Enterprise Support Services

14. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will report on the number of jobs currently supported by IDA Ireland in each of the midland counties. [66656/26]

Will the Minister to address the lack of IDA-supported jobs in County Laois? There are a lot of jobs in the midlands and over 300,000 IDA-supported jobs throughout Ireland, but only about 150 of those are based in the county. Given the size of the county and its central location, this is totally unsatisfactory and I need the IDA to step up to the plate on this matter.

I thank the Deputy for his question. Balanced regional development is a key element of Government's enterprise policy, as set out in the programme for Government and the White Paper on Enterprise, and is a key focus of the work of my Department and our enterprise development agencies. In this regard, the IDA prioritises balanced regional development, recognising the importance of attracting investment to regional areas and supporting employment opportunities across the country. Over the period of its previous strategy between 2021 and 2024, IDA Ireland supported the delivery of 973 investments and the creation of 76,790 jobs, with 54% of these investments secured in regional locations. The midlands region, comprising counties Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath, exceeded its investment target during this period, securing 31 investments against a target of 25. Under the current strategy, Adapt Intelligently: A Strategy for Sustainable Growth and Innovation 2025-2029, the IDA aims for 550 of 1,000 new investments to be in regional areas, including 40 for the midlands. In 2025, the first year of the strategy, IDA Ireland secured a record 323 investments, a 38% increase on 2024. These investments are expected to create more than 15,300 jobs in the coming years. IDA’s strong regional performance has continued in 2026, with 190 investments approved in the first six months of the year, supporting more than 10,400 job approvals. Regional locations accounted for 52% of investments during this period, in line with our objective. Employment figures for IDA client companies are compiled on an annual basis. As of 2025, the midlands region was home to 51 IDA client companies for 7,501 people. Of those, 156 roles were in Laois, 1,572 were in Longford, 1,299 were in Offaly and 4,474 were in Westmeath.

I thank the Minister for that. He actually proved the case I had to make when he pointed out that one county in the midlands has almost 4,500 IDA-supported jobs, while a county of a similar or larger size has 150. It is by far the lowest figure for any county. This is IDA policy, and if it is not policy, there is somebody not doing their job. It has decided Laois is okay for some reason. It probably even thinks, "Sure, Portlaoise is only an hour from Dublin. Let them commute every day to work in Dublin." That is not a sustainable solution. More people are coming to build houses in County Laois and we have had a massive increase in population in recent decades, not matched by IDA site visits. I know it has purchased a significant site in Portlaoise, and will spend the next ten years telling us it will develop it and bring in the services, and it will put in lights and roads. It will make another five years out of that, but it is jobs we want.

As I pointed out, we have an additional land bank in Portlaoise. I assure the Deputy it is not a policy decision, and it has been challenging to get new capital investment. We are seeing around the country that existing sites are sweating their assets. There is a lot of investment in research, development and innovation on current sites, but the new bricks and mortar sites have been very challenging, particularly in the current geopolitical backdrop. However, I will raise the Deputy's concern regarding County Laois with the IDA, which I hear. Through Enterprise Ireland, about are 2,100 people supported in employment in Laois. Through our LEOs, we are also at a very strong level of 837 jobs supported in 2025. Our enterprise agencies are working hard on the indigenous sector there, albeit the IDA is challenged in getting new capital investment. However, with a new land bank and the working infrastructure attached to it, this will hopefully improve and enhance the value proposition of the area.

I acknowledge the work of Enterprise Ireland and the local employment office in bringing and supporting jobs in native Irish companies but that is happening in every county. I am specifically here to deal with the IDA. I will ask the Minister to ensure that he contacts the chief executive of the IDA about this, to make sure that he is aware of this conversation. State agencies might not be following what is happening in the Dáil this evening. I do not think there is any other solution but him coming to meet us directly in County Laois. We do not want to hear about developing a site. That will go on forever. We want to hear about real proposals to bring jobs into County Laois. We are as good a county as any other. We are a well-educated county. We have the best of roads and the best of trains to go wherever you want. The location is good. People are moving here, but they are having to commute back every morning to go to work.

I hear the strong case that Deputy Fleming is making for County Laois and the road and rail infrastructure it has for connectivity. I have no issue in contacting the IDA again. I know the Deputy has raised this on numerous occasions previously, regarding a meeting with him about County Laois. I assure the Deputy that we will do all we can to seek as many opportunities as possible for Laois in the future. I have to be cautious in saying that I see new capital investments in bricks and mortar as a challenge right now in the environment that we work in. Notwithstanding that, the county has a huge amount to offer, and critically, it has significant assets in its population. We will work with the enterprise agencies, particularly IDA Ireland, to try to drive more visits and more job opportunities, and to ensure that the new land bank, which is the new capital acquisition in Portlaoise, gets a strong value proposition on the register of some exciting new company.