Minister Burke announces €4.7 billion capital investment with significant opportunities for innovation and proptech
7 January 2026
The Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke TD, has published his Department’s Sectoral Capital Plan 2026–2030, confirming a €4.7 billion capital investment programme under the Government’s National Development Plan. The five-year plan sets out funding allocations aimed at strengthening Ireland’s enterprise base, supporting innovation, attracting foreign direct investment, and promoting tourism and regional development.
Described by the Minister as the largest-ever investment in Ireland’s enterprise and innovation ecosystem, the plan prioritises infrastructure, research, scaling supports and regional property solutions. Several elements of the programme are directly relevant to technology-enabled sectors, including proptech, advanced manufacturing, digital infrastructure, and decarbonisation.
Of the total €4.7 billion allocation, €1.12 billion is earmarked to help enterprises start, grow and scale. This includes €355 million for Enterprise Ireland grants, €350 million for Local Enterprise and Regional Development, €250 million for the Seed and Venture Capital Programme, and €100 million for a new Scaling Fund targeted at Irish SMEs. These funding streams are designed to improve access to capital, support regional enterprise ecosystems, and address known gaps in scaling finance for high-growth firms.
The plan also allocates €1.29 billion to attracting and sustaining inward investment through IDA Ireland. This includes €500 million for regional property solutions and €100 million for the delivery of Next Generation FDI sites. These large-scale, plan-led and infrastructure-ready sites are intended to support advanced manufacturing investments, including semiconductor and biopharma facilities. The development of utility-intensive, pre-permitted sites has implications for digital site planning, infrastructure modelling, asset management systems and smart building technologies.
Enterprise innovation and commercialisation accounts for €1.33 billion of the overall plan. Key components include €190 million for Enterprise Ireland Technology Centres, €196 million for the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund, €170 million for participation in European Space Agency programmes, and €120 million to support Ireland’s participation in Important Projects of Common European Interest. The plan highlights digitalisation, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and sustainability as core competitiveness drivers, all of which intersect with the built environment and property technology sectors.
Tourism development and promotion will receive €400 million, supporting the delivery of the Government’s new tourism policy, A New Era for Irish Tourism. Funding includes €77 million for overseas tourism marketing and €200 million for tourism product development. The plan also references continued investment in digital transformation for tourism SMEs, including technology-enabled visitor experiences, operational efficiency and data-driven marketing. These areas present opportunities for proptech and placetech solutions linked to destinations, public realm management and experience design.
A further €300 million is allocated to enterprise decarbonisation, supporting businesses to reduce emissions and transition to low-carbon operations in line with the Climate Action Plan. The plan confirms continued use of environmental aid programmes operated by Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland to support energy efficiency, renewable energy adoption and lower-carbon construction and production processes. Digital monitoring, reporting and optimisation technologies are explicitly relevant to these objectives.
Commenting on the publication of the plan, Minister Burke stated that the investment represents “a €4.7 billion commitment to jobs, competitiveness and building the future – creating the advanced infrastructure and innovation ecosystem that global enterprises demand.” He emphasised that the plan is intended to ensure Ireland can compete for future opportunities rather than relying on legacy offerings.
Minister of State for Employment, Small Business and Retail, Alan Dillon TD, highlighted the emphasis on regional development, noting that targeted investment in enterprise infrastructure and property solutions is intended to ensure businesses across all regions can grow and succeed. Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation, Niamh Smyth TD, underlined the role of disruptive technologies, research collaboration and digital transformation in positioning Ireland as a global leader in advanced manufacturing, AI and space technologies.
The Sectoral Capital Plan also references example projects expected to be delivered over the period, including the rollout of Next Generation FDI sites, expansion of scaling and venture capital programmes, development of regional enterprise hubs and advanced manufacturing centres under the Smart Regions Scheme, investment in tourism infrastructure, and support for enterprise decarbonisation projects.
The Department states that, by delivering on the Programme for Government and the National Development Plan, the €4.7 billion investment is intended to strengthen Irish SMEs, attract cutting-edge foreign direct investment, and ensure that economic growth and innovation are shared across all regions.
Further information: https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/publications/publication-files/sectoral-capital-plan-2026-2030.pdf