Question No. 7 is in the name of Deputy O'Dea, but Deputy Dolan is taking it.
Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions
Economic Policy
Willie O'Dea
Question:7. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will report on the implementation of the Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity. [66657/26]
Last week in Galway, a meeting was held by IBEC with all the Oireachtas representatives from right across the political spectrum with the site leads in Galway and some of the CEOs of the organisations. It was a fruitful meeting. Competitiveness was the lead item on the agenda so I would appreciate an update on the implementation of the action plan.
I thank the Deputy for his question. The Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity, an item in the programme for Government, was published on 10 September 2025. The action plan reflects a whole-of-government approach to the domestic drivers of competitiveness and focuses on areas that are firmly within national control. Its development was informed by extensive consultation across Departments and with external stakeholders.
Accountability, monitoring and oversight are key to the successful delivery of the actions set out in the action plan. Each of the 85 actions is assigned a specific owner and has a timeline for implementation. Just under half of the actions are due for delivery in 2026. The remaining actions were delivered in 2025 or are scheduled for delivery between 2027 and 2030. The project team is in the process of drafting an update report, which should be published before the end of the year.
Broadly speaking, of the total of 85 actions, 24 actions have been completed, 24 actions are on track for completion within their original timelines and 35 actions are in progress and expected to be delivered as scheduled. The remaining actions are at various stages of development, given differences in the implementation timeline. The most recent updates received demonstrate that the implementation of the plan is progressing as scheduled.
It should also be noted that strong progress has been made in the implementation of the 26 priority actions, with 19 either implemented or on track to be implemented and the remainder being in progress and expected to be delivered on schedule. Key examples include an action to implement the outstanding recommendations from the civil justice review group report, with the general scheme of the civil reform Bill being published in January of this year. The research and development and innovation compass was also published in February of this year as part of an action to encourage the adoption of innovative technologies by the SME sector.
I welcome that the actions are being implemented. I believe the Minister of State said that 24 have been completed to date. That is welcome, but there are 85 actions included in that implementation programme so there is work to be done. I know it is a body of work that will be worth doing.
The companies we met with outlined something to us. From small and medium enterprises right up to the largest of enterprises, when talking about competitiveness, they spoke of a fear about the speed at which Government has brought in changes over the last few years. They said it felt like there was a compounding of costs arising from that. If you speak to those involved in businesses, you hear that revenues remain strong and businesses are performing well but that the margins have gotten tighter. That is where the concern is coming from. Many cost burdens have been placed on businesses over the last few years. Is that going to accelerate or decelerate? Does the Minister of State have a comment on that?
I thank the Deputy for his response. It is a priority within our Department to focus on enterprise and the small business sector. That is why we established the cost of doing business advisory forum. We published that report last month. It had huge input from regulators, representative bodies, businesses and the private sector. It was broadly well received. It looked at the structural costs within businesses. We need a whole-of-government approach to drive the implementation of those recommendations. Some 63 recommendations were made. The Minister, Deputy Burke, and the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, are very anxious to drive that agenda and we will. That is alongside the action plan on competitiveness. It is not just about identifying the competitiveness challenges; it is about actively implementing practical measures that will be felt to address them and ensure that Ireland is the best place in the world to do business, to invest and to create jobs.
One other thing that the Minister of State and all of the Ministers in the Department of enterprise will be aware of is that multinationals and Irish companies that are competing on a global scale are also competing internally. They are competing with sites in the US, sites in Asia and other European sites. We have to be conscious of that internal competition that is taking place. Part of the success story of the med tech and life sciences sector in Galway is the fact that we do research and development really well. If possible, I ask that the research and development tax credit be extended to related costs as part of the budget. It is not just the research and development costs that arise in Galway or in the west that count; it is also all of the related costs that go into making that research and development viable and allowing it to happen. I ask the Minister of State to give consideration to enhancing that tax credit in the budget. I would appreciate any comments he can make without giving away the budget.
I take the points the Deputy has raised. In the last budget, we made a decision within our Department and the Minister, Deputy Burke, brought forward an increase in the research and development tax credit, bringing it to 35%. That was broadly welcomed. The industry had campaigned for it. The Minister will bring forward a new life sciences strategy in the coming months. This will focus on our strengths but also try to implement practical measures to continue to make Ireland an attractive place not just for indigenous Irish companies within the life sciences sector but also for continued foreign direct investment, allowing many established companies that have embedded themselves within communities across the country to continue to expand, innovate and create jobs. That is where we are at our best. With the talent we have within our universities and the investment going into skills development, we can continue to support that very important sector.
Enterprise Support Services
Grace Boland
Question:8. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the progress made on adjusting the mandate of Enterprise Ireland to better support small indigenous exporters; and the specific changes being considered. [66665/26]
I am very supportive of this Government's ambition to grow our indigenous enterprise base. The programme for Government places a very strong emphasis on backing small businesses, scaling indigenous firms and increasing Ireland's export capacity. Will the Minister of State update us as to progress on expanding the mandate of Enterprise Ireland to better support our small businesses?
