Written Answers Nos. 352-360
352. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to reports of copyright infringements (details supplied); the steps his Department are taking to protect Irish authors and their copyrighted material from tech companies using pirated material to train their AI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15420/25]
View answer356. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to reports of copyright infringements (details supplied); the steps his Department are taking to protect Irish authors and their copyrighted material from tech companies using pirated material to train their AI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15425/25]
View answer357. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the action that will be taken to protect Irish authors and their copyrighted material in the face of both piracy and the use of pirated material by a company (details supplied) to train its GenAI protocols (details supplied).; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15472/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 352, 356 and 357 together.
I fully recognise concerns raised by Irish authors and their representative bodies regarding the use of work by a Tech company in training generative AI models without author consent.
I understand that a legal challenge by authors against a company is ongoing in the US District Court of Northern California in relation to its use of LibGen, a pirated database of copyrighted material, to train its large language model, Llama. This database may include works by Irish authors. The matter is before the courts so the outcome of this legal challenge will not be known for some time.
In Ireland, the legal landscape concerning the use of copyrighted works for AI training involves several considerations. The Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000 (as amended) provides robust protection for copyrighted works. As an EU Member State, Ireland has implemented the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market, transposed by S.I. No. 567/2021, which introduced a Text and Data Mining (TDM) exception that allows commercial companies to use copyrighted material under certain conditions unless rightsholders explicitly opt out. This exception requires works to be lawfully accessible.
353. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the top ten countries of foreign direct investment from 2019 to 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15051/25]
View answerThe table below outlines the top ten countries for IDA foreign direct investment from 2019 to 2024. To note, this information is specific to IDA client companies.
|
Rank |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
1 |
United States |
United States |
United States |
United States |
United States |
United States |
|
2 |
United Kingdom |
United Kingdom |
United Kingdom |
United Kingdom |
United Kingdom |
United Kingdom |
|
3 |
Germany |
Germany |
Germany |
Japan |
Germany |
Germany |
|
4 |
France |
France |
Sweden |
Germany |
Japan |
Canada |
|
5 |
Japan |
Japan |
France |
Canada |
Canada |
Sweden |
|
6 |
Australia |
Switzerland |
Switzerland |
Switzerland |
France |
Japan |
|
7 |
China |
India |
China |
France |
Switzerland |
France |
|
8 |
Canada |
China |
Israel |
China |
China |
Denmark |
|
9 |
Russia |
Russia |
Luxembourg |
Netherlands |
Denmark |
Italy |
|
10 |
India |
Canada |
Canada |
Italy |
Netherlands |
Switzerland |
IDA Ireland launched its new strategy in February this year: Adapt Intelligently: A Strategy for Sustainable Growth and Innovation 2025-29.
Under this new strategy, IDA Ireland will continue to target investments from across the globe through its global network of offices, and in collaboration with Team Ireland colleagues from this Department, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Enterprise Ireland, Research Ireland, Tourism Ireland, Bord Bia and Culture Ireland. IDA will continue to partner with international investors and companies to grow their businesses, to complete ground-breaking research and innovation, and to develop a rich, vibrant, talent capability for the needs of industry.Competition for FDI is intense, with virtually every country in the world seeking new FDI investments. Every single job created in Ireland by an FDI company has been hard won, against competition from a growing number of sophisticated locations. In 2024, Ireland ranked in fourth place among 67 economies measured for their global competitiveness in the 2024 IMD World Competitiveness Ranking. This is the second consecutive year Ireland has placed in the top five economies globally.My Department continues to work closely with IDA Ireland to ensure there is a strong continued pipeline of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Ireland. Despite the challenging global issues affecting the Irish economy in recent years, including the impacts of Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine, Ireland continues to be seen as a location of choice for new investors and long-established companies who choose to reinvest in substantial expansions of their operations here.
Companies are positioning Ireland as a key part of their global value chains, against a backdrop of intense global competition and an increased focus on industrial policies and other geopolitical developments. Ireland offers a competitive, consistent, and transparent corporate tax regime, good access and connectivity and an excellent return on investment, and is an attractive environment where people want to live and work. As a result, the Irish sites of leading global companies play a key role in creating or adding value to the goods and services that underpin the modern global economy.
My Department is not complacent about Ireland’s competitiveness position regarding FDI with policies, strategies and the legislative toolkit constantly kept under review to ensure objectives set out in this critical part of the economy are met.
354. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to detail the top ten political lobbying organisations from the most recent year available and numbers of lobbies for each organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15318/25]
View answerThe Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment does not collate or hold details or statistics on political lobbying organisations or on the number of lobbies received by the Minister.
