Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2026
284. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of IDA visits to Kildare south in each of the past five years; the towns and locations that were visited, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47122/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra285. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the size and location of any IDA owned lands in Kildare south; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47123/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 284 and 285 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, IDA Ireland is continuing its strong commitment to regional development as one of four key strategic objectives of its 2025–2029 strategy, "Adapt Intelligently". This ambitious strategy aims to secure 550 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects outside Dublin, accounting for 55% of the 1,000 investments targeted over that period.
IDA Ireland utilises a range of strategies to maximise dispersal of FDI nationally. IDA’s regional focus leverages the wider demographic catchment of a region, the track record of existing client companies already located in the region, the presence of third-level universities to provide a skilled talent pipeline for companies investing in the region, and the availability of property and developed infrastructure assets. IDA’s regional development strategy and regional investment targets are aligned with Government policy, including Ireland 2040 and the National Planning Framework.
In that regard, Kildare is marketed as part of the Mid-East Region. There are 126 IDA client companies in the region, comprised of counties Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow, employing 20,284 people of which 50 are located in County Kildare employing 10,258 people. The FDI performance in the region has been consistent over the past five years with employment among IDA clients increasing by 5% and the Mid-East has a significant ecosystem of well-established companies across Technology, Life Sciences, International Financial Services and Engineering & Industrial Technologies. It has also won significant investment in the Food and the Film sub-sectors.
As the Deputy is aware, the availability of suitable property and strategic sites is a critical component of the regional value proposition and can be the key differentiator in investment decisions in the regions from both new and existing clients as well as clients of Enterprise Ireland and the LEOs. Through its Regional Property Programme, IDA aims to provide agile, sustainable, flexible property solutions, providing certainty to clients in advance of demand.
Currently, IDA Ireland has approximately 78 ha (193 acres) of land available for marketing as set out in the table below:
|
- |
Business Park/Site Name |
Property Type |
Total Size |
Available for Marketing |
|
Newbridge |
Newbridge Business Park, Moorfield, Newbridge, Co. Kildare |
Business Park |
c. 25.6 ha / 63.26 acres |
c. 11.81 ha / 29.18 acres |
|
Newbridge |
Newbridge Business Park, Little Connell, Newbridge, Co. Kildare |
Strategic Site |
c. 66.14 ha / 163.43 acres |
c. 66.14 ha / 163.43 acres |
IDA site visits are only one measure of a company’s interest in a particular location and may not necessarily be a true measure of the overall level of foreign direct investment (FDI) activity in a region or county. For example, 70% of FDI won by IDA Ireland in 2024 came from its existing client base, rather than new companies. Also, potential clients visiting Ireland may visit more than one county and may return to a location more than once. It should also be noted that the final decision on where to locate an investment is always decided by the client, and not by IDA Ireland, and it can take many years to convert from initial site visit to final project proposal.
IDA Ireland reports site visits at the county level. Site visits to Co. Kildare over the past five years are outlined in the table below:
|
- |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
Q1 2026 |
|
Co. Kildare |
7 |
6 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
0 |
IDA Ireland continues to collaborate closely with national and local stakeholders to foster the conditions necessary for enterprise, innovation, and job creation in the region. However, I must also stress that, ultimately, individual investors decide where to locate their investments.
As Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, I can assure you that I am committed to driving a competitive, resilient and sustainable economy that supports enterprise, tourism and employment across all of Ireland’s regions.