I thank Deputy Boland for her very important question. Supporting the growth and internationalisation of small indigenous exporters is a key priority for my Department. Through Enterprise Ireland and the local enterprise office network, whose mandate includes supporting small businesses to develop and grow, our Department provides a continuum of supports to assist businesses at every stage of their export journey.
Our Department's White Paper on enterprise to 2030 sets out a target of 2,000 new exporters by 2030. To help to achieve this objective, Enterprise Ireland established Get Exporting, a new national export accelerator programme, to build ambition, capability and market-entry readiness among potential first-time exporters. Get Exporting provides expert-led workshops, digital resources and one-to-one guidance to develop an actionable export plan for small indigenous companies with little or no export experience or sales. Get Exporting is delivered in partnership with the local enterprise offices, Údarás na Gaeltachta and InterTradeIreland, ensuring that companies with export ambitions can avail of consistent and clear support to simplify their export journey regardless of their existing agency relationship.
Enterprise Ireland also offers a range of market access grants to assist companies that are starting out on their export journey. These supports include the digital marketing capability grant, the evolve strategic planning grant, the market discovery fund and the strategic marketing review. Enterprise Ireland works with more than 4,500 Irish companies that are exporting or are in the early stages of their exporting journey. Of these EI client companies, some 3,000 are small businesses with fewer than 50 employees. These companies can benefit from EI's international trade missions, trade event programmes and buyer visits, which are instrumental when growing and scaling internationally.
I very much welcome the target of 2,000 new exporters. The Minister of State might update us on how much of that might be made up of SMEs or even microbusinesses. I have worked as an SME and I supported SMEs in my own business. Many report a gap between the supports provided by the LEOs and Enterprise Ireland. They are often seen as too small for Enterprise Ireland. We really need to make sure we are supporting all of our businesses right across the sector. For example, an agrifood business in Fingal needs to get supports not only from the LEO or Enterprise Ireland but also from Bord Bia. We need to make sure that these supports are joined up and that we are not asking businesses to complete three different sets of application forms or go through three different channels. We need to help them. They do not have extra capacity to deal with the administrative burden. We need to do everything we can to make it easy for them to access supports and new markets.
I concur with those sentiments. From dealing with businesses, I know that the jump when you go from an LEO to Enterprise Ireland can be a challenge because a business may not meet the criteria. We are looking at all of that within the upcoming budget to see what we can do to make sure our agencies do not allow anyone to fall through the cracks as a result of the criteria businesses must meet when moving from the local enterprise office to Enterprise Ireland.
Enterprise Ireland market advisers provide client companies with access to local market expertise, market intelligence and business connections to support export growth and international expansion. Through this network, companies can receive practical advice on market entry strategies and introductions to potential customers, partners and other key stakeholders in overseas markets. In a similar way, our LEOs, which operate in each of the 31 local authority areas, provide advice, mentoring and financial supports to early-stage exporters through initiatives such as the export business advisers network and the market explorer grant.
The export business advisers assist companies in researching, planning and commencing exports while the market explorer grant supports businesses to investigate and enter new international markets by covering up to 50% of the eligible costs, to a maximum of €10,000 over an 18-month period.
I thank the Minister of State. I have two quick questions. Are there any plans to develop tailored, specific supports for certain sectors? I think of sectors like food innovation, new methods of construction technology or even medical devices, as we have many medical device companies in Ireland and it is a growing area. In terms of market diversification, with global uncertainty, it is really important that we support our businesses and in particular our SMEs to diversify. What is the plan for diversifying in Europe and outside of Europe?
The point the Deputy raised about supporting businesses so they are not going to three different agencies for the same type of support, and having that co-ordination, goes right back to the ethos of what the Minister, Deputy Burke, has been trying to do on diversification and simplification. For a long time, we know businesses have felt burdened by the bureaucracy that can be involved in going after these grant applications but also who they go to for what. There is a concerted effort being driven by the Minister, Deputy Burke, and through our Department to ensure there is simplification, which is not just an Irish objective. The EU Presidency this year gives us a great platform to drive that right across our 27 member states. That is certainly one of our ambitions as well.
Over the past decade, exports by EI-supported indigenous companies have increased by 94%, reaching a record €38.86 billion in 2026, an increase of 8% on the previous year. This demonstrates the significant progress being made in developing a resilient and internationally competitive cohort of indigenous exporters, well-positioned to seize new opportunities and navigate an increasingly complex global trading environment.
Tourist Accommodation
James Geoghegan
Question:9. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment for an update on any engagement he has had with stakeholders, including hospitality and local government sectors on the introduction of an accommodation tax-levy. [66683/26]
I ask the Minister for an update on any engagement he has had with stakeholders, including hospitality and the local government sector, on the introduction of an accommodation tax or levy.
I thank the Deputy for the question. The introduction of a visitor accommodation levy was proposed in Foundations for the Future, the report of the Commission on Taxation and Welfare, published in September 2022 and more recently in Capital City, the report of the Dublin City Taskforce, published in October 2024, specifically for Dublin city centre. In the case of the latter, the proposed levy was presented as part of the funding mechanism to support implementation of the actions in the Dublin City Taskforce report. The programme for Government commits to implementing the Dublin City Taskforce recommendations and to apply the task-force model to other cities, towns and regions in need of revitalisation.
