Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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45. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of investments the IDA is targeting in the Border region under its current strategy; it's performance in Border region investments under the previous strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50709/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Regional development is a key focus of our Programme for Government and is central to the work of my Department and our agencies. In that regard, regional development is a strategic imperative for the IDA who partners with client companies and key stakeholders in all regions in pursuit of its objective to maximise regional opportunities.

2024 saw the conclusion of IDA Ireland’s 2021-2024 strategy, Driving Recovery & Sustainable Growth. Over the strategy, IDA Ireland supported the delivery of 973 investments and creation of 76,790 jobs, or 121% and 153% of respective targets. 54% of all investments were in regional locations outside Dublin. The investment target for the Border Region over the 2021-2024 period was for 25 investments and the total number of investments won was 37.

IDA Ireland’s regional strategy has a proven track record of success, and the agency has reaffirmed its strong commitment to regional development as a core pillar of its 2025–2029 strategy, Adapt Intelligently. This ambitious strategy aims to secure 550 foreign direct investment projects outside Dublin, accounting for 55% of all planned investments. IDA Ireland is targeting 40 client investments to the Border region over the lifetime of the strategy.

These ambitious targets reflect IDA Ireland’s ongoing commitment to support transformation and growth across all regions. Furthermore, investment numbers are only one indicator of the level of FDI activity in a region. Other indicators of the impact of FDI in a region include the number of client companies; the level of direct and indirect employment generated; the economic impact of IDA client companies in a region through expenditure in the economy.

There are 72 IDA client companies in the Border Region, Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan, employing 10,389 people with an estimated further 8,311 jobs supported indirectly. The Border has a significant ecosystem of well-established companies across Life Sciences, Engineering, International Financial Services, Content, Consumer & Business Services and Technology. IDA client companies spent €662 million on pay, and a combined €633m on Irish goods and services in 2023 and well as an inhouse RDI investment of €63 million in 2023.

As the Deputy will be aware, IDA Ireland’s strategy focuses on partnering with the existing FDI base to retain and renew their Irish operations, alongside attracting new investment and IDA’s goal for the coming years is to build on the strengths and competencies of the region. The agency provides ongoing support to existing clients through investment in research, development and innovation, upskilling and talent development, digitalisation and sustainability, all aimed at increasing the competitiveness of their Irish operations, providing the foundation on which they can capture new growth opportunities.