Westmeath Minister representing Ireland at World Economic Forum in Switzerland

Westmeath's Peter Burke - the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment - is in Davos, Switzerland, this week to attend the 2026 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum.

The Mullingar Fine Gael representative travelled to Davos yesterday (Monday) and while there he is due to lead Ireland’s IDA engagement with chief executives of multinational companies already operating here, as well as holding meetings with CEOs of potential future foreign direct investment (FDI) companies and international leaders.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Minister Burke said: "I look forward to returning to Davos this year to represent the Irish Government, and to engaging with senior executives and political leaders from around the world to share Ireland’s positive message.

"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.

"Ireland continues to be seen as an attractive location for FDI, and this is reflected in IDA Ireland’s results for 2025, which show that the IDA secured 323 investments last year; its highest ever number and a 38% increase on 2024," he stated.

"This strong performance reflects Ireland’s continued competitiveness on the world stage, particularly at a time when there is increasing competition for fewer investment opportunities."

He added that his meetings in Davis would also "facilitate discussions on emerging international issues and industrial trends".