The interdepartmental group on the Dublin City Taskforce report, which is led by the Department of the Taoiseach, published its report and accompanying roadmap in June 2025 and these provide a course of action to implement the task force’s recommendations. An oversight board led by the Department of the Taoiseach, with broad representation from across Government, was established to oversee the implementation of the roadmap and associated actions. The board established a financing subgroup to consider and report back on a number of funding mechanisms, including a visitor accommodation levy, to support the implementation of the actions from the Dublin City Taskforce report. I understand that both the oversight board and the financing subgroup have met on a number of occasions throughout 2025 and 2026. To date, a proposal for an accommodation levy has not been submitted to Government for consideration.
Through my regular engagement with industry representatives, the issue of an accommodation tax or levy has arisen periodically. The principal concerns highlighted by stakeholders have centred on its potential impact on visitor numbers and the additional administrative burden that such a measure could place on accommodation providers. Given the significant contribution of inbound tourism to Ireland's economy supporting employment, regional employment and economic activity across both urban and rural communities, any proposal to introduce an accommodation levy would require careful and balanced consideration. This would need to include a comprehensive assessment of its potential implications for Ireland's tourism competitiveness, visitor demand and the long-term sustainability and resilience of the sector.
I thank the Minister. I agree with his last point. Clearly, it is the case that if we were to ever introduce an accommodation levy, there would have to be a proper examination of the impact on competitiveness. Understandably, on the local authority side and the Dublin side, they are more focused on what the revenue could bring for the city. Perhaps there has not been enough focus on what the impact would be on the sector itself. At any of the engagements I have had with the hotel sector when it hosts its events in Buswells, it is about making clear that any levy would be beneficial to the hotel sector, particularly in Dublin city, which is absolutely booming. There are record levels of investment in the hotel sector. It would have to be beneficial to the visitors who stay in their hotels but generally beneficial to the city.
There are ways to address the administrative issue. In Edinburgh, there was a refund on the percentage of revenue that was being generated that went right back to industry so that the cost was not borne by business. That would be exceptionally important were we to introduce this. The benefits for the city could be quite significant were a tax like this to be introduced.
I thank the Deputy for his response. I will point out one or two things. From my 13 years of experience in private practice as an accountant and from studying tax, one of the key things I always have in my mind is that I would never introduce a tax when a sector is reducing in numbers. That was the case in 2025. If we remember back to before we brought in our tourism strategy, A New Era for Irish Tourism, visitor numbers and visitor spend were going down and, by default, I would never introduce a tax against that backdrop. In 2026, we have seen a significant increase. Numbers are going up well. We saw 626,000 visitors from foreign countries in July alone. It is up 5% on 2025 and about 3% on 2024. Critically, we will be considering this right across Government but I want to be very clear that at this point in time, we have about 38,000 hotels in planning. For the viability of those to work out and for them to be delivered, we have to be careful about what new taxation measures we bring in. We have to get the backdrop right and, hopefully, with the tourism policy we will keep increasing our numbers at the moment.
All Ministers and Ministers of States should finish within their time because we have to get to as many questions as possible.
I thank the Minister. I take every point he is saying. I am heartened that the strategy the Minister is implementing is working. More visitors are coming to this country. This has to be looked at from a Dublin-centric view, to put it simply. There is a different market in terms of the investment horizon for hotels in Dublin compared to other parts of the country. Obviously, any law made in these Houses that would permit a local authority to introduce an accommodation levy would have to be mindful of every region in the country and ensure there is balance. We would have to ensure that for any local authority that introduces the levy, it would be in an area where tourism is thriving and would not act as a disincentive for the tourism industry. On the revenue side, and what we could do for Dublin city with that level of investment, the implementation of some of those recommendations of the task force would be quite significant.
I thank the Deputy for his important contribution. I know he was central to the Capital City report and he wants to see investment. I share that vision with him. Local authorities also need to demonstrate responsibility. Many local authorities have revenue raising powers they do not use. Some actually cut funding and shirk their responsibility. The one key thing is I do not want to see a mechanism of taxation being seen as a soft touch to bring forward a funding stream that can be lost. We have to bring forward a body of evidence.
I absolutely share the Deputy's ambition through the report. I am happy that tourism is in a better place so we can consider options like this whereas in 2025, I would have had a very different view on considering them. At least we can move forward and try to achieve the aspirations in the report to have a strong capital city, which is in all our interests. I know the Deputy does so much on driving forward support for the Dublin City Taskforce. Hopefully, we can together ensure it has a viable funding mechanism to grow and breathe life into the recommendations of it.
Question No. 10 taken with Written Answers.
Tourism Industry
Seán Ó Fearghaíl
Question:11. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he has plans to simplify and streamline the regulatory requirements in the hospitality sector. [66815/26]
I welcome the opportunity to raise the very real challenges facing our hospitality and tourism sector. I acknowledge the Government's decision to reinstate a 9% VAT rate. I have spoken to businesses in Killarney, Cahersiveen, Killorglin, Dingle, Castleisland and elsewhere in Kerry and I have been told very clearly that the return to 9% has made a considerable difference. It is giving businesses some breathing space. It is helping them manage their costs and plan with greater certainty. However, the 9% VAT rate does not exist in isolation. Businesses are facing an ever-spiralling circle of increasing costs. We have seen increases in labour costs, insurance, energy, fuel and other inputs.
