Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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67. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide details on the efforts his Department, in conjunction with the IDA and Enterprise Ireland, are making to attract new commerce and industry to Ennis, County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23047/24]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Regional development is a key element of the Government's enterprise policy and is fully reflected in the Strategies of our Enterprise Development Agencies.

For the IDA, it is targeting at least half of all investments - that is 400 of 800 - from 2021 to 2024 to regional locations. The Mid-West Region, including Ennis, County Clare, has 159 IDA client companies, employing over 27,000 people, with 70 companies employing almost 6,000 in County Clare. The IDA works closely with the existing base of client companies to support their continued growth, as well as looking to locate new investments in the County, and over the past five years employment among IDA clients in Clare has increased by 20%. However, global FDI flows are decreasing reflecting a challenging and uncertain global economic environment and global competition for FDI is intensifying as countries compete for investment to sustain economic growth.

For Enterprise Ireland, it has also been instrumental in fostering a supportive environment for business growth in County Clare. Through strategic initiatives and partnerships, EI remains focused on enhancing the employment attractiveness of the Mid-West region. Enterprise Ireland has 100 clients in County Clare that it works with, that employ almost 5,200 people.

Furthermore, the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Clare Development Plan outlines a comprehensive framework for enterprise development in the area.