Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 November 2023
28. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment what additional funding is being provided in 2024 to the IDA regional property programme development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51400/23]
View answerAs part of my Department's Estimates negotiations, I secured an increase of €5m of Exchequer Funding on 2023 levels of €60m in capital spending for the IDA in respect of the agency’s property programme. The IDA Regional Property Programme ensures the supply of land, buildings and infrastructure in regional locations as required by current and prospective clients of the IDA itself as well as Enterprise Ireland and the LEOs.
Over the lifetime of IDA’s current strategy, IDA Ireland will progress the delivery of 19 specific Advanced Building Solutions (ABS) in 15 regional locations, chosen after extensive analysis, engagement, review, and consultation as well as macroeconomic considerations, existing clusters, and available resources.
Success to date, in line with IDA’s Build programme, has seen the investment or expected investment of companies across the current property footprint. To build on this positive momentum and ensure IDA has the ability to compete for investments of scale across all activities and sectors, it is imperative that the Agency can be agile in developing and maintaining a property portfolio to support future investments across all regions as they arise.
In this context, continued investment in infrastructure upgrades, provision and future proofing, in addition to further land acquisitions and the building of new buildings is critical to delivering on IDA’s and Enterprise Ireland’s balanced regional development agenda with the proposed expenditure being commensurate with this ambitious strategy.
