Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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694. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to outline all capital investment made by the IDA in County Longford since 2022. [18844/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Regional development is a key element of Ireland's enterprise policy, as set out in the White Paper on Enterprise and the Programme for Government, and, as such, is a key focus of the work of my Department and our Enterprise Development Agencies. In this regard, regional development is a strategic imperative for IDA Ireland with the IDA targeting 550 of a total target of 1,000 investments, to regional locations under its new strategy, "Adapt Intelligently: A Strategy for Sustainable Growth and Innovation 2025-29".

In attracting investment to the regions, the IDA’s value proposition reflects the wider demographic catchment of a region, the track record of existing client companies already located in the region, the availability of property and developed infrastructure assets and the presence of third level universities to provide a skilled talent pipeline for companies investing in the region.

Moreover, 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. In this regard, the 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. As such, the IDA is committed to the development of an advance building solution in Longford under its new strategy which will see a total of 12 new buildings throughout the country over the period to 2029.

The Midlands has a significant ecosystem of well-established companies across Life Sciences, Technology, Global Business & Financial Services and Engineering & Industrial Technologies. There are currently 52 IDA client companies in the Midlands Region comprised of counties Westmeath, Offaly, Laois and Longford, employing 8,045 people with employment among IDA clients increasing by 26% over the last 5 years. In Longford there are 1,787 people employed across 9 IDA supported companies including Abbott, Center Parcs, Technimark, Schlumberger/Cameron and more.

The IDA works with key stakeholders across the 4 counties and to improve the value proposition for FDI and are involved in a significant number of initiatives across the region such as: Just Transition, ICT Cluster, ATIM Cluster Steering Committee, the Region Skills Forum and the Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan (REP) Steering Committee chaired by Dr Anne Cusack.

Since 2017, my Department has approved regional enterprise development funding of over €150 million through a variety of schemes and funds administered by Enterprise Ireland. A total of €6.4 million in funding was awarded to Midlands projects under the Regional Enterprise Development Fund. This includes €2,165,280 for Irish Manufacturing Research in Mullingar, to commercialise next generation manufacturing technologies, €2,050,560 for a low carbon centre of excellence at The Cube in Portlaoise, €458,240 for Offaly Innovation and Design in Birr to generate a creative space and office space, and €218,200 for a business development project at Beale Centre of Excellence.

The Smart Regions Enterprise Innovation Scheme, also administered by Enterprise Ireland and co-funded under the European Regional Development Fund, is currently open for applications. The overall objective of this scheme is to drive job creation and enterprise development in each region and to support projects aligned to the Regional Enterprise Plans.

Finally, IDA’s focus over the coming years is to build on the strengths and competencies of the region with a particular focus on high value manufacturing, services and research and development opportunities across a number of established clusters in Life Sciences, Technology, and Global Business Services. Emerging technology trends have and will continue to create new opportunities across the region in areas such as data analytics, smart manufacturing, cybersecurity and new approaches to working such as co-working hubs. Regional development will continue to be at the centre of IDA’s new strategy.