as well as an ongoing monthly screening and networking event. The project is expected to create 60 new jobs over the next three years.

Looking to the future, IDA Ireland will continue to draw the attention of multinationals looking to invest or expand in County Galway.  The IDA continues to engage with key stakeholders on the ground in Galway including the local authorities, the education sector, Enterprise Ireland, Local Enterprise Offices (LEO) and both overseas and indigenous companies with a view to generating new employment opportunities. 

Regional development is at the centre of IDA’s new strategy, "Driving Recovery & Sustainable Growth 2021-2024".  IDA Ireland is committed to the pursuit of balanced, compact regional development which can deliver complementary efficiency and equity gains, with the overall impact of helping to advance national development. IDA will target half of all investments (400) from 2021- 2024 to regional locations and maintain the same high level of investment as targeted in IDA’s previous strategy for each region of the country. I look forward to working closely with the IDA on the completion of this new strategy to guide the Agency's work in the time ahead.

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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17. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to his meeting with the west regional enterprise plan steering committee of 11 December 2020, the plans of IDA Ireland to acquire the 50 acres of industrial lands in Ballinasloe, County Galway from the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44689/20]

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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18. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to his meeting with the west regional enterprise plan steering committee of 11 December 2020, the plans of IDA Ireland to construct an advance factory on the under-utilised industrial lands in Ballinasloe, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44690/20]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 18 together.

There are 120 IDA supported companies in the West Region, employing 27,695 people in total. There are 93 IDA supported companies in Galway City and County, employing 21,428 in total. This is an increase in employment of 3% on the previous year. Ballinasloe is marketed as part of the West Region. This provides scale and scope, which gives confidence to the investor that they will be able to establish themselves outside of a main city area and manage to secure talent and services to make their business work.

IDA positions the West Region as home to the leading cluster of Life Sciences industries employing the highest per capita of Medical Technology staff in Europe (Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Hollister and Baxter and also Surmodics, which is located in Ballinasloe). These international brands are an attraction for additional companies to potentially locate to the West Region, including Ballinasloe.

The provision of property solutions is a key element in IDA’s marketing of Galway and the West Region. IDA actively promotes available buildings and land in IDA Business Parks and high-quality buildings in private ownership through our network of overseas offices.

IDA continues to market the available lands (c.22 acres) on the IDA business & technology park in Ballinasloe to potential investors, including the advanced planning permission for an Advanced Technology Unit on these lands (adjacent to Aptar Ballinasloe). IDA and Ballinasloe Area Community Development (BACD) completed a joint venture to secure planning for an Advance Technology Unit

(ATU). The availability of the ATU planning permission is being marketed by IDA as a planning de-risked and flexible potential property solution. I am advised that IDA does not intend to acquire the 50 acres of industrial lands in Ballinasloe, County Galway from the HSE. IDA keeps its property portfolio under constant review.

Regional development is at the centre of IDA’s new strategy, Driving Recovery & Sustainable Growth 2021-2024. IDA is committed to the pursuit of more balanced, compact regional development which can deliver complementary efficiency and equity gains, with the overall impact of helping to advance national development. IDA will target half of all investments (400) from 2021- 2024 to regional locations and maintain the same high level of investment as targeted in IDA’s previous strategy for each region of the country.

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