Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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719. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps being taken to stimulate investor confidence especially in high-growth sectors in Cork and the Munster region with Q2 venture capital investment plunging 80% to €116.5million [46822/25]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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My department is actively implementing measures to stimulate investor confidence across high-growth sectors nationwide, including in Cork and the rest of Munster.

The Seed and Venture Capital Scheme administered by Enterprise Ireland (EI) is a cornerstone of Ireland’s venture capital ecosystem. Since 2000, the Scheme has reported investments over €75 million in the South.

The latest cycle (2025–2029) has a record allocation of €250 million, a 42% increase over the previous cycle. The Scheme invests in funds to increase the availability of risk capital for fund managers to invest in high growth sectors and build a sustainable venture capital market. The first call of this cycle is ongoing, and EI expects to make commitments to funds in Q4 2025.

Enterprise Ireland and the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund also invest directly in companies. This public co-investment can help signal confidence and support investors to enter deals that they might otherwise perceive as too uncertain.

EI supports and works closely with accelerators and incubators in the Munster region, creating a healthy pipeline of VC-ready companies and delivering a strong throughput to Enterprise Ireland’s Pre-Seed Start Fund (PSSF) and High Potential Start Up fund (HSPU).

In July 2025, Minister Burke published the Report ‘Market Demand for and Supply of Scaling Finance in Ireland’, which identified a €1.1 billion funding gap for deals from €3 million and Series A+ rounds over the next 3–5 years. To address this challenge and build upon the report’s findings, my Department is finalising a Finance for Scaling Implementation Strategy, to deliver immediate market interventions and develop longer-term policy actions. This strategy aims to enhance Ireland’s competitiveness, retain high-growth firms, and position the country as a hub for scaling innovation-driven enterprises. Minister Burke will bring this Strategy to Government in due course.

Overall, my department is committed to building a responsive financing ecosystem to unlock private investment, drive innovation, and help Irish firms grow and compete globally.