Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 June 2025
311. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the land available to the IDA for new enterprises in County Wexford, by location and the extent of each location, in tabular form; whether it is intended to acquire additional land particularly to supplement the IDA land at Drinagh in Wexford town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31404/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraWexford is part of IDA Ireland's South-East Region which also includes Waterford, Kilkenny, and Carlow. There are 85 IDA client companies in this region, employing 15,580 people, with a further 12,464 people employed indirectly. The FDI performance in the region has been strong over the past five years with employment among IDA clients increasing by 15%. The South-East has a significant ecosystem of well-established companies across Technology, Life Sciences, International Financial Services and Engineering & Industrial Technologies which are complemented by research centres that help win new business and assist existing client companies with transformation.
In terms of land holdings in County Wexford, the IDA currently owns the following lands in the County:
• Wexford IDA Business & Technology Park, Drinagh, Sinnottstown - 31.5 ha with 3.1 ha available for marketing;
• Wexford Wexford Business Park, Whitemill - 12.1 ha with 0.066 ha available for marketing; and
• Enniscorthy IDA Enniscorthy - 14.4 ha with 0.39 ha available for marketing.
IDA Ireland recently launched its new five-year strategy Adapt Intelligently 2025–2029, which 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-East, in the years ahead. This includes the delivery of a supporting property portfolio and solutions for FDI and Enterprise Ireland clients directly and through partnerships. As part of this strategy, IDA has committed to deliver an advanced planning in partnership with Wexford County Council for an advance building design during the lifetime of the 2025-2029 Strategy.
I am advised that the IDA continues to actively manage its property portfolio to ensure the availability of suitable sites for enterprise development. The IDA Regional Property Programme ensures the supply of land, buildings and essential infrastructure in regional locations as required by current and prospective clients of IDA as well as those of Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices. IDA Ireland continues to maintain a focus on land banks and strategic sites to future-proof the ability of the property portfolio to support the project pipeline, and on that basis actively engages with local authorities including Wexford County Council, consultants, agents, utility providers and other regional stakeholders in that regard. IDA also works closely with the private sector in the South-East region in marketing of appropriate and cost-effective property solutions that meet the needs of their client companies.
