Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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365. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reasons as to the low number of IDA site visits to Counties Wicklow and Wexford over the three-year period of 2022-2024; what strategies are in place to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7569/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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IDA site visits to Counties Wicklow and Wexford over the three-year period of 2022-2024 are set out in the table below. The figures provided represent individual visits and are not indicative of the number of companies that have visited.

It is also important to recognise that the final decision on where to locate an investment is always decided by the IDA client company, and not by IDA Ireland, and it can take many years to convert from initial site visit to final project proposal. In this regard, regular engagement and collaboration with stakeholders are important in positioning any regional location to attract FDI and, in this respect, IDA Ireland continues to engage with stakeholders as well as working with existing clients in all regional locations to generate additional employment.

The IDA South-East Region comprises counties Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford. There are 85 IDA client companies in the South-East Region, employing 15,580 people directly and an additional estimated 12,464 jobs indirectly. County Wexford is home to 25 companies, employing 3,606 people directly with an estimated indirect employment of 2,884. The South-East has a significant ecosystem of well-established companies across Life Sciences, International Financial Services, and Engineering & Industrial Technologies and has also won investment in the Cyber-security sub-sector. Counties in the South-East also benefit from the direct and indirect employment generated by IDA client companies in neighbouring regions.

The IDA Mid-East Region comprises counties Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow. There are 121 IDA client companies in the Mid-East Region, employing 20,470 people directly and supporting many more jobs indirectly. County Wicklow is home to 22 companies, employing 2,695 people directly and and estimated 2,000 indirectly . The Mid-East has a significant ecosystem of well-established companies across Technology, Life Sciences, International Financial Services and Engineering & Industrial Technologies and has also won significant investment in the Food and the Film sub-sectors. Counties in the Mid-East also benefit hugely from the direct and indirect employment generated by IDA client companies located in Dublin. IDA continues to market its landbank in its Arklow Business and Technology Park, Ballynattin which currently has 31 acres available.

A robust property and infrastructure ecosystem can be the key differentiator in winning FDI projects. The availability of suitable property and strategic sites is a critical component of the regional value proposition and to the winning of investments into the regions from both new name clients and from the existing client base. IDA’s property strategy aims to address regional market failure through investment in enterprise focused property solutions that meet the needs of MNCs and indigenous clients in support of winning investments. IDA Ireland also partners with Local Authorities for the delivery of advance planning permits in regional locations and invests in significant infrastructure projects across the portfolio of Business and Technology Parks responding to evolving company needs. IDA maintains a focus on acquisition of new landbanks and strategic sites to future proof the ability of the property portfolio in regional locations to support the project pipeline.

This targeted forward planning is vital to provide certainty and ensure Ireland has a competitive offering that meets the evolving needs of IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland clients.

I should also note that the new IDA Strategy 2025-2029 is targeting 550 from a total of 1,000 investments over the lifetime of its Strategy to the Regions.