The Standards Commission is responsible for establishing and maintaining the Register of Lobbying and this register is available to members of the public online at www.lobbying.ie.
This Register contains the registration details provided to the Standards Commission by each registered person on their Application to Register and the information contained in the returns of lobbying activities made by each registered person.
The response to this Parliamentary Question is based on collated information contained in that Register for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment for the period, published after 1 January 2024 and published before 31 December 2024. Information is published on the register three times per year, therefore the following information may include numbers for the final 4 months in 2023 and may not include the numbers for the final 4 months of 2024.
|
Ibec |
135 |
|
The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA |
67 |
|
Dublin Chamber of Commerce |
43 |
|
Chambers Ireland |
33 |
|
American Chamber of Commerce Ireland |
16 |
|
Cork Chamber |
16 |
|
Irish Exporters Association |
15 |
|
Insurance Ireland |
13 |
|
Ballina Chamber of Commerce |
12 |
|
Intel Ireland Limited |
8 |
|
Irish Congress of Trade Unions |
8 |
|
Limerick Chamber |
8 |
|
Autism Spectrum Information, Advice and Meeting Point Ltd, Trading as AsIAm |
7 |
|
Hanover Media Strategy Limited |
7 |
|
Landingzone Limited T/A Dogpatch Labs |
7 |
|
Licensed Vintners Association |
7 |
It should be noted that the above statistics for the relevant period reflect the total number of returns filed by subject matter. They do not reflect the volume or extent of lobbying activity conducted for each subject or within each return.
355. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the financial supports-assistance available to a person in County Kerry (details supplied) who wishes to set up a business to provide residential-respite services to individuals with a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15348/25]
View answerAs the business in question appears to be a new business, I would strongly encourage the individual to contact their Local Enterprise Office (LEO) and engage with a business advisor who can provide direction on what business supports may be available, and which supports would be most suited to them.
The LEO in Kerry, is based in County Buildings, Tralee and provides an extremely important role at local level as part of a supportive ecosystem. They provide services directly to small businesses, promote entrepreneurship, and contribute to jobs growth in the locality. In general, LEOs provide a signposting service for all government supports available to the SME sector and can provide information and referrals to other relevant bodies.
Additionally, the National Enterprise Hub is a new service where individuals can easily find and learn about the range of government support programmes available to Irish businesses, with further details at www.neh.gov.ie.
Funding for disability respite services, as outlined in the Deputy’s question, may be provided through Section 38 and Section 39 of the Health Act, through the Health Service Executive.
358. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide an update on efforts by his Department, in conjunction with Clare County Council, the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and Clare County Council to secure new enterprise for the former Roche site in Clarecastle, County Clare. [15606/25]
View answerIDA Ireland has been working closely with Roche, since their decision to close the Clarecastle facility in 2015. IDA Ireland had actively marketed the site through its extensive overseas network to both existing and new investors as a going concern which unfortunately yielded no offers.
Roche has commenced remediation works at the site which represents a significant investment in preparing the site for the future but that will take a number of years to complete. As part of this, the company is developing digital promotional material on the plans for the site which can be shared with potential investors.
The Roche site is identified as a key strategic site in the Ennis 2040 Economic and Spatial Strategy. In July 2023 Roche held an event, attended by stakeholders including the IDA, where the company presented a letter to Clare County Council offering the Council the benefit of a right of first refusal in respect of the site, when remediation works are complete.
I am advised that IDA is continually engaging with Roche Senior Executives on the progress of the remediation and decommissioning of the site. The most recent engagement was the week of the 17th of February 2025 with Clare County Council and Roche in Basel, Switzerland. Likewise, Enterprise Ireland continue to be updated by Clare County Council on the progression of the remediation project and when the site will be available for future investment. I am further advised that the most recent Ennis 2040 meeting took place with Enterprise Ireland and the IDA on 14 March along with a tour of the current site.
IDA and Enterprise Ireland are working closely with Clare County Council to identify potential investment opportunities for the site. Also, notwithstanding that the site is not in their ownership, IDA Ireland continues to proactively market the site through its extensive overseas network to both existing and new investors.
359. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of foreign direct investment (FDI) jobs created in Clare, Galway, north Tipperary and Limerick in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; the number of FDI jobs created and lost respectively in Clare, Galway, north Tipperary and Limerick in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15607/25]
View answer360. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide a breakdown of IDA Ireland visits to Clare, Galway, north Tipperary and Limerick in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. [15608/25]
View answerThe IDA Mid-West Region comprises counties Limerick, Clare, and Tipperary. There are 153 IDA client companies in the Mid-West Region, employing 27,968 people. Galway is in the IDA West Region (along with Mayo and Roscommon), there are 104 IDA supported companies in Galway City and County, employing 24,118 in total.