The Deputy can come back in. He should allow the Minister of State to reply.
The latest research shows hospitality electricity costs increased by 61.7% between July 2023 and July 2026 while labour costs increased by 15% and insurance by 26.6%.
I thank Deputy Cahill for his really important question on the hospitality sector. As set out in A New Era for Irish Tourism: National Tourism Policy Statement, the Government will continue to take all feasible steps to reduce the administrative burden for SMEs and the costs of compliance. This recognises that many small businesses in the tourism and hospitality sector can face productivity challenges arising from administrative complexity and regulatory requirements that may be time-consuming and costly.
In support of this objective, Fáilte Ireland will embed better regulation principles and streamline its working practices by reviewing the administrative requirements placed on businesses, employees and consumers. Fáilte Ireland will also work with other agencies and bodies to advance the simplification agenda across the tourism sector.
Better regulation and simplification are a priority for this Government and one which we have made progress on. Actions taken by our Department include grant simplification, faster approvals, progressing EU regulatory relief, which exempts 80% of small business from the scope of the EU corporate sustainability reporting directive and the expansion of the SME test. We also continue to strongly engage with business on streamlining regulation.
Our national regulatory framework needs to be a focus for the Government as we strive to support competitiveness at a time of international economic uncertainty. The regulatory burden on business was highlighted by the chair of the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council at the annual competitiveness summit on 13 July 2026. The cost of business advisory forum report, published just last month, also highlighted excessive and overly complex reporting and compliance obligations, while analysis from the OECD shows that Ireland scores below average in its ex-post evaluation of primary laws and secondary regulations. My Department will shortly follow up with relevant Departments on progressing implementation of the forum’s recommendations.
The situation with energy is particularly concerning. Figures published today show that wholesale energy electricity prices were 76.9% higher in August than there were a year ago, having increased by almost 10% in August alone. Eurostat data also show that Ireland had the highest non-household electricity prices in the EU in the second half of 2025. I am hearing consequences directly from businesses all over Kerry. I know of one business in Killarney that has reduced its headcount from 125 staff to 105 but is still trying to deliver essentially the same level of output. It is stretching its assets, staff and resources as far as it possibly can simply to keep its head above water. This cannot continue indefinitely.
The Irish Hotels Federation has made the point that tourism and hospitality support approximately 270,000 livelihoods with around 70% of those jobs outside Dublin. These are not just businesses. They are employers, they are part of our towns and villages, and they are a fundamental part of the regional economy. Having delivered the 9% VAT rate, what further steps can the Government take to tackle the wider cost of doing business, particularly energy, labour and insurance costs in order that the benefit of the 9% VAT reduction is not simply swallowed up by increases elsewhere?
The action plan for competitiveness and productivity published last September includes a range of measures to ensure a more effective regulatory system, supporting sustainable economic growth while controlling overall cost levels. This includes a red tape challenge across government to reduce the regulatory and administrative burden for all SMEs, including those in the hospitality sector.
In July, the Taoiseach together with the Minister, Deputy Burke, wrote to all Ministers requesting that each Department, and relevant agencies under their remit, identify actions which can reduce the regulatory and administrative burdens placed on SMEs, which as the Deputy knows, impact their costs.
As part of their considerations, Ministers were asked to take account of recommendations from the cost of business advisory forum report and other feedback from their own stakeholder engagement. This exercise is currently under way and progress will be overseen through the Cabinet committee on the economy, trade and competitiveness.
I welcome the response and I reiterate the appreciation I am hearing from businesses all over Kerry for the restoration of the 9% VAT rate, which has made a considerable difference. However, we need to make sure that our hospitality businesses can continue to employ people, invest, remain competitive and provide the tourism product on which communities such as those across County Kerry depend. The concern is that we are now caught in an ever-spiralling circle of the cost of doing business. VAT comes down but energy goes up. Labour costs increase. The cost of insurance increases. Input costs increase and businesses are forced to try to absorb these increases.
As I mentioned already, one business I have spoken to reduced its workforce from 125 to 105 while still trying to maintain the same level of output. It is stretching every available resource to keep the business viable. The energy figures published today should concern all of us. Wholesale energy electricity prices were 76.9% higher in August than a year ago.
Certainly people in Kerry will not be lost while the Deputy is here to keep the flag flying for them. The Minister, Deputy Burke, has done incredible work on this. As I already said, he and the Taoiseach wrote to all Departments and Government agencies to ensure that they eliminate all unnecessary administrative burdens that hinder enterprise growth. One of the key highlights in that was the grant simplification. The newly established small business unit has reviewed all LEO grant schemes, including a reduction in application questions, down 47% for the business expansion grants, 30% for the green for business grants and 28% for the feasibility grant with further reductions targeted.
Another key piece that the Minister, Deputy Burke, has followed up on is the once-only principle. Work is under way to merge application processes across different grants ensuring businesses only need to provide their data once, which comes back to Deputy Boland's point that we do not have duplication across various grant schemes. Enterprise Ireland has been enabled with achieving faster approvals and a 24-hour turnaround. I can give the Deputy further information to follow up on that.
