Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 November 2025
402. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to outline all capital investment made by the IDA in County Laois since 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62752/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra406. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of foreign direct investment (FDI) jobs in County Laois in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, in tabular form; the number of FDI jobs created and lost respectively in County Laois in the same years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62934/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 402 and 406 together.
Regional Development is a key focus of our Programme for Government and is central to the work of my Department and our enterprise development agencies. In this regard, regional development is one of four key strategic objectives of IDA Ireland's 2025-2029 strategy, "Adapt Intelligently" with a commitment to secure 550 investments, 55% of its total investment target, outside Dublin, including a target of 40 investments in the Midlands.
There is a significant ecosystem of well-established companies across Life Sciences, Technology, Global Business & Financial Services and Engineering & Industrial Technologies in the Midlands region. There is a total of 52 IDA client companies in the region, employing 8,045 people, including 145 people employed across 5 IDA client companies in County Laois. Recent significant investments in Laois include N’Ware Technologies' announcement in 2021 of the opening of its sales and services centre in Mountrath, and Greenfield Global's official opening of its €30m EU manufacturing headquarters in Portlaoise in 2020.
As requested, the number of jobs in IDA client companies in County Laois in the years 2022, 2023, 2024 and the number of jobs created and lost respectively is set out in tabular form below. The 2025 figures will be available in January 2026.
|
Laois |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
Number of IDA Client companies |
5 |
6 |
5 |
|
Total Jobs |
163 |
180 |
145 |
|
New Jobs Created |
+13 |
+30 |
+21 |
|
Job Losses |
-15 |
-13 |
-56 |
|
Net Change |
-2 |
+17 |
-35 |
As the Deputy is aware, a robust property and infrastructure ecosystem can be the key differentiator in winning FDI projects. 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, through its Regional Property Programme aims to address regional market failure through investment in 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. In this regard, the IDA has invested over €4.5m in County Laois since 2022 on property as set out below:
|
Laois |
Capitalised Sum (since 2022) |
|
Total |
€4,504,000 |
The IDA Business and Technology Park in Portlaoise, Co. Laois is maintained as part of IDA Ireland’s property portfolio and there is c.33.39 hectares of lands available for marketing in the IDA Park to suit both manufacturing and international services clients, in a landscaped and serviced environment. In that regard IDA continues to proactively market the available lands to suitable qualifying client companies and is committed to the continued promotion of the lands for development for employment generating uses consistent with its development brief.
Under the IDA’s new property programme, the agency will partner with Laois County Council for the delivery of advance planning permits as well as complete upgrade works on the IDA Industrial or Business Park in in Portlaoise. IDA will also continue to work closely with the private sector in the Midlands to secure the provision and marketing of appropriate and cost-effective building and property solutions for client companies.
As to Grant payments to IDA Clients in Laois over the 2022 to 2024, the figure is set out below. I would note however that Grants paid in a particular year are not necessarily linked to either investments, or jobs created in that 12-month period. Grants are generally drawn down over the lifetime of a project, typically three to five years. Some investments which result in job creation may not be grant aided and some well-established firms may no longer be receiving grant payments.
|
Laois |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
Grant Payments |
€401,212 |
€0 |
€86,321 |
IDA Ireland works effectively 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 all key stakeholders across the 4 counties and is heavily involved in a significant number of initiatives across the region to improve the value proposition for FDI – Just Transition, Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan Steering Committee, ICT Network and ATIM Cluster Steering Committee, and the Region Skills Forum etc.
IDA’s focus over the coming years is 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.
