Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 September 2025
58. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment for an update on the provision of additional IDA lands for the Charleville region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50770/25]
View answerRegional development is a key focus of our Programme for Government and Government's White Paper on Enterprise and is a central to the work of my Department and our enterprise development agencies. In that regard, IDA Ireland has reaffirmed its strong commitment to regional development as a core pillar of its current strategy, Adapt Intelligently: A Strategy for Sustainable Growth and Innovation 2025-29" and aims to secure 550 investments outside Dublin over the next 5 years, accounting for 55% of all planned investments.
IDA Ireland’s strategy seeks to build on the successes to date and to support continued long-term investment through the transformation of the existing client base across Ireland and leveraging new opportunities and sectors. A key component of the strategy is the continued and ambitious focus on maximising regional investment opportunities for all regions including the South West region in the years ahead. This includes through the delivery of a supporting property portfolio and solutions for FDI and EI clients.
IDA’s continued positive intervention in terms of delivering and maintaining a portfolio of advanced property solutions to support such investments on a regional basis is paramount. In that regard, a ready supply of appropriately zoned land for development supports IDA fulfilling its remit and continued success in attracting investments from FDI and Enterprise Ireland clients to the regions.
IDA Ireland continually engages with key stakeholders, including infrastructure and service providers, Local Authorities and Cork County Council to ensure the identification of lands that are suitable for client investment in the long term. Regular meetings are held with respect to further understanding the IDA client base land requirements and the viability of appropriate zoning of suitable lands to ensure readiness for inward client investment across all activities and sectors as they arise. This targeted forward planning is vital to provide certainty and ensure Ireland has a competitive offering that meets the evolving needs of IDA Ireland clients.
The Charleville Park, of c.10Ha located on the Old Kilmallock Road in Charleville is maintained as part of IDA Ireland’s property portfolio and is available to accommodate investment and development by IDA and indigenous industries. The remaining 0.47 ha site is marketed to suitable qualifying client companies and is serviced to accommodate both manufacturing and office-based industries as required. This park is part of IDA’s overall strategic land bank portfolio in Cork offering greenfield sites to suit both manufacturing and international services clients, in a landscaped and serviced environment and is available to support IDA and Enterprise Ireland clients with appropriate services in place to accommodate same. There are over 280 hectares of lands available for marketing to IDA and EI clients in Cork.
The presence of strategic landbanks in several locations in Cork positions the greater Cork area for new Greenfield opportunities, which if successful will benefit Cork city and county and the wider South-West region. This is complemented by private sector activity in the development of manufacturing and office property solutions in the greater Cork area.
