Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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22. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which he continues to ensure that enterprise and trade can continue to progress satisfactorily in highly competitive national and global markets, and ensure the attractiveness for investors in this economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30474/24]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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To ensure that FDI in Ireland continues to thrive, my Department works alongside IDA Ireland to strengthen Ireland’s business environment and FDI value proposition, and to identify and support strategic sectors.

In the first six months of this year, the IDA supported 131 investments, 74 of which are planned for regional locations, enabling the future delivery of 8,900 jobs to the economy against an increasingly challenging global operating environment.

As set out in the Government’s White Paper on Enterprise, FDI and trade remain central to Ireland’s growth model and economic strategy. Our response to changing globalisation patterns and associated market and supply chain fragmentation is to remain flexible and agile, while providing continuity and stability as an investment destination of choice and making infrastructural investments through the NDP and Project Ireland 2040 and in response to the annual NCPC Competitiveness Challenge Reports to ensure our FDI proposition remains globally competitive.

The competitiveness of our indigenous companies is also strongly supported through Enterprise Ireland, the network of Local Enterprise Offices, through a range of measures to support our SMEs and through funding for our innovation ecosystem. Indigenous companies are also being aided through initiatives such as supports for modern construction methods, our offshore wind strategy and funding to accelerate decarbonisation and digitalisation. The White Paper on Enterprise also contains specific measures to support our SMEs to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the twin green and digital transitions.