Written answers

Tuesday, 27 September 2022

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Industrial Development

Photo of Sorca ClarkeSorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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4. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on the efforts by the IDA to attract inward investment to counties Longford and Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46574/22]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Regional development is at the centre of IDA’s current strategy: Driving Recovery & Sustainable Growth 2021-2024, whereby IDA Ireland is targeting half of all investments (400) from 2021- 2024 to regional locations.

Longford and Westmeath, along with Laois and Offaly, make up the IDA’s Midlands Region. There are 49 IDA client companies employing 6,838 people in this region. FDI performance in the region has been consistent over the past five years, with employment among IDA clients increasing by 43% over that time. This region showed 10% FDI employment growth during 2021- the highest rate of growth across the country. IDA supported companies operate across a variety of sectors, including Life Sciences, Technology, Consumer Business Services, and Engineering & Industrial Technologies, in the region.

Westmeath is home to 28 companies who employ 4,099 people directly. This month Enermech officially opened its new Irish manufacturing facility in Athlone, creating 170 jobs and involving an investment of €9.2m. In August, Ashland announced plans to double headcount and footprint at its Viatel bioresorbable polymer manufacturing and R&D facility in Mullingar. Ericsson officially announced its plans in May to hire 250 additional people at its Irish R&D Centre in Athlone. In March DuPont/OxyMem officially announced a multi-million-euro transformation of its OxyMem™ Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor (MABR) at its manufacturing facility in Athlone.

Longford is home to 6 overseas companies employing 1,310 people. Recent announcements in Longford include Center Parcs announcing a €85m expansion plan for their forest resort in Ballymahon. 250 additional jobs are planned to be created once the development is completed, and the development will create 300 construction jobs.

IDA Ireland will continue to work closely with existing clients across the Midlands to retain and strengthen their presence through continued company transformation as well as pursuing new areas of opportunity for client companies. IDA will also continue to work closely with Enterprise Ireland and its indigenous base of companies to identify synergies, enhance clusters, participate in site visits, and maximise benefits for the region.

The existing FDI base of companies in the region enjoy strong collaborative links with the Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest (TUS), and the presence of a third level Institution of scale further strengthens the potential of the wider region.

The timely provision of appropriate and cost-effective property and infrastructure solutions to meet the needs of MNC’s remains essential to winning FDI. As part of IDA’s Regional Property Programme, the Agency has committed to delivering three Advanced Building Solutions in County Westmeath and one in County Longford.

The IDA will continue to actively promote Westmeath and Longford as part of the wider Midlands value proposition throughout 2022 and beyond.

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