Written Answers Nos. 75-81
75. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if he will provide an update regarding the completion of the national children's science centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36546/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Children's Science Centre (NCSC) project is being promoted by the Irish Children’s Museum Ltd. (ICML).
The development of the project is the subject of an ongoing arbitration between the NCSC and the Commissioners of Public Works. Consistent with an interim decision of the Arbitrator, the OPW is bound to be the Contracting Authority for the development of the project.
The OPW was granted planning permission by An Bord Pleanála in April 2024 for development of the project on a site within the Earlsfort Terrace complex.
Prior to advancing the project any further, a Government decision will be required to agree the provision of capital funding and to appoint a project Sponsoring Agency and Approving Authority for the project.
The ICML will be responsible for the costs associated with the project's exhibition fit-out and the operational costs of the facility.
76. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the measures taken to advance an entrepreneurial spirit and culture over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36286/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraEntrepreneurs are vital to the success of the Irish economy. The continued growth of our economy is highly dependent on entrepreneurs and the businesses that they create, develop, and grow. Government recognises this and has played a central role in fostering entrepreneurship through policy and financial support for agencies like Enterprise Ireland and Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs). Under its 2025–2029 strategy, Delivering for Ireland, Leading Globally, Enterprise Ireland aims to support 1,000 new startups, with a strong focus on scalable, export-driven businesses. We have provided funding, mentorship, and training programs including seed capital, innovation vouchers, and supports for high-potential startups.
Over the past five years, Enterprise Ireland has undertaken a wide range of initiatives to foster a strong entrepreneurial spirit and culture across the country. Central to this effort has been a strategic focus on supporting start-ups, encouraging innovation, and promoting regional economic development. Through its collaboration with LEOs, Enterprise Ireland has helped thousands of entrepreneurs access funding, training, and mentorship. In 2024 alone, over 1,300 start-ups received support, including many high-potential start-ups in sectors such as fintech, medtech, and sustainability.
Job creation has also been a key outcome of these efforts. Enterprise Ireland-backed companies created a record 12,000 net new jobs in a single year, with 68% of these located outside Dublin, highlighting Government’s commitment to balanced regional growth. Innovation has been another cornerstone, with over €2.2 billion invested in research, development, and innovation (RD&I) under the 2025–2029 strategy. This has strengthened ties between academia and industry, helping to drive innovation-led entrepreneurship.
In July 2024, Minister Burke launched the National Enterprise Hub (NEH) which brings together information and support on over 250 government supports from 30 different Government bodies. The NEH is an all-of-government service, staffed by expertly trained advisors making is easier for entrepreneurs to access the wide range of available government supports.
The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) also play an extremely important role at local level, as part of a supportive ecosystem, providing their services direct to small businesses and promoting entrepreneurship within towns and communities across the country. LEOs are the first stop shop for every business in the country.
Last year Minister Burke lunched the LEO Policy Statement 2024 – 2030, this outlines how, through a variety of programmes and campaigns, LEOs foster a strong entrepreneurial culture and promote enterprise nationally. Above all, there is an emphasis on a consistency of approach across the LEO network and a clear intention to show that LEOs are, and remain, the first stop shop for all businesses regardless of sector.
Over the 11 years since the formation of the LEOs, and in the years before then as the County Enterprise Boards, the Local Enterprise Offices have actively promoted self-employment as a viable option for people with a businesses idea and have been there every step of the way to assist small businesses to start-up and grow.
I wish to assure the Deputy that my Department, its agencies including Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices remain committed to supporting entrepreneurs helping them to grow and thrive.
77. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he has considered measures to incentivise multinational companies operating in Ireland to establish corporate headquarters in the State, with a view to creating new employment and providing new business opportunities for Irish-based professional service providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36338/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraForeign Direct Investment (FDI) is a key element of our economic strategy with investments by IDA Ireland client companies consistently generating highly-skilled jobs nationwide and very considerable exchequer returns. Despite increasing competition for FDI globally, and an increasingly uncertain global economic context, the recent performance of our FDI sector has exceeded all expectations.
IDA Ireland’s mandate is well-known, responsible for attracting and retaining mobile FDI to Ireland in support of well-paid employment opportunities across the country. Through Government funding, the IDA provides investment support and incentives for companies looking to expand and develop strategic international operations in Ireland. In this regard, the IDA currently supports over 1,800 client companies, spanning manufacturing, services and technology companies, directly employing over 300,000 people in Ireland.
2024 saw the conclusion of IDA Ireland’s 2021-2024 Strategy, Driving recovery and sustainable growth. Over the strategy, IDA supported 973 investments and the creation of 76,790 jobs, or 121% and 153% of respective targets. 234 investments were approved last year, with associated future job creation of 13,500 and I will announce the IDA's 2025 Mid-Year results today.
