Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Regional development remains a top priority for my Department and for our enterprise agencies. IDA’s targets for the period 2021-2024 are to assist the creation of an additional 50,000 jobs, attract 800 new investment projects, of which 400 are to the regions, and to drive new climate, sustainability, RD&I (Research, Development and Innovation) and training investments by multinationals in Ireland.

In 2022, over half of all projects (127 or 52%) went to regional locations. This brings the total number of regional investments under IDA Ireland’s current strategy to 260, keeping the Agency on track to achieve their 2021-24 target of 400.

Employment in IDA client companies grew in every region of the country, with the Midlands region showing growth of 10.5%. In that regard, there are 50 IDA client companies in the Midlands Region (comprising Westmeath, Offaly, Laois and Longford), employing 7,665 people. The FDI performance in the region has been consistent over the past five years with employment among IDA clients increasing by 48% over that time. The region has an impressive range of companies across all industry sectors, with strengths in Life Sciences, Technology, Global Business Services, International Financial Services, and Engineering & Industrial Technologies.

Additionally, 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. IDA Ireland will deliver 19 Advanced Building Solutions in 15 regional locations throughout Ireland over the lifetime of their current strategy. In the Midlands region these are in Athlone, Longford and Mullingar.

The site selection process for the proposed Advanced Building Solution in Longford is underway, and the IDA continues to liaise with Longford County Council and with wider stakeholders to seek a suitable site. In relation to the Mullingar building, IDA Ireland received the final grant of planning permission from Westmeath County Council in December 2022 for the construction of a c.50,000sq.ft. Advanced Building Solution consisting of office and light industrial/production spaces. IDA Ireland have advised my Department that the consequent procurement process is now underway.

Insofar as Enterprise Ireland client companies are concerned, employment increased by 6% in EI client companies in 2022 compared to the previous year, with almost 70% of new jobs outside Dublin. The positive job creation results are a testament to the talent, resilience and innovation of businesses operating throughout Ireland.

More specifically, in July 2022, Longford Enterprise Development Company was awarded a Feasibility Grant of €36,000 under the Regional Enterprise Innovation Scoping Scheme (REISS) to explore the potential for a Logistical Technology Hub in Longford. The Hub will support local and national SMEs involved in transportation and distribution to develop and embrace digital tools. REISS is a new Enterprise Ireland regional fund that supports the development of potential innovative regional projects aligned with the objectives of the nine new Regional Enterprise Plans that were launched earlier this year.

Enterprise Ireland’s Midlands and Mid-East New Frontiers 2022 programme, which is run in conjunction with TUS (Technological University of the Shannon), awarded 12 local companies a place on its Phase 2 segment from a total of 60 participants, including four Westmeath start-ups. New Frontiers is an Enterprise Ireland start-up programme that offers hot-desking, mentor support and €15,000 stipend during a 6-month programme.

Finally, earlier this year, I formally opened ‘The CUBE’ in Portlaoise. The CUBE is a 10,000 square foot Low Carbon Centre of Excellence, funded by EI under the Regional Enterprise Development Fund and Laois County Council. The CUBE is the first of its kind in the region, located in the heart of Portlaoise’s Cultural Quarter. Portlaoise Town has been designated as Ireland’s first ‘Low Carbon Town’ which will serve as a roadmap for the development and rollout of similar low carbon initiatives in other towns around the Country, with the CUBE playing an integral part in this roll-out.