Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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412. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has considered the request from an organisation (details supplied) to join the retail forum. [63462/25]

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 enterprise development agencies. In this regard, regional development is one of four key strategic objectives of the IDA 2025–2029 strategy, "Adapt Intelligently" with a commitment to secure 550 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects outside Dublin - 55% of all planned investments. Additionally, the overarching goal is to create 75,000 new jobs nationwide and generate a projected €250 billion in economic impact with the IDA having set ambitious targets for every region in Ireland.

As the Deputy is aware, 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. In this respect, IDA Ireland’s property strategy aims to address regional market failure through investment in enterprise-focused property solutions that meet the needs of multinational companies and domestic clients in support of winning investments.

IDA Ireland client companies generally prioritise the availability of property and talent when carrying out their initial assessment of a potential investment location. Once Ireland has been successfully selected, IDA will present several locations that match the client’s business needs. The client will assess these locations and then choose the locations it wishes to visit. Clients will have other criteria that are specific to their requirements such as proximity to a large urban centre, proximity to transport infrastructure (Airport and Seaport) or to be located close to a customer. These factors, and many more, make up the business needs of the client who makes the final decision on where to visit and where to invest. Finally, it should be noted that Ireland is now operating in an ever-changing global investment landscape where competition is increasing as our competitor countries introduce sectoral strategies and increase grant, and tax offerings to attract investment.

IDA Ireland has a team dedicated to the delivery of investments to the Mid-East, including Co. Wicklow, who work closely with colleagues overseas and in specialised sectors such as Life Sciences, Technology and International Financial Services to secure investment to the region. The Agency continues to work closely with key stakeholders in the region, including County Councils and skills and education providers to promote the region, including Wicklow, as a destination for foreign direct investment.

I can assure the Deputy that the IDA continues to do its utmost to promote all locations in Ireland, including Wicklow, but must stress that, ultimately, individual investors decide which counties to visit, and where to locate their investments.

On the data requested by the Deputy, there were two IDA facilitated Site Visits to County Wicklow in 2020, one in 2021, two 2022 and 2023, one in 2024 and none, to date, this year. However, site visits are only one measure of a company’s interest in a particular location and naturally, year-on-year, the number of visits to any location will vary. Furthermore, site visits may not necessarily be a true measure of the overall level of FDI activity in a region or county For example, 70% of FDI won by IDA Ireland in 2024 came from its existing client base, rather than new companies. Also, potential clients visiting Ireland may visit more than one county and may return to a location more than once. Also, the figures represent individual visits and are not necessarily indicative of the number of companies that have visited.

Finally, I am assured that the IDA will continue to ensure that Co. Wicklow is promoted as a successful location for IDA client companies.