Cork Chamber welcomes enterprise funding commitments under National Development Plan

Cork Chamber, the voice of business in Cork, has welcomed the publication of the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment’s Sectoral Capital Plan for 2026 to 2030 under the National Development Plan. The planned investments will help to enhance Ireland’s economic competitiveness, supporting regional economic development and tourism growth, as well as innovation, entrepreneurship and decarbonisation.
 
Cork Chamber CEO, Conor Healy, said, “A commitment to continued support for regional development in IDA Ireland’s funding is particularly welcome. With €100 million allocated for the development of three Next Generation FDI sites and progress already underway on sites in the East and West of the country, it is critical that the third planned site is located in the Cork region. With its varied industrial ecosystem, skilled workforce and existing infrastructure, Cork is ideally placed to support further economic growth and investment in new and existing industries.
 
“€1.12 billion in funding allocated to Enterprise Ireland will play an important role in supporting domestic businesses to grow and scale. Funding for the establishment of Start-Up Ireland, as well as a dedicated Scaling Fund, is particularly welcome in this regard. Additional funding for regional economic development, including the Local Enterprise Office Programme, will help to ensure balanced growth and investment across the country.
 
“While €300 million has been allocated to support enterprise decarbonisation in the period to 2030, further investment will be required to ensure businesses of all sizes can invest in sustainability and energy efficiency. Consideration should also be given to the establishment of a dedicated fund for businesses located in the regions participating in the EU Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission, Cork and Dublin.
 
Mr Healy concluded, “Tourism also plays a key role in regional economies across Ireland; the €400 million in funding announced to support the development and promotion of tourism is an important recognition of the sector’s significance. The prioritisation of Shared Island Tourism Initiatives is particularly welcome, and all-island tourism and connectivity initiatives should be further enhanced to support continued economic growth.
 
“Cork Chamber collaborates with colleagues in Dublin and Northern Ireland Chambers as part of the Tri-Region Partnership to support the development of all-island tourism, connectivity and economic opportunity, and we look forward to continued collaboration to drive economic growth across the island.”