Question No. 12 taken with Written Answers.
Job Losses
George Lawlor
Question:13. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to provide details of the communication he has had to date with the new owners of a company (details supplied) which employs 1,100 workers in New Ross, County Wexford; if he will give assurances to all employees that their jobs are secure; the plans the new owners have for the company; and if he will undertake to visit New Ross and meet with the workers there. [66772/26]
I ask the Minister to provide details of the communication he has had to date, if any, with the new owners of Integer Holdings Corporation, which employs 1,100 workers in New Ross, County Wexford; if he can give assurance to all employees that their jobs are secure; the plans the new owners have for the company and if he will undertake to visit New Ross and meet the workers there.
I thank the Deputy for his question. He will be aware that in August 2026, KKR announced its intention to acquire Integer Holdings, with the transaction expected to complete later this year. Integer's facility in New Ross is a significant employer in the south east and is an important part of Ireland's internationally recognised medical technologies sector. The company has a long-established presence in the region and continues to make a valuable contribution to the local economy and employment base.
IDA Ireland has confirmed to my Department that it maintains regular and ongoing engagement with Integer, both in Ireland and internationally. Integer New Ross is a valued IDA Ireland client and the agency's medical technologies team continues to engage closely with site leadership in New Ross regarding its ongoing operations, business transformation activities and future development opportunities.
Neither I nor the Minister, Deputy Burke, nor officials in my Department have had direct engagement with KKR on the proposed acquisition. However, IDA Ireland is closely monitoring developments and will continue its proactive engagement with the company as the transaction progresses. As is standard practice, IDA Ireland will remain available to work with both the existing company leadership and any new owners to support investment, innovation, competitiveness and future growth opportunities in Ireland.
As the Deputy will appreciate, questions regarding employment levels, commercial strategy and the future plans of the new owners are ultimately matters for the company itself. It would not be appropriate for me to speculate on operational decisions that have yet to be made or comment on matters that remain the responsibility of the company and its shareholders.
The Government remains firmly committed to supporting enterprise and employment in Wexford and all other regions of the country. Through the IDA's strategy, we have a strong focus on securing further investment and supporting existing client companies across the regions, including the south east.
I thank the Minister of State, but I am somewhat disappointed in that response. As a rural-based public representative, Minister and Deputy himself, he can appreciate the impact a factory employing 1,100 workers in a town like New Ross can have not just on the town itself, but on the entire region.
There is a fear the company that has proposed to buy Integer Holdings Corporation for some €4.9 billion is not in the medical device field. In fact, it is a global investment firm. I believe a pre-emptive strike by the Government to show how seriously it is invested in Integer and its workers is paramount. We cannot say that it is not up to us to make a move in this scenario or area. There are 1,100 workers in New Ross and we need assurances that their employment is secure. We also need to know what this new global investment company's plans are, given it is not a medical device company.
I thank the Deputy again for raising this important matter. I appreciate what a valuable employer Integer is with regard to New Ross and the wider region. However, as I said earlier, let us not over speculate the situation. The IDA stands ready to engage with KKR. It is very important we continue our engagement with the senior leadership team at Integer as that acquisition continues in process. We will closely monitor developments and continue to ensure we have proactive engagement with the company as the transaction progresses. I very much hear the Deputy's concerns but, as is standard practice, the IDA is available and flexible and any new owners will be supported on investment and innovation, competitiveness and future growth opportunities.
I appreciate the Minister of State's concern and his comment that the Government and IDA stand ready. However, it would not do any harm, given the scale of this company, if the Government was to take the first step and meet with the new ownership to find out what its plans are and how much it is going to invest in New Ross, if anything. What are its plans for this huge employer, which is probably one of the biggest, if not the biggest, in the entire county of Wexford? This is beyond the pale when it comes to the context of investment in a county like Wexford and a town like New Ross. This is a hugely important employer and we really need to be the ones making the approaches to this global investment fund as new owners to ask, "Are your intentions to remain within the medical device sphere? Are your intentions to invest and continue investing in Integer in New Ross?" We do not want to wait until such a time as it is making the decisions unilaterally. We need to be there to show it our intent and seriousness.
I thank the Deputy for his remarks. I am certainly open, as I am sure the Minister is, to visiting New Ross in the future to engage with existing and future management as part of this operation. Of course, we will continue to engage with our key State agencies, including IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland. We will ensure County Wexford continues to be supported. FDI investment has increased by over 15% in the past five years, which shows the level of interest and intent within that region. We will continue to market the IDA business and technology park in Drinagh, as well as Wexford business park in Whitemills. I know Wexford County Council is also related to the advanced planning on the Enniscorthy business and technology park.
We will stand ready to engage at any stage and will ensure IDA Ireland also monitors this transaction as closely as possible.
Enterprise Support Services
Sean Fleming
Question:14. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will report on the number of jobs currently supported by IDA Ireland in each of the midland counties. [66656/26]
Will the Minister to address the lack of IDA-supported jobs in County Laois? There are a lot of jobs in the midlands and over 300,000 IDA-supported jobs throughout Ireland, but only about 150 of those are based in the county. Given the size of the county and its central location, this is totally unsatisfactory and I need the IDA to step up to the plate on this matter.
