The Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, has travelled to Davos, Switzerland to attend the 2026 Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, where he will promote Ireland as a location for foreign direct investment and engage with global business leaders.
During the week-long gathering, Minister Burke will lead Ireland’s IDA-backed engagement with chief executives of multinational companies already operating in the State, alongside meetings with CEOs of potential new investors and a range of international political and economic leaders.
Ahead of the visit, the Minister said the forum comes at a time when many advanced economies are facing economic and political pressures, while Ireland continues to record growth.
“At a time when so many developed economies are dealing with economic and political headwinds, the Irish economy continues to grow, and I will be emphasising Ireland’s capabilities as a strong, dynamic country,” Burke said.
He said Ireland’s attractiveness to international investors is reflected in IDA Ireland’s 2025 performance, with the agency securing 323 investments during the year — its highest ever total and a 38% increase on 2024.
According to the Minister, the results underline Ireland’s competitiveness at a time of intensifying global competition for a smaller pool of investment projects.
The Davos meetings will also focus on emerging global issues and industrial trends, providing an opportunity for Ireland to contribute to wider multilateral discussions on shared economic and societal challenges.
Minister Burke will lead Ireland’s IDA-backed engagement with chief executives of multinational companies already operating in the State. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP via Getty Images)
Minister Burke said the Government is continuing to strengthen Ireland’s overall value proposition through investment in infrastructure, reforms to research and development supports, and measures aimed at developing skills and expertise across the workforce.
“Government continues to strengthen Ireland’s value proposition, including significant investment in infrastructure, changes to our R&D code and supporting our people to grow the expertise that has long been a hallmark of Ireland’s talent”.