Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In a challenging, competitive and uncertain global environment, IDA’s Regional Property Programme aims to ensure the supply of land, buildings and infrastructure in regional locations to meet the needs of current and prospective clients of both the IDA and Enterprise Ireland. In this regard, a robust property and infrastructure ecosystem can be a key differentiator in winning FDI projects, as evidenced by the record regional results achieved under IDA Ireland’s 2015-2019 strategy and its current strategy - Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth, 2021 - 2024.

Despite the difficult global economic environment, over 24,000 net new jobs were created in IDA supported client companies in 2022, bringing the numbers directly employed in the multinational sector in Ireland to over 300,000 for the first time ever. Multinational operations supported by IDA account directly for more than 11% of the Irish workforce. Furthermore, regional employment stands at 163,653 an increase of 7% on 2021 with employment in IDA client companies growing in every region of the country, with the Midlands region showing growth of 10.5% over the previous year.

Regional development remains a top priority for my Department and for IDA Ireland, and as part of IDA Ireland’s strategy, half of all investments to the end of 2024 are to go to regional locations outside Dublin. In this regard, IDA Ireland won 242 investments in 2022 of which 52%, or 127 projects, went to regional locations. This strong growth in regional investment is supported by IDA Ireland’s property programme.

In respect of the building in Longford, the site selection process is ongoing and the IDA continues to liaise with Longford County Council and with wider stakeholders to seek a suitable site for the proposed Advanced Building Solution.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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47. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide an update on the IDA advanced building solution to be provided on the purchased IDA land bank in Mell north Drogheda; the expected timelines on the delivery of the ABS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31634/23]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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IDA’s Regional Property Programme aims to ensure the supply of land, buildings and infrastructure in regional locations to meet the needs of current and prospective clients of both the IDA and Enterprise Ireland. A robust property and infrastructure ecosystem can be a key differentiator in winning FDI projects, as evidenced by the record regional results achieved under IDA’s 2015-2019 strategy and its current strategy - Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth, 2021-2024. In this regard, the IDA Regional Property Programme is a significant driver of investment in quality building & land solutions in regional locations.

In 2021, IDA Ireland acquired a new 39-acre landbank at The Mell in Drogheda, Co Louth. This landbank will form part of IDA’s long term strategic plans to position Drogheda and the wider Mid-East region to compete for Foreign Direct Investment. Specifically, IDA Ireland have advised that a multi-disciplinary design team has been appointed for the project and is progressing well. Furthermore, it is IDA Ireland’s intention that the Drogheda ABS building will commence the planning process in Q3 2023. I am sure that the Deputy will appreciate that these implementation dates are contingent on a satisfactory outcome from the planning process.