Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 September 2025
48. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the plans from Enterprise Ireland and the IDA to find a replacement industry for a plant in County Laois (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50755/25]
View answerMy Department and the enterprise agencies remain firmly committed to driving balanced regional development. Under its “Delivering for Ireland, Leading Globally”Strategy for 2025–2029, Enterprise Ireland (EI) aims to grow employment in client companies to 275,000, with a strong emphasis on regional job creation and scaling indigenous businesses across all counties.
EI works in partnership with Irish businesses and the Food FDI Sector to help them grow and succeed from Ireland. Since the announcement that the company in question will cease manufacturing by August 2026, Enterprise Ireland has met with the company and offered the support of a Local Response Team to assist affected employees. EI is also collaborating with IDA Ireland to support the sales and marketing of the facility to identify future opportunities for the site and will meet with the company HQ team in the coming weeks.
Enterprise Ireland is supporting businesses in Laois and across the wider midlands region to succeed. Latest figures show that, as of 2024, there were 2,060 people employed in EI client companies based in Laois, a 4.1% increase on 2023. EI supported initiatives in the region include:
• The New Frontiers programmes for the Midlands and Mid-East region supports high potential start up companies, and attracted103 participants this year.
• Enterprise Ireland has assisted industry clusters through the Regional Technology Clustering Fund including the Midlands based Advanced Technologies in Manufacturing Cluster.
• The CUBE enterprise hub opened in 2023 in Portlaoise. This was funded by EI under the Regional Enterprise Development Fund, with co-investment from Laois Local Authority. The CUBE is a dedicated centre to support the development of new businesses and economic activity.
• The Beale Centre in Mountmellick is a combined work and food hub. It provides office and kitchen space for food businesses starting up and for established operations that require additional space.
• This month, the annual Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena returned to the National Ploughing Championships and provided over 40 Client companies from the Agrifood sector from across the Midlands with the opportunity to showcase their pioneering innovations to over 250,000 visitors.
Enterprise Ireland’s partnership with the LEOs is of critical importance in delivering support to all Irish businesses, growing the number of Irish exporters, and backing job creation nationwide. EI Regional Offices and the LEOs engage continuously to maximise opportunities for businesses, ensuring each company is being supported to reach its full potential.
IDA Ireland continues to work with national and local stakeholders to ensure that each region has the necessary conditions in place to foster enterprise and innovation and attract investment and talent. IDA enjoys close working relationships with key stakeholders across the Midlands region and is heavily involved in a significant number of initiatives to improve the value proposition for FDI including Just Transition, the Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan, and the Regional Skills Forum.
A core objective of IDA Ireland is to enable, influence and deliver a competitive property offering which promotes national economic investments, supports winning Foreign Direct Investment, and assists the growth and expansion of indigenous clients within the Enterprise Ireland portfolio. IDA has made considerable investments in land, buildings and infrastructure across the Midlands region and has acquired additional land at the Business and Technology Park in Portlaoise, with 29 hectares currently available for promotion.
Regional development will continue to be at the centre of IDA’s new strategy with their focus over the coming years to build on the strengths and competencies of the region with a particular focus on high value manufacturing, services and research and development opportunities across a number of established clusters in Life Sciences, Technology, and Global Business Services. Emerging technology trends have and will continue to create new opportunities across the region in areas such as data analytics, smart manufacturing, cybersecurity and new approaches to working such as co-working hubs.