I thank the Deputy for his question.
Balanced regional development is a key element of Government's enterprise policy, as set out in the programme for Government and the White Paper on Enterprise, and is a key focus of the work of my Department and our enterprise development agencies. In this regard, the IDA prioritises balanced regional development, recognising the importance of attracting investment to regional areas and supporting employment opportunities across the country. Over the period of its previous strategy between 2021 and 2024, IDA Ireland supported the delivery of 973 investments and the creation of 76,790 jobs, with 54% of these investments secured in regional locations. The midlands region, comprising counties Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath, exceeded its investment target during this period, securing 31 investments against a target of 25.
Under the current strategy, Adapt Intelligently: A Strategy for Sustainable Growth and Innovation 2025-2029, the IDA aims for 550 of 1,000 new investments to be in regional areas, including 40 for the midlands. In 2025, the first year of the strategy, IDA Ireland secured a record 323 investments, a 38% increase on 2024. These investments are expected to create more than 15,300 jobs in the coming years. IDA’s strong regional performance has continued in 2026, with 190 investments approved in the first six months of the year, supporting more than 10,400 job approvals. Regional locations accounted for 52% of investments during this period, in line with our objective. Employment figures for IDA client companies are compiled on an annual basis. As of 2025, the midlands region was home to 51 IDA client companies for 7,501 people. Of those, 156 roles were in Laois, 1,572 were in Longford, 1,299 were in Offaly and 4,474 were in Westmeath.
I thank the Minister for that. He actually proved the case I had to make when he pointed out that one county in the midlands has almost 4,500 IDA-supported jobs, while a county of a similar or larger size has 150. It is by far the lowest figure for any county.
This is IDA policy, and if it is not policy, there is somebody not doing their job. It has decided Laois is okay for some reason. It probably even thinks, "Sure, Portlaoise is only an hour from Dublin. Let them commute every day to work in Dublin." That is not a sustainable solution. More people are coming to build houses in County Laois and we have had a massive increase in population in recent decades, not matched by IDA site visits. I know it has purchased a significant site in Portlaoise, and will spend the next ten years telling us it will develop it and bring in the services, and it will put in lights and roads. It will make another five years out of that, but it is jobs we want.
As I pointed out, we have an additional land bank in Portlaoise. I assure the Deputy it is not a policy decision, and it has been challenging to get new capital investment. We are seeing around the country that existing sites are sweating their assets. There is a lot of investment in research, development and innovation on current sites, but the new bricks and mortar sites have been very challenging, particularly in the current geopolitical backdrop. However, I will raise the Deputy's concern regarding County Laois with the IDA, which I hear.
Through Enterprise Ireland, about are 2,100 people supported in employment in Laois. Through our LEOs, we are also at a very strong level of 837 jobs supported in 2025. Our enterprise agencies are working hard on the indigenous sector there, albeit the IDA is challenged in getting new capital investment. However, with a new land bank and the working infrastructure attached to it, this will hopefully improve and enhance the value proposition of the area.
I acknowledge the work of Enterprise Ireland and the local employment office in bringing and supporting jobs in native Irish companies but that is happening in every county. I am specifically here to deal with the IDA.
I will ask the Minister to ensure that he contacts the chief executive of the IDA about this, to make sure that he is aware of this conversation. State agencies might not be following what is happening in the Dáil this evening. I do not think there is any other solution but him coming to meet us directly in County Laois. We do not want to hear about developing a site. That will go on forever. We want to hear about real proposals to bring jobs into County Laois. We are as good a county as any other. We are a well-educated county. We have the best of roads and the best of trains to go wherever you want. The location is good. People are moving here, but they are having to commute back every morning to go to work.
I hear the strong case that Deputy Fleming is making for County Laois and the road and rail infrastructure it has for connectivity. I have no issue in contacting the IDA again. I know the Deputy has raised this on numerous occasions previously, regarding a meeting with him about County Laois. I assure the Deputy that we will do all we can to seek as many opportunities as possible for Laois in the future. I have to be cautious in saying that I see new capital investments in bricks and mortar as a challenge right now in the environment that we work in. Notwithstanding that, the county has a huge amount to offer, and critically, it has significant assets in its population. We will work with the enterprise agencies, particularly IDA Ireland, to try to drive more visits and more job opportunities, and to ensure that the new land bank, which is the new capital acquisition in Portlaoise, gets a strong value proposition on the register of some exciting new company.
Questions Nos. 15 and 16 taken with Written Answers.
Business Supports
George Lawlor
Question:19. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the steps being taken to support Irish enterprises facing rising global cost pressures, supply chain volatility and geopolitical uncertainty; and the specific supports being developed for SMEs to maintain competitiveness in the current economic climate. [66780/26]
I ask the Minister about the steps being taken to support Irish enterprises facing rising global cost pressures, supply chain volatility and geopolitical uncertainty, and the specific supports being developed for SMEs to maintain competitiveness in the current economic climate.
