Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 February 2022
191. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of IDA site visits in each county in each of the years 2012 to 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4372/22]
View answerThe primary responsibility of the IDA is to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Ireland and to retain, transform and expand the existing base of FDI companies that have already invested and located here. When it comes to foreign direct investment, site visits represent a valuable tool through which investors can be encouraged to invest in regional areas. However, site visit activity does not necessarily reflect investment potential, as a significant percentage of all new FDI comes from existing IDA client companies.
In response to COVID, IDA migrated many of its business development and client engagement activities to digital platforms. IDA Ireland has developed a suite of digital content which can be accessed by potential investors. The Agency has developed this further and has put in place an E-Site Visit experience for potential investors. The use of digital platforms by IDA staff has contributed to an enhanced digital engagement with existing clients and also in hosting E-Site visits with potential new investors.
Regional development is at the centre of IDA’s new strategy, Driving Recovery & Sustainable Growth 2021-2024. IDA is committed to the pursuit of more balanced, compact regional development which can deliver complementary efficiency and equity gains, with the overall impact of helping to advance national development. IDA will target half of all investments (400) from 2021- 2024 to regional locations and maintain the same high level of investment as targeted in IDA’s previous strategy for each region of the country.
The IDA recorded its highest increase in FDI employment in a single year in 2021. 53% - 133 of the 249 of investments won went to regional locations – with employment growth in every region of the country.
The table below details the number of IDA in person site visits per county in the years 2012 through to 2019, and both in person and e-Site visits for 2020 and 2021;
** includes both in person and E-Site visits per county
|
County |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020** |
2021** |
|
Carlow |
4 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
9 |
8 |
7 |
9 |
2 |
4 |
|
Cavan |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
7 |
2 |
3 |
|
Clare |
14 |
5 |
9 |
12 |
18 |
22 |
13 |
28 |
16 |
20 |
|
Cork |
38 |
31 |
30 |
48 |
49 |
51 |
61 |
68 |
30 |
44 |
|
Donegal |
1 |
7 |
6 |
5 |
7 |
2 |
8 |
12 |
1 |
7 |
|
Dublin |
196 |
180 |
205 |
242 |
284 |
327 |
269 |
284 |
121 |
153 |
|
Galway |
18 |
15 |
19 |
41 |
42 |
62 |
54 |
46 |
21 |
31 |
|
Kerry |
1 |
1 |
3 |
6 |
3 |
9 |
10 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
|
Kildare |
1 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
8 |
10 |
8 |
14 |
8 |
7 |
|
Kilkenny |
3 |
3 |
4 |
10 |
10 |
6 |
5 |
13 |
8 |
6 |
|
Laois |
0 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
6 |
4 |
10 |
5 |
2 |
3 |
|
Leitrim |
0 |
1 |
2 |
8 |
8 |
5 |
6 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Limerick |
30 |
23 |
22 |
40 |
49 |
42 |
35 |
57 |
26 |
37 |
|
Longford |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
6 |
7 |
5 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
|
Louth |
12 |
4 |
10 |
20 |
24 |
22 |
20 |
40 |
14 |
10 |
|
Mayo |
1 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
5 |
7 |
10 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
|
Meath |
0 |
1 |
2 |
7 |
8 |
3 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
|
Monaghan |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
|
Offaly |
3 |
1 |
1 |
8 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
1 |
4 |
|
Roscommon |
0 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
|
Sligo |
6 |
10 |
7 |
15 |
20 |
18 |
15 |
29 |
9 |
6 |
|
Tipperary |
5 |
4 |
3 |
12 |
8 |
8 |
5 |
7 |
12 |
12 |
|
Waterford |
26 |
14 |
11 |
31 |
17 |
11 |
21 |
18 |
9 |
8 |
|
Westmeath |
7 |
9 |
12 |
28 |
36 |
42 |
22 |
22 |
14 |
20 |
|
Wexford |
3 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
7 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
4 |
1 |
|
Wicklow |
6 |
1 |
4 |
7 |
5 |
2 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
1 |
