Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

281. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to provide a timeline for the completion of the proposed IDA advance facilities planned for Drogheda, County Louth; if client companies have been identified to occupy the facilities; if any formal agreement has been entered into at this point; the nature of any agreements entered into in regard to the advance facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29446/24]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

IDA’s regional property programme ensures the continued supply of land, buildings and infrastructure in regional locations to meet the needs of current and prospective clients of IDA, Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices. The timely provision of appropriate, cost-effective property and infrastructure solutions to meet the needs of Multinational Companies (MNCs) remains essential to winning Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

In the current IDA Strategy - Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth 2021 – 2024 - IDA is progressing delivery of Advanced Building Solutions (ABS) in a number of regional locations including the Mid-East, specifically at IDA’s land bank in The Mell in Drogheda. The development of this land bank, including the design of the ABS, forms part of IDA’s long term strategic plans to position Drogheda and the wider Mid-East region to compete for FDI investment. At present, IDA is currently completing remedial infrastructural works at the site.

While the planning application for the Drogheda ABS has received a decision to grant, the IDA must now wait for the appeals period to conclude. Many factors impact on the delivery of construction projects including site identification, design, the planning process, procurement and a variety of macro-economic factors. It is not possible to confirm when construction will commence on the Drogheda ABS in the absence of this final planning decision. However, upon receipt of planning permission IDA can then commence the next phase for delivery of same which includes a public procurement process for the appointment of an appropriate contractor and is subject to IDA Board approval.

Currently, there is no client identified for this building.

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

283. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of IDA site visits to County Louth in 2022, 2023 and 2024; the number of such client visits made to Drogheda, County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29448/24]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Regional development is a key element of Government's enterprise policy, as set out in the White Paper on Enterprise and is a key focus of the work of my Department. In that regard, IDA Ireland is committed to the pursuit of balanced, compact regional development and is targeting at least half of all investments - that is 400 of 800 - from 2021 to 2024 to regional locations.

Further, the IDA’s Regional Property Programme ensures the continued supply of land, buildings and infrastructure in regional locations to meet the needs of current and prospective clients of IDA, Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices, as the timely provision of appropriate, cost-effective property and infrastructure solutions to meet the needs of Multinational Companies (MNCs) remains essential to winning Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). To these ends, the IDA also partners with the private sector and Local Authorities to deliver buildings in key locations and is investing in significant infrastructure projects across the portfolio of Business and Technology Parks responding to evolving company needs. The agency also maintains a focus on land banks and strategic sites to future proof the ability of the property portfolio in regional locations to support the project pipeline.

Statistics on site visits are available on a county basis only and, in this regard, the number of site visits to County Louth in 2022 was 16; in 2023 was 11; and for Q1 2024 there have been 2 visits. Figures for Q2 are being collated and verified and will be available next month. These site visit figures reflect both in-person and e-visits. I am also advised, that potential clients visiting Ireland may visit more than one county and may return to a location more than once. Thus the foregoing figures represent individual visits and are, therefore, not indicative of the number of companies that have visited.