Despite a challenging global economic environment, employment in IDA client companies in 2024 remained steady, gaining a net 601 jobs with, as I have already noted, direct employment of over 300,000 people, circa 11% of total national employment for a third consecutive year. Furthermore, my Department estimates that for every 10 jobs generated by FDI directly, another eight are created in the wider economy and this translates to almost 545,000 direct and indirect jobs supported by FDI at the end of 2023 – almost 20% of the workforce.
I am particularly pleased with the regional FDI performance by the IDA with 137 or 59% of these investment going to the regions in 2024 and IDA clients now employ a record 165,484 people regionally, which represents 55% of IDA-client employment. 2024 also saw a record level of investment in transformation across R&D, sustainability, and talent development where IDA Ireland clients committed a record €1.9bn across 64 projects in all sectors.
The strength and impact of Ireland’s FDI base across all regions makes it a key national asset, and we will continue to attract and retain overseas investments by ensuring our value proposition is among the best in the world. In this regard, maintaining and enhancing Ireland’s attractiveness as a location for FDI, evolving Ireland’s FDI value proposition and pursuing increased and new types of FDI investments are a key focus, as is strengthening linkages between foreign and Irish-owned firms, and developing stronger ecosystems to help local firms embed themselves in the value chains of FDI intensive sectors.
The strength of this performance has provided a strong foundation for the IDA’s new Strategy, “Adapt Intelligently: A Strategy for Sustainable Growth and Innovation 2025-29” which I launched in February this year. The strategy is one of ambition and opportunity, developed in the context of a changing global landscape. Central to the IDA's new strategy is an emphasis on partnering with existing clients to increase the competitiveness of their Irish operations and safeguard and strengthen long-term investment in Ireland. This is both important in its own right but also for so many SMEs that are in the FDI community's supply chains.
The new Strategy also points to attracting new investment in the key future-orientated sectors of digitalisation and AI, semiconductors, health, and sustainability. It reflects the focus and ambition of the new Programme for Government, including the importance of the National Strategy on Semiconductors, Silicon Island, which I launched last May, and targeting new opportunities in Quantum Tech, Photonics, AI, Compound Semiconductors, and MedTech. My Department will also deliver a National Life-Sciences Strategy.
Despite the uncertainty and the challenges in the global environment, 2024 was a very successful year for the IDA and I am confident that the new strategy will serve the Agency well, to protect the existing FDI base and position it for further success and to secure the next generation of investment in Ireland.
78. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment for an update on the IDA capital investment programme, including plans to provide new next-generation strategic industrial sites through joint ventures; to provide next-generation office space for corporate HQs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36339/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe primary objective of IDA Ireland’s Regional Property Programme is to provide flexible and sustainable property solutions that offer certainty to clients ahead of demand. IDA collaborates with local authorities on advance planning permits and invests in infrastructure projects across the portfolio to address evolving business requirements of the FDI and indigenous client base. Additionally, IDA Ireland is dedicated to acquiring new landbanks and strategic sites to support future projects across all key sectors as set out in the IDA Strategy 'Adapt Intelligently 2025 – 2029' where IDA has identified clear opportunities for Ireland to win investment in key growth areas such as digitalisation and AI, Semiconductors, Health and Sustainability. To support this ambition, IDA will continue to ensure there are appropriate property solutions with the commensurate development potential available to clients of IDA and EI and maximise regional opportunities.
Suitable property availability can play a key part in winning investments from both new name clients and from the existing client base. In locations where little or no suitable property solutions are available for FDI, and where market failure has resulted in a lack of private sector-led advance solutions, IDA intervenes through its Regional Property Programme.
Moreover, Ireland’s success in attracting FDI involves forward planning across the portfolio. The Programme for Government outlines a policy aim of reviewing and considering expansion of the IDA land bank, including consideration of new advanced manufacturing facilities in strategic, regional locations, and developing "next generation, strategic sites". Furthermore, the recently launched Silicon Island – Ireland’s National Semiconductor Strategy includes the action to develop and deliver a proposal for largescale next generation sites, with all of the necessary utilities and services to secure and accommodate major semiconductor investment. Next Generation Sites or NGS are primarily aimed at attracting investors in the semiconductor, life sciences, and renewables industries. IDA would develop the sites to a pre-planning stage, with other agencies, so that an attractive offering can be made to investors. Such a plan-led approach provides more certainty to investors and de-risks decisions making Ireland a more attractive location for competitive mobile large-scale investments. Government will decide the matter once the Review of the National Development Plan has been completed over the period ahead. This is an ambitious initiative which will take a number of years to complete.
More generally, IDA’s Regional Property Programme 2025 - 2029 will consist of 23 projects across 21 locations in 8 regions and primarily manufacturing buildings. IDA will aim to complete 6 buildings currently under construction, in planning or procurement stages including Cavan, Letterkenny, Drogheda, Mullingar, Longford, and Castlebar. Additionally, 6 new builds will commence in Dundalk, Limerick, Athlone, Sligo, Galway, and Waterford. All are subject to successful, planning and procurement phases. IDA will also partner with local authorities and will deliver 9 Advance Planning Permits in Letterkenny, Mayo, Tullamore, Mullingar, Kilkenny, Navan, Portlaoise, Tralee and Roscommon and reinstatement of the 2 expired permits in Ballinasloe and Carrick on Shannon. A total of 11 partnership projects will be undertaken.
