1048. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the progress being made regarding the development of new flourmills in Ireland that have been promised; if any of these new mills be in the County Laois, south Kildare or the Carlow area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61980/26]

In February 2026 I, along with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, launched a scheme to support the establishment of new industrial-scale flour mills to rebuild milling capacity and improve the resilience of the Irish bakery and food supply chain.

The Scheme is being administered by Enterprise Ireland and will provide support of up to €5 million per eligible project, subject to funding conditions and applicable EU State aid requirements. Proposed projects must demonstrate the ability to produce between 60,000 and 80,000 tonnes of high-quality wheat flour annually. Projects must also demonstrate that they can strengthen the competitiveness, sustainability and resilience of Ireland’s bakery and food supply chain. Supported projects will be expected to involve modern and efficient milling infrastructure.

Since the scheme was launched, Enterprise Ireland has engaged with several prospective companies that may be eligible for support. While no projects have been approved in the counties in question to date, Enterprise Ireland will continue to engage with interested parties and will assess all applications received. Separately to the scheme, small or artisanal mills with an export focus, and which are eligible to become Enterprise Ireland clients, may be considered for support under existing Enterprise Ireland funding programmes.

Government recognises, the strategic importance of rebuilding flour milling capacity in Ireland. The Flour Mill Scheme will help strengthen food security, enhance supply chain resilience, support the competitiveness of the bakery sector and contribute to the objectives of Food Vision 2030.