Written Answers Nos. 31-45
31. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is aware that Ireland has the largest disability employment gap in the EU; if his Department has been working on the comprehensive employment strategy for people with disabilities, as promised by the Taoiseach on 29 May 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30477/24]
View answerThe employment of people with a disability is an area that we need to improve in Ireland.
The National Disability Authority notes that, in cross-country comparisons using European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC), Ireland had a disability employment gap of 37% in 2022, which is higher than the average across the European Union, which is 21%.
In terms of the development of the National Disability Strategy, my Department has participated fully in the development of the Strategy and on the Employment Pillar in particular, alongside our colleagues in the Department of Social Protection. This includes presenting on our approach to the Strategy at the recent stakeholder event on 4 June.
While my Department is not responsible for the direct support schemes, and does not have the relationship with disability stakeholders that other departments have, we are conscious of engaging with the strategy development process using our strengths, such as our relationship with employers and representative bodies and in labour market analysis.
t the end of September last year, there was a very impactful presentation at my Department’s Enterprise Forum by the Department of Social Protection, and by Employers for Change, on supports that are available for people with a disability, and also for employers.
I can assure you that we are fully focused on developing proposals that are aimed at promoting opportunities for the employment of people with a disability across the lifetime of the strategy.
32. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has evaluated the environment for entrepreneurship and the rate of start-up activity, particularly in the areas of opportunity created by the green and the digital transformation which are altering the business models of every sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30471/24]
View answerThe White Paper on Enterprise sets out a vision for Irish-based enterprise to succeed through competitive advantage founded on sustainability, innovation and productivity, delivering rewarding jobs and livelihoods. The first two, of seven, policy priorities set out in the White Paper are; Integrating Decarbonisation and Net-zero Commitments, and Placing Digital Transformation at the Heart of Enterprise Policy.
My Department is focused on ensuring that the environment for entrepreneurship and start-ups is geared towards enabling them to benefit from the opportunities arising from the dual transitions towards green and digital.
In terms of evaluations, my Department has recently published, under our Joint Research Framework with the ESRI, a study on entrepreneur characteristics and determinants of self-employment across Europe.
This work examined the prevalence of entrepreneurship across Europe, the type of barriers to entrepreneurship that exist and characteristics of those who become entrepreneurs. We also looked at the distinction between opportunity and necessity motivations for becoming self-employed.
My Department is also currently undertaking a study with the OECD on the role of incubators and accelerators in the internationalisation of Irish start-ups. This study is due to be finalised in the coming weeks and will help us to identify opportunities for developing and growing our start-ups and for improving the eco-system of incubator and accelerator programmes across the county.
In terms of supporting businesses with the digital and green transition, €300 million of the Department’s agreed NDP ceilings have been ringfenced to accelerate the green transition, which will give companies certainty that the Government will support them in making what are significant investment decisions, so that Ireland can achieve its 2030 carbon abatement target.
The Green Transition Fund is part of Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). The Fund contains a range of supports for businesses to make the green transition including: vouchers to help companies prepare a plan for the low-carbon and resource efficient economy of the future; capital support for companies to invest in decarbonising their manufacturing processes; and grants to explore the development of new or improved products, services or processes in the areas of sustainability and decarbonisation.
From its launch in June 2022 until the end of April 2024, over €11.7 million in funding was approved for approximately 359 projects under the Green Transition Fund.
Our National Digital Strategy, Harnessing Digital, aligns with EU priorities under the Digital Decade to 2030, with clear targets to drive and enable the digital transition across the economy and society.
In Ireland, we see the greater use of technology as not just important for its own sake. The digital transition has the potential to play a key part in achieving our ambitions for climate action, as well as in healthcare, education, and construction.
The benefits of digitalisation for enterprise include helping businesses remain competitive, keeping pace with technological developments, making business processes and procedure more efficient, cost savings, improving customer service, accessing new customers and markets, enhanced data security, and future proofing.
€85 million in funding is being made available to Ireland under the “Digital Transformation of Enterprise Measure” in Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan - with funds being made available to Ireland through the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF).
Work is also underway on the development of the Grow Digital portal. Grow Digital will help businesses (particularly microenterprises and SMEs) to assess their digital readiness and identity recommendations and supports to take the next step towards digital transformation, including training, resources and funding options.
The Local Enterprise Offices continue to support businesses with digitalisation and decarbonisation supports, through both consultancy and capital for investment. In May of this year, the Government agreed a range of measures with the aim of reducing costs for small and medium sized businesses. As part of this package and aligned with changes outlined in the LEO Policy Statement, changes to the LEO digitalisation and decarbonisation schemes were outlined. The Digital for Business consultancy scheme will be open to all sectors up to 50 employees, and the Grow Digital Voucher will double to providing €5,000 to businesses in all sectors with up to 50 employees. The Energy Efficiency Grant will also double to €10,000, and the applicant contribution will be reduced to 25% of the project value.
33. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is intending any further legislative changes or measures to address the problem of employment insecurity and lack of service recognition for workers in the gig economy or in sectors characterised by project-to-project work, such as the film industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30468/24]
View answerThis Government has a very strong record of strengthening and introducing new employment rights. The Government has recently introduced or progressed a series of measures with the aim of improving working conditions in Ireland. These measures are an important part of building an inclusive economy – particularly one that is attractive to highly mobile labour and skills. These measures include the right to request remote work, sick pay legislation, equality legislation and the introduction of an additional bank holiday.
Ireland has a comprehensive body of employment, equality, and industrial relations legislation, which offers the same protections to all employees legally employed under a contract of employment. All employers, regardless of sector, are responsible for ensuring that their employees receive all the protections afforded them under employment legislation.
As the Deputy notes, work in some sectors is often project based, with workers typically hired on fixed-term contracts for the duration of a project. The Protection of Employees (Fixed-Term Workers) Act 2003 provides for the improvement of the quality of fixed-term work by ensuring the application of the principle of non-discrimination and provides for the establishment of a framework to prevent abuse arising from the use of successive fixed-term employment contracts. Section 9(5) of the Act provides that the First Schedule to the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts 1973 to 2001 applies for the purpose of ascertaining an employee’s period of service and whether that service has been continuous.
If a fixed-term employee feels that they are being treated less favourably as regards any conditions of employment than a comparable permanent employee, or if they consider that they are entitled to a contract of indefinite duration and their employer refuses to provide this, it is open to them to bring a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).
Robust mechanisms exist for the determination of the employment status of individuals or groups. A revised ‘Code of Practice on Determining Employment Status’ was published in July 2021 by the Minister for Social Protection. The Code is the key guidance document for employers and workers and others in relation to deciding the employment status of a worker. It was revised to take account of newer labour market developments, including platform work. Work is underway between the Department of Social Protection, Revenue Commissioners, and Workplace Relations Commission to review and update the Code considering the October 2023 Supreme Court ruling in relation to delivery drivers for Dominos. Indeed, the Determination of Employment Status Working Group is meeting today, 11 July, to progress the issue.
Moreover, the EU Directive on Platform Work seeks to enable people working though digital labour platforms to have the correct legal employment status that corresponds to their actual working arrangements, enabling them to benefit from any labour rights to which they are entitled. The text of the agreement must now be formally adopted, after which Member States will have two years to incorporate the provisions of the Directive into their national legislation.
Lastly, the Employment Law Review Group, once established, will provide independent advice to me as Minister through its agreed work programme on matters relating to employment and redundancy law.
34. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the degree to which he continues to support development and foster opportunities in both the labour and product and services markets in order to ensure maximisation of opportunities for employers and employees in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30475/24]
View answerMy Department published the White Paper on Enterprise in December 2022, which set out Government’s enterprise policy for the period through to 2030. The White Paper on Enterprise details how we will deliver on our ambition of a vibrant, resilient, regionally balanced and sustainable economy made up of a diversified mix of leading global companies, internationally competitive Irish enterprises and thriving local businesses. This vision builds on the key principles that have served the Irish economy so well, while recognising the changes that are needed to prepare Irish enterprise for the challenges and the opportunities of the future.
The White Paper notes that enterprise policy will continue to ensure Ireland’s distinctive areas of competitive advantage, expertise and potential are fully realised, with a focus both on existing sectors of strength as well as new and emerging sectors of relevance. This will underpin Ireland’s resilience in the face of disruption and transition and allow Irish enterprises to access the opportunities and emerging growth sectors created by technological change, including the twin transitions.
Ireland’s position as a small economy means that it is essential for our economic resilience that Irish enterprises realise opportunities in global markets. As part of Enterprise Ireland’s Strategy for 2022-2024, ambitious targets are set for export growth and market diversification of the Enterprise Ireland client base. This includes growing the total value of exports reported by Enterprise Ireland client companies on an annual basis to €30 billion by 2024 and that 70% of their exports will go to destinations outside of the UK market. Enterprise Ireland has also set out to drive a major expansion in the number of new exporting companies. IDA Ireland continues to attract investment as well as high-skilled and high-paid jobs to the country. IDA targets include increasing total client expenditure in Ireland and ensuring over 50% of all new FDI investment is located outside of Dublin. Our Local Enterprise Offices are working to assist the locally traded sector, including through the expansion of provisions to businesses with between 10 and up to 50 employees. These efforts will enhance the export capabilities of local business, increase domestic employment and contribute towards wider targets on increasing multifactor productivity growth in our domestic sectors of the economy.
The commitments set out in the White Paper on Enterprise are being implemented through a series of consecutive two-year Implementation Plans, the first of which was published in May 2023, and covers the period through to the end of 2024. The first update report, covering H1 2023, shows that significant action is already being taken to advance the enterprise policy vision set out in the White Paper. The report outlines positive progress towards the achievement of the majority of the 15 target metrics as set out in the White Paper.