Given IDA’s clear focus on sustainability, the proposed regional building programme will maintain a minimum US Green Building Council Shell & Core LEED accredited target objective for all newly constructed IDA buildings. Where appropriate, however, following extensive market engagement, IDA’s Property Department also proposes, as an overarching ambitious principle, to adopt building designs capable of achieving a high level of carbon management
IDA will also continue acquiring land and providing infrastructure to support clients across the portfolio of business & technology parks and strategic sites nationally.
79. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to outline Government policy on increasing grant support for businesses as part of Ireland’s industrial strategy, including increased grants for SMEs to support green and digital transition and market diversification and a larger-scale grant for multinational companies; to outline any discussions at EU level aimed at enhancing Ireland’s capacity to offer grant support to businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36340/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIDA Ireland’s client grant budget remains a key priority for attracting new investors to Ireland in an increasingly competitive global environment. The focus aligns with the new strategy, Adapt Intelligently: A Strategy for Sustainable Growth and Innovation 2025–2029, emphasizing innovation, sustainability, and digitalisation. In 2025, the IDA secured an increased allocation for Grants to Industry as well as for the IDA’s Regional Property Programme which aims to address regional market failure through investment in enterprise-focused property solutions in support of winning regional investments.
Delivering on ambitious targets to 2029 under the new strategy will require additional funding for increased client grant budget - including to underpin engagement in Important Projects Common European Interest - initiatives under the European Chips Act, to maintain an ongoing focus sustainability and digitalisation, deepen investment in RD&I and investment in ecosystem actors and national competency centres including the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training, Digital Manufacturing Ireland (DMI) and Tyndall National Institute, as well as an increase in the IDA property budget linked to development of 3 Next Generation Sites.
Irish enterprise, while resilient, faces challenges from trade volatility, digital transformation, and climate change. Enterprise Ireland’s new strategy, Delivering for Ireland, Leading Globally, aims to help Irish businesses navigate these challenges by supporting them to start, scale, and compete globally. My department will continue working with Enterprise Ireland to ensure adequate resources are in place for successful implementation.
The Government is also committed to helping small businesses manage the dual transitions of decarbonisation and digitalisation through the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs). As part of the SME Package, the Energy Efficiency Grant was increased to a maximum of €10,000, with a 75% government contribution. There is also a broader range of eligible expenditure with funding available for a number of practical measures to help a business reduce their long-term energy costs including upgrading to LED lighting, replacing heat pumps, and upgrading refrigeration units, ovens and dishwashers.
The Grow Digital Voucher, launched in September 2024, expanded eligibility and increased funding to €5,000. It supports a broader range of digital transformation projects than the previous Trading Online Voucher, including e-commerce, e-invoicing, cybersecurity, and AI-driven analytics software. It is available to businesses with up to 50 employees, compared to the previous limit of 10.
Additionally, the Market Explorer Grant replaced the Technical Assistance for Micro Exporters (TAME) grant, increasing the maximum funding to €10,000. This grant helps small businesses explore and develop new export markets.
80. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment for an update on his Department’s role in co-ordinating and collating Ireland’s position on the EU proposal for a ban on lead in ammunition and fishing tackle under the REACH regulation; including the current position Ireland is taking on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36347/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraOfficials in my Department continue to circulate to relevant Departments and Agencies material received for REACH Committee Meetings where the agenda includes the draft restriction on lead in ammunition and fishing tackle.
Ireland is represented at the REACH Committee by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), an agency under the aegis of my Department, hence the Departmental coordination role. The draft restriction was discussed at the February, April and June REACH Committee meetings. Discussions on this matter are expected to continue at the October REACH Committee Meeting.
I do not have policy responsibility for the legislation this restriction would effect should it progress into law and while my Department has a coordination role, it has no role in the formulation of the Irish position. It would be a matter for the relevant Government Departments concerned whether to disclose their position in relation to their respective policy areas.
The breadth of this proposed restriction spans several Government Departments and Agencies: the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment; the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; the National Parks and Wildlife Service; Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Inland Fisheries and the Department of Justice.
81. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of companies in which Enterprise Ireland holds shares, including plans to further invest in companies in an effort to crowd in both future venture capital and public market investors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36350/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt the end of 2024 the Enterprise Ireland held investments in approximately 1,968 client companies. On average Enterprise Ireland deploys €35m to €40m per year into 200 companies.
Enterprise Ireland has a matched funding policy to crowd in other third-party investors who could be business angels, venture capitalists or founders/friends and family.
