Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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78. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for an update on the IDA capital investment programme, including plans to provide new next-generation strategic industrial sites through joint ventures; to provide next-generation office space for corporate HQs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36339/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The primary objective of IDA Ireland’s Regional Property Programme is to provide flexible and sustainable property solutions that offer certainty to clients ahead of demand. IDA collaborates with local authorities on advance planning permits and invests in infrastructure projects across the portfolio to address evolving business requirements of the FDI and indigenous client base. Additionally, IDA Ireland is dedicated to acquiring new landbanks and strategic sites to support future projects across all key sectors as set out in the IDA Strategy 'Adapt Intelligently 2025 – 2029' where IDA has identified clear opportunities for Ireland to win investment in key growth areas such as digitalisation and AI, Semiconductors, Health and Sustainability. To support this ambition, IDA will continue to ensure there are appropriate property solutions with the commensurate development potential available to clients of IDA and EI and maximise regional opportunities.

Suitable property availability can play a key part in winning investments from both new name clients and from the existing client base. In locations where little or no suitable property solutions are available for FDI, and where market failure has resulted in a lack of private sector-led advance solutions, IDA intervenes through its Regional Property Programme.

Moreover, Ireland’s success in attracting FDI involves forward planning across the portfolio. The Programme for Government outlines a policy aim of reviewing and considering expansion of the IDA land bank, including consideration of new advanced manufacturing facilities in strategic, regional locations, and developing "next generation, strategic sites". Furthermore, the recently launched Silicon Island – Ireland’s National Semiconductor Strategy includes the action to develop and deliver a proposal for largescale next generation sites, with all of the necessary utilities and services to secure and accommodate major semiconductor investment. Next Generation Sites or NGS are primarily aimed at attracting investors in the semiconductor, life sciences, and renewables industries. IDA would develop the sites to a pre-planning stage, with other agencies, so that an attractive offering can be made to investors. Such a plan-led approach provides more certainty to investors and de-risks decisions making Ireland a more attractive location for competitive mobile large-scale investments. Government will decide the matter once the Review of the National Development Plan has been completed over the period ahead. This is an ambitious initiative which will take a number of years to complete.

More generally, IDA’s Regional Property Programme 2025 - 2029 will consist of 23 projects across 21 locations in 8 regions and primarily manufacturing buildings. IDA will aim to complete 6 buildings currently under construction, in planning or procurement stages including Cavan, Letterkenny, Drogheda, Mullingar, Longford, and Castlebar. Additionally, 6 new builds will commence in Dundalk, Limerick, Athlone, Sligo, Galway, and Waterford. All are subject to successful, planning and procurement phases. IDA will also partner with local authorities and will deliver 9 Advance Planning Permits in Letterkenny, Mayo, Tullamore, Mullingar, Kilkenny, Navan, Portlaoise, Tralee and Roscommon and reinstatement of the 2 expired permits in Ballinasloe and Carrick on Shannon. A total of 11 partnership projects will be undertaken.

Given IDA’s clear focus on sustainability, the proposed regional building programme will maintain a minimum US Green Building Council Shell & Core LEED accredited target objective for all newly constructed IDA buildings. Where appropriate, however, following extensive market engagement, IDA’s Property Department also proposes, as an overarching ambitious principle, to adopt building designs capable of achieving a high level of carbon management

IDA will also continue acquiring land and providing infrastructure to support clients across the portfolio of business & technology parks and strategic sites nationally.