Alan Dillon
Question:285. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for an update on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42526/23]
View answerTuesday, 3 October 2023
Questions (285)
Written answers
IDA Ireland, through its Regional Property Programme, aims to ensure the supply of land, buildings and infrastructure in regional locations to meet the needs of current and prospective clients of the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices. In this regard, IDA keeps its landholdings under constant review, including in the West Region and Co. Mayo, with a view to future-proofing its property offering. Moreover, IDA continues to work with regional stakeholders and the private sector on opportunities to add to the supply of competitive property solutions in regional locations. IDA Ireland has had regular engagement with Mayo County Council on its plans in this context.
The West Region has a significant ecosystem of well-established Life Sciences companies, which has helped drive strong cluster development. Also, the number of people employed in software engineering, technical support, global business services and R&D in the Region has grown considerably in recent years.
Specifically, site visits are recorded and verified quarterly by the IDA, and my Department is provided details of these visits retrospectively. There was one e-visit in Mayo in the first half of the year. However, I am advised that this individual visit is not necessarily indicative of the number of companies that have visited. It should also be noted that potential clients visiting Ireland often visit more than one county and may return to a location more than once.
For the rest of 2023 and beyond, IDA Ireland will continue to market Mayo and the West Region through its overseas offices to target mobile FDI opportunities. IDA Ireland will be targeting Lifesciences, Medical Devices, Financial Services and Technology sectors for investment opportunities in RD&I, advanced manufacturing, global business services and technology development.