Ireland remains one of the most competitive economies, ranking seventh in the world competitiveness rankings. However, significant challenges remain. The Government is committed to ensuring that Ireland's strengths are not taken for granted. In recent years, a range of measures have been introduced to support competitiveness and help businesses, particularly our SMEs, to manage rising costs and adapt to changing economic conditions. The key element of this work has been the establishment of the cost of doing business advisory forum and the publication of the action plan on competitiveness and productivity. The forum's report, published in August, contains 63 recommendations aimed at addressing business costs and pressures across areas such as energy, insurance, regulation, planning, financial services and compliance obligations. Recommendations include measures to improve competition in the banking sector, reduce the reporting burden for SMEs and explore options for lower energy costs for business.
The action plan on competitiveness and productivity, published in September 2025, adopts a whole-of-government approach to addressing domestic competitiveness challenges. The plan contains 85 actions, many of which are focused on SME creation and growth. Key measures include the establishment of startup Ireland as a co-ordinated body for the startup ecosystem, the creation of an SME scaling fund to address financial gaps, the Government-wide red tape challenge to reduce regulatory burden, enabling innovation to support SME digitalisation and the adoption of technologies such as AI.
The Government is also focused on strengthening Ireland's resilience in an increasingly uncertain global trading environment. As a small open economy, Ireland is particularly exposed to disruptions in international supply chains and global trade. In response, the Government's action plan on market diversification is supporting businesses to expand in new markets, deepening engagement with existing markets and reducing dependence on any single region. Along with this, the Government is promoting the constant application of the SME test across all Departments to ensure the impact of proposed legislation on SMEs is fully considered.
The key to this issue is our indigenous Irish industry. We have seen, particularly in regard to the geopolitical tensions that have been built up through the actions of President Trump in particular, be it through war or through his tariffs that have threatened the whole global economy, that we need to ensure our indigenous industry grows and develops. We need a national competitive package for SMEs. We need targeted energy supports. We also need a temporary working capital scheme for firms hit by supply chain delays or price spikes. We need accelerated capital allowances also, particularly for digitalisation, automation and productivity-enhancing investments. We need to ensure that our indigenous entities and businesses and SMEs are the ones that are our first port of call for supports.
I could not agree more. Our small businesses and SMEs are the backbone of the Irish economy. They account for 99% of all job creation in our communities the length and breadth of the country. We recognise that many businesses are feeling significant cost pressures. That is precisely why this Government, the Minister, Deputy Burke, the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, and I have been proactive in bringing forward the cost of doing business advisory forum, establishing the small business unit within our Department and publishing the action plan on competitiveness and productivity early last year. We have done this in order to drive action and implementation in a structured roadmap, while ensuring that businesses are part of that process. This is about helping Irish businesses to remain resilient and capable of creating and sustaining quality employment. That is really important for Irish indigenous companies. We cannot take that for granted. As a result, we have a strong economy and we have good employment, but we need to continue in that vein.
One thing that we need to focus on is regional resilience measures. For towns like Wexford, New Ross and Rosslare in areas like mine, regional enterprise hubs are vital because they are particularly focused on supply chain and digital adoption. We need localised upskilling programmes, particularly for a county like Wexford in the area of logistics, with the enhancement and development of Rosslare Europort as a port of strategic national importance. We need support for clusters too. In a county like Wexford, these clusters include the agri-tech, med-tech and green industries, which will only grow in future. We also need to ensure that our SMEs have strengthened access to finance and have that ability to grow sustainably. We need to expand the growth and sustainability loan scheme. That would really benefit our SMEs.
I agree with many of the points that the Deputy has raised. Scaling funds are really important. That is why we will bring forward measures to support SMEs and businesses to access finance and capital. Enterprise Ireland is now ramping up the startup Ireland programme. We have invested significantly in recent times in the new frontiers programme, especially in the likes of the south east. We have funded Enterprise Ireland to support local startups and the accelerate programme, which is managed on behalf of Enterprise Ireland in the south east. It is important that we can continue to support new startups and enterprise hubs as indigenous Irish companies are critically important not just because they support foreign direct investment companies, but also because many of them are established outside our main cities and our main hubs. We want to continue to support them, ensure that their export focus can create jobs, and not just in Ireland, and ensure they can expand in the future.
Business Supports
Matt Carthy
Question:17. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment further to previous parliamentary questions the initiatives he or his Department or associated State agencies have taken to encourage prospective new owners to establish a business at the former (details supplied). [66907/26]
I ask the Minister to outline, further to previous parliamentary questions, the initiatives that he and his Department have taken to encourage prospective new owners to establish a business at the former site of the Bose, subsequently Newbaze, factory in Carrickmacross.
Enterprise Ireland supported the owners of the factory in Carrickmacross over a number of years as they sought to establish themselves as an infant formula and nutritional powders manufacturer. In March 2025, the company informed Enterprise Ireland that the business was no longer viable in Ireland due to inflationary pressures and market conditions.
As a result, the owners of the factory took the decision to sell the plant in Carrickmacross and appointed an Irish agent to support the sale process. They are actively seeking interest from potential purchasers of the facility and discussions have taken place with a number of interested parties. This process remains ongoing, and Enterprise Ireland continues to support the company by facilitating introductions to potential buyers, where appropriate. The Department keeps in regular contact with Enterprise Ireland on this important site, as I do myself, as Deputy Carthy knows.
