I congratulate the Minister, Deputy Burke, on his appointment, and his Ministers of State, and wish them the very best of luck for the future. I would like to ask the Minister about employment in our regions, and specifically if he will provide the details on how many jobs were supported by Enterprise Ireland in Sligo and Leitrim in 2024. Additionally, how does this figure compare to the end of 2020 for each of these counties?

I thank Deputy Scanlon for his kind wishes on behalf of myself and my Ministers of State, Deputies Smyth and Dillon. The number of jobs in Enterprise Ireland-supported companies in County Leitrim has increased by 67% since 2020, with 978 people now employed in the county by these companies. In 2024 there were 110 new jobs created in the county by Enterprise Ireland-supported clients, helping the county achieve 11% growth in 2024. In County Sligo, we have seen an increase of 19% in employment among Enterprise Ireland-supported companies since 2024. Employment now stands at 2,377 people among Enterprise Ireland-supported companies. There were 246 jobs created in Sligo in 2024 by these companies, which contributed towards 3% growth in the county during 2024. This growth was in line with the national average for Enterprise Ireland-supported companies where employment grew on average by 3% also.

I continue to emphasise the importance of regional development and the role of Enterprise Ireland in driving economic growth right across Sligo and Leitrim. I want to highlight the agency's efforts to provide businesses with the resources and the support they need to thrive, particularly in the areas outside the capital. By focusing on innovation, collaboration and sustainability, Enterprise Ireland aims to create a more resilient and competitive business environment in the north-west region. These initiatives reflect the broader commitment to fostering balanced economic growth right across Ireland, ensuring that all regions can contribute and benefit from the nation's prosperity.

I thank Deputy Scanlon for his question and assure him that we are doing everything right across government to ensure balanced regional development and make sure our regions grow; for example by supporting tertiary education, which is key in the north west, and by having many partnerships with industry to give the region the opportunity to grow and prosper.

I thank the Minister for his detailed response regarding the job support figures for Enterprise Ireland for Sligo and Leitrim. It is encouraging to hear about the growth in job numbers and the positive impact that targeted initiatives have had on our local economy since 2020. We know the economic landscape has undergone significant changes over the past few years and the support provided by Enterprise Ireland has been pivotal in fostering job creation and retention.

I appreciate the job growth figures the Minister has presented. Will the Minister elaborate on the specific initiatives or programmes being implemented by Enterprise Ireland to further support job creation in Sligo and Leitrim, especially considering the unique challenges faced by businesses in these regions?

I thank the Deputy for his question and for his advocacy on behalf of his constituency. Enterprise Ireland has established the advanced manufacturing unit in Sligo, which is very important. It is an innovation that is a key support to industry working in partnership. It is a huge advantage in terms of doing things that in many instances industry cannot.

On Enterprise Ireland and its wider strategy, last year we had over 67% growth in the regions. This is outside of the capital, which is very important. We are looking at key areas in sustainability and in artificial intelligence - there is a huge amount of opportunity contained in that area. We are working with the indigenous sector to enhance exports. We have seen a very significant growth in exports over recent years. We want to continue that growth through Enterprise Ireland and by working with so many good and valued companies in Sligo and Leitrim.

While the statistics are promising, will the Minister elaborate on the strategies being implemented to ensure this growth is sustainable and part of a long-term vision for economic development in our region? His insights into these matters will greatly aid us in understanding how we can further enhance support for Sligo-Leitrim's economic potential.

I would be happy to. We see four growth areas at this time. First is digital. We are trying, in line with the White Paper on enterprise, to get to 90% digital intensity by 2030. In healthcare, cell and gene therapy is a huge growth area, as well as other healthcare mechanisms. We hope to bring AI into that sphere, which will be key. In sustainability, we have had about 93 investments through IDA in its last strategy. That will be key to reducing our emissions by 35% by 2030. Customers of significant employers demand that. We see in the CSRD and other reporting requirements how important that will be. On semi-conductor activity, we are looking at establishing three large-scale sites to attract investment. The north west is a key area we will be looking at regarding the next Intel for Ireland. We need utility-rich strong sites that can reduce lead times and provide certainty for big employers and investors looking at our country.