The FDI performance in these regions has been consistent over the past five years with employment among IDA clients increasing by 16% in the Mid- West, and 14% in the West.
There is a significant ecosystem of well-established companies across Technology, Life Sciences, International Financial Services and Engineering & Industrial Technologies in these regions. The number of people employed in software engineering, technical support, global business services and RD&I in this areas has also grown considerably in recent years.
As requested by the Deputy, the table below outlines the number FDI jobs created and lost for Clare, Limerick, Tipperary and Galway over the period 2019 to 2024
|
Clare |
2024 |
2023 |
2022 |
2021 |
2020 |
2019 |
|
Total FDI Jobs |
6,041 |
5,842 |
6,194 |
6,145 |
6,415 |
6,889 |
|
Gross Gains |
406 |
491 |
912 |
398 |
392 |
366 |
|
Job Losses |
-207 |
-843 |
-863 |
-668 |
-866 |
-253 |
|
Net Change |
199 |
-352 |
49 |
-270 |
-474 |
113 |
|
Limerick |
2024 |
2023 |
2022 |
2021 |
2020 |
2019 |
|
Total FDI Jobs |
16,068 |
15,763 |
15,063 |
14,066 |
13,096 |
12,803 |
|
Gross Gains |
713 |
1,247 |
1,278 |
1,348 |
854 |
1,022 |
|
Job Losses |
-408 |
-547 |
-281 |
-378 |
-561 |
-161 |
|
Net Change |
305 |
700 |
997 |
970 |
293 |
861 |
|
Tipperary |
2024 |
2023 |
2022 |
2021 |
2020 |
2019 |
|
Total FDI Jobs |
5,589 |
5,270 |
5,067 |
4,474 |
4,343 |
4,254 |
|
Gross Gains |
376 |
341 |
649 |
329 |
174 |
459 |
|
Job Losses |
-57 |
-138 |
-56 |
-198 |
-85 |
-72 |
|
Net Change |
319 |
203 |
593 |
131 |
89 |
387 |
|
Galway |
2024 |
2023 |
2022 |
2021 |
2020 |
2019 |
|
Total FDI Jobs |
24,118 |
24,197 |
24,669 |
22,799 |
21,524 |
21,066 |
|
Gross Gains |
945 |
1,136 |
2,362 |
2,548 |
1,449 |
1,640 |
|
Job Losses |
-1,024 |
-1,608 |
-492 |
-1,273 |
-991 |
-1,053 |
|
Net Change |
-79 |
-472 |
1,870 |
1,275 |
458 |
587 |
IDA Ireland's new Strategy, "Adapt Intelligently: A Strategy for Sustainable Growth and Innovation", which I launched in February, is targeting 550 from a total of 1,000 investments over the lifetime of the strategy to the regions. This ambitious target will require continued investment in IDA’s Regional Property Programme for companies locating significant operations here. 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.
IDA’s property strategy aims to address regional market failure through investment in enterprise-focused property solutions that meet the needs of MNCs and indigenous clients in support of winning investments. IDA maintains a focus on acquisition of new land banks and strategic sites to future proof the ability of the property portfolio in regional locations to support the project pipeline. This targeted forward planning is vital to provide certainty and ensure Ireland has a competitive offering that meets the evolving needs of IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland clients.
Data on site visits is available on a county basis and as requested by the Deputy, the number of IDA facilitated visits to counties Clare, Limerick, Tipperary and Galway throughout 2019- 2024 is set out in tabular form below:
|
- |
2024 |
2023 |
2022 |
2021 |
2020 |
2019 |
|
Clare |
21 |
40 |
22 |
20 |
16 |
28 |
|
Limerick |
38 |
52 |
48 |
37 |
26 |
57 |
|
Tipperary |
2 |
10 |
9 |
12 |
12 |
7 |
|
Galway |
34 |
38 |
40 |
31 |
21 |
46 |
It should be noted, however, that IDA site visits are only one measure of a company’s interest in a particular location and may not necessarily be a true measure of the overall level of foreign direct investment (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.
It should also be noted that the final decision on where to locate an investment is always decided by the client, and not by IDA Ireland, and it can take many years to convert from initial site visit to final project proposal. Regular engagement and collaboration with stakeholders are important in positioning any regional location to attract FDI and, in this respect, IDA Ireland continues to engage with stakeholders as well as working with existing clients in all regional locations to generate additional employment.
