Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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26. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which projects that fall within the aegis of his Department and are within the revised National Development Plan are at an advanced stage at present or are in course thereof; the extent to which preliminary work has taken place or on-site works are in hand or proposed; the expected delivery date of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49251/21]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment’s priority NDP investments focus on optimal use of its capital investment to drive a jobs-led recovery and promote the longer-term capacity and reorientation of our economy. Whilst the revised NDP sets out the key physical infrastructure projects in transport, health, broadband and energy that will serve our society into the future, the Department’s NDP projects and programmes complement these by prioritising knowledge capital and investment in the enterprise environment that enhance competitiveness, job creation and the productivity and innovative capacity of our businesses. A competitive, innovative and resilient enterprise base is essential to achieve the ambitions set out in Project Ireland 2040, delivering employment opportunities for people to live and prosper in all regions.

The programmes to be delivered by Enterprise Ireland include the Green Transition Fund (driving decarbonisation and enterprise resilience in the transition to a low carbon economy), the Digital Transition Fund (building a future focused SME base), Seed and Venture Capital Funding (assisting regional start-ups and growth), the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (spurring innovation and investment in cutting-edge technologies and future-focused solutions), the Space Technologies Programme (benefitting firms in the regions) and EI will establish the network of European Digital Innovation Hubs. These actions will be undertaken in line with EI’s new corporate strategy.

IDA Ireland will continue to strengthen growth and employment potential with a particular focus on balanced regional development and smart specialisation, building competitive and innovative regions and enterprises. Its projects will include the expansion of the National Institute for Bioprocess Researching and Training (NIBRT), the commencement of the Advanced Manufacturing Centre, and the continued roll-out of the Regional Property Programme.

The Advanced Manufacturing Centre is a new, independent industry-led centre that will enable Irish based discrete manufacturers (MNCs and SMEs) access, adopt, and accelerate digital technologies at scale, which solve real world challenges and drive further competitiveness. The AMC building is currently under construction at the National Technology Park, Limerick. It is expected that the AMC building will be practically complete in Q4 2021, with the centre fully operational in Q1 2022.

The expansion of the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) will be rolled out and capacity will be scaled up to produce personalised medicines. It is expected that contractors will be appointed in November 2021 and that construction will commence in Q4 2021. The expansion is due for completion in Q4 2022.

The IDA Regional Property Programme will be expanded in order to continue to attract investment to regional locations. Over the course of the current strategy to 2024, IDA will see the delivery of 19 buildings across 15 regional locations together with land acquisitions, infrastructure, and services delivery.

Five properties are currently under construction, with three due to be completed in Q4 2021. These include Advanced Building Solution in Sligo; Advanced Technology Building in Monaghan; and the Advanced Manufacturing Centre in Limerick.

Four further buildings are at contractor procurement stage, with two in Limerick and Athlone due to commence onsite in Q4.

A further three are awaiting planning approval; these include Advanced Buildings Solutions in Sligo, Cavan, and Galway.

Nine further projects are at earlier stages of development. The table below summarises the position:

The grants available to IDA clients include, Capital and Employment; Training Grants; Research Development and Innovation, R&D feasibility; Environmental Aid Grants; and other grant supports under de minimis aid including Business Asset Grants; Lean and Green Grants and the International Marketing Programme. Grant programmes introduced as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic include the Business Continuity Grant and the Covid-19 Medicinal Products Scheme.