998. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if IDA Ireland plans to open an office in Madrid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56070/26]

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is a key element of Ireland's economic strategy, with investments by IDA Ireland client companies consistently generating highly skilled jobs nationwide. A total of 190 investments were secured by IDA during the first half of 2026, up 6% on the same period in 2025, which was a record year for investments.

Ireland continues to remain attractive to new investors with 54 of these 190 investments coming from companies new to Ireland. IDA’s 2025–29 strategy also emphasises partnering with companies to strengthen long-term investment, and the efficacy of this approach is reflected in the 39 expansions from existing client companies, 57 RD&I investments, 31 talent development projects, and 9 green capital investments.

The employment and economic impacts of IDA clients on the Irish economy and society remain at record levels. IDA client employment increased by 1.5% to 312,400 in 2025, which is in line with national employment growth and holds a share of total national employment of 11%.

This strong FDI performance in the first half of 2026 reflects Ireland’s continued competitiveness on the world stage. IDA operates a network of offices across the globe engaging with a diverse range of sectors including technology, life sciences, financial services, and advanced manufacturing, and continuously reviews its strategic approach to winning investment for Ireland.

IDA has offices in Paris, Frankfurt and London. This footprint in Europe and the UK, positions IDA well to realise investment opportunities in existing core markets, giving IDA access to Germany and northern Europe from Frankfurt, France and Southern Europe from Paris and the UK from London. These locations also position IDA Ireland well in terms of its increasing focus on high-growth regions including Switzerland and the Nordics. IDA actively manages the Spanish market through its Paris office and does not currently intend to open an office in Madrid.

Working alongside IDA Ireland, my Department continues to place significant importance on promoting Ireland as a destination for FDI and strengthening Ireland’s business environment and FDI value proposition, supporting strategic sectors in line with the IDA's current strategy.