Enterprise Ireland has had further discussions with both the owners in China and the company representatives at the facility in September and is continuing to liaise closely with the company to support efforts to secure a buyer for the site as a priority. The company has also confirmed that its team is available to facilitate site visits from public representatives if required. My Department remains committed to driving balanced regional development, including the north east. Enterprise Ireland supported 84 companies in Monaghan and 66 companies in Cavan in 2025. These companies are employing over 14,000 people. The north-east regional enterprise plan is focused on delivering a range of collaborative initiatives to strengthen the enterprise environment in the region. More locally, however, this is an issue that is incredibly important to the Deputy, me and everybody else in the local area. We will continue try our very best to find buyers that will bring new business and new employment to the Carrickmacross area.
I thank the Minister of State. I am a bit disconcerted. There seems to be a takeover by the wee county, with plenty of Louth heads in the Gallery. They are very welcome.
I am surprised the Minister of State needed the script at all. She should nearly know that off by heart at this stage because that is the exact same answer that has been provided to me in respect of this building for several years. Of course, the only distinction is that in 2025 we finally heard what had been suspected for quite some time, namely, that the Newbaze factory, despite all the fanfare around opening up and providing substantial employment, was not actually going to happen at all. The Minister of State mentioned that there have been prospective new owners. It would be useful if this House could be told how many have been actively engaged with and how many are currently actively engaged with taking over what was the heart of the south Monaghan economy for a long period, which was the Bose factory. It has tragically been left idle for far too long. I do not believe that we have seen the necessary type of urgency that would actually ensure that we find a new owner for that site.
I thank the Deputy. As he knows, we have sat down together and spoken about this and with Enterprise Ireland. It is owned by a private company. Yes, Enterprise Ireland did support and give financial support to the current owners, but it never got up and running, as he knows, in terms of what the original vision had been from the people who own it currently. I consistently keep in close contact with Enterprise Ireland and regularly seek updates. It is a private facility that will be sold privately, but with the support of Enterprise Ireland trying to promote it as a facility with some fantastic facilities in the actual building itself. Carrickmacross, like many other towns, has a talented workforce in the local area. There is a growing population in south Monaghan. Any employment that we can create that will help County Monaghan and east Cavan is important. Newbaze has the potential to do that. Anything I can do to ensure that we can drive that forward and find new prospective buyers for it, I will certainly do that, and the Deputy has my word on it.
That is all very well and good, but we need to actually see the evidence of it. It is an absolute scandal. If a factory of this prominence was in the centre of Dublin, we would not have the senior Minister refusing to engage on it at all, despite my repeated requests for him to take a hands-on approach. We would not have the same answer regurgitated by Enterprise Ireland time and again, talking about something perhaps happening. It is not good enough for Ministers to say that is Enterprise Ireland's remit. If this factory secures a new owner, the Minister of State would be the first down with the video to commend herself on delivering that. What I am asking for, and what I have been asking for repeatedly, is engagement across all elected representatives from County Monaghan with the Department and to prioritise this issue. The Bose factory site reared more families in my town and surrounding areas than we could even begin to count. The economic impact of its closure has been profound and real. I do not see, and have not seen, the type of urgency that I believe would happen elsewhere if a central economic pillar of a local community was gone that is warranted. I am asking the Minister of State again to prioritise this issue at a Government level and engage with all elected representatives to secure an alternative owner for this site.
The Deputy equally knows my very good colleague, Councillor PJ O'Hanlon in Carrickmacross. As we call him lovingly-----
Is PJ going to buy it?
He is lovingly known as Mr. Carrickmacross. However, as the Deputy well knows, Councillor O'Hanlon, along with the Deputy and his brother, who is an energetic councillor on the ground there too, are doing everything they possibly can to try. It has to be said that we are doing everything we possibly can. It is not an Enterprise Ireland building or an Enterprise Ireland facility. It is there as a Government agency to try to find the buyer to do that. I assure the Deputy that it is one of our regular conversations. I invite agency staff in on regular opportunities to meet, discuss and look for progress, as well as liaising and working with the county manager in Monaghan County Council. We are looking as far and wide-----
"We", or Enterprise Ireland?
-----and throwing the net for as far and wide as we possibly can to try and ensure this. Ultimately, I want to get new buyers into it. I want to get new employment to the area. Carrickmacross is a growing town-----
It has been idle for ten years
----- with growing population and there is a talented and skilled workforce there. I want to see that there are new buyers in it. I assure the Deputy of that. I am sure he would be happy to come and cut the ribbon with me.
That concludes Question Time. Before I move on, I just want to say a special welcome to Deputy Butterly's guests, the Louth women's and ladies GAA team, staff and management. I congratulate them on the semi-final. Have I got that right?
They did not quite get through to the final. The Minister of State, Deputy Dillon's Mayo beat them.
Well done to them on getting there.
It was a wonderful achievement.
As a Monaghan man, I object to that.
Question No. 18 taken with Written Answers.
Is féidir teacht ar Cheisteanna Scríofa ar www.oireachtas.ie.
Written Answers are published on the Oireachtas website.