The second update report, which was developed by my Department in Q1 2024, outlines further positive progress towards the achievement of the majority of the 15 target metrics as set out in the White Paper. Key updates include the signing of the EU-Chile Free Trade Agreement, and the successful completion of the inaugural Team Ireland Trade Mission Week to the Republic of Korea, during 2023, which show Ireland’s continued commitment to expanding trade opportunities and opening new markets.
The first and second update reports are available publicly online.
35. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to provide an update on his Department’s support for Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland, with regard to reducing emissions from industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30491/24]
View answerOver the next decade the transition to a low carbon economy will substantially alter the business environment, while improving competitiveness and resilience. 'Integrating Decarbonisation and Net Zero Commitments' has been a key policy priority under the White Paper on Enterprise and as such, my Department promotes and supports decarbonisation across the enterprise base.
Government agencies such as Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices work together to promote the widespread uptake of decarbonisation technologies and energy efficiency initiatives. The table below sets out the current financial supports offered through the Enterprise Agencies and the Local Enterprise Offices.
In addition, my Department provides non-financial supports, such as the Climate Toolkit 4 Business. The Toolkit provides businesses with an understanding of their current carbon footprint and provides information on the resources available to reduce emissions.
The target audience for the Toolkit is SMEs and micro enterprises who wish to start their decarbonisation journey and it directs them to the financial support appropriate to their business size and sector.
Breakdown of Decarbonisation Schemes offered by enterprise agencies
|
Name of Support |
Agency Offering |
Description |
|
Environmental Aid Programme |
EI, IDA |
Capital grant for large sustainability & decarbonisation projects. 30%-50% Grant rate, €300 million ringfenced for this. Capital grant for large sustainability & decarbonisation projects, generally for projects in the millions of euros. |
|
Climate Planning Fund for Business |
EI, LEOs (GreenStart only) |
Sub-stream of the Green Transition Fund, which offers four grants, ranging from €1,800 to €50,000 with varying grant rates per stream. The Fund is targeted at companies of different sizes and at different stages of engagement to accelerate their awareness of CO2 abatement opportunities, build capacity and put in place sustainability plans. Supports included in the Fund: Climate Action Voucher, GreenStart, GreenPlus & the Strategic Consultancy Grant |
|
Enterprise Emissions Reduction Investment Fund |
EI, IDA |
Sub-stream of the Green transition Fund, offers six grants, ranging from €5,000 up to €1 million in grant support with varying grant rates per stream. This stream targets manufacturing companies using fossil fuels and incentivises them to adopt CO2 abatement technologies in their processes. Supports included in the Fund: Capital Investment for Decarbonised Processes, Energy Monitoring & Tracking Systems, RD&I Fund, Innovation Vouchers, Exploring Innovation Grant & Agile Innovation Fund |
|
Green for Business |
LEOs |
Small and Micro enterprises (up to 50 staff) can avail of free expert advice and mentorship and a unique report for their business to understand and plan the next steps in their sustainability. |
|
Energy Efficiency Grant |
LEOs |
50% grant rate, ranging from €1,000 to €5,000, supporting the investment in technologies following on from a Green for Business Report or SEAI Energy Audit to increase resilience of the business. As part of the SME package I announced in May of this year, the maximum amount available under the Grant will increase to €10,000 and the grant rate will rise to 75%. |
EI = Enterprise Ireland, LEOs = Local Enterprise Offices, IDA = IDA Ireland.
36. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for an update on his work and that of the Labour Employer Economic Forum on the transposition of the Adequate Minimum Wages Directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30098/24]
View answerTo ensure minimum wages are set at adequate levels, the EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages requires countries with statutory minimum wages to put in place clear and stable criteria for minimum wage setting, indicative reference values to guide the assessment of adequacy, and regular and timely updates of minimum wages.
My Department’s analysis of the Directive suggests that our current minimum wage setting framework, namely the Low Pay Commission, is largely already in compliance with the provisions of the Directive. Initial legal advice suggests that limited changes are required to ensure the transposition of the minimum wage elements of the Directive.
One of the other goals of the Directive, under Article 4, is to increase the number of workers who are covered by collective bargaining on wage setting. The Directive requires Member States with a collective bargaining coverage below 80%, such as Ireland, to provide “for a framework of enabling conditions for collective bargaining” and to publish an action plan to promote collective bargaining by the end of 2025. We intend to publish the action plan ahead of that date.
A technical working group has been established with Department officials and the social partners to consider the content of Ireland’s action plan. The working group has had three constructive meetings to date, most recently on the 8th July 2024.
My Department has also requested legal advice from the Office of the Attorney General as to whether any legislative change is required in order to transpose Article 4 of the Directive into Irish legislation by the transposition deadline of November this year.
Legislative changes may separately be considered as part Ireland's action plan; this has not yet been decided upon. The action plan is about ensuring the autonomy of social partners and does not compel any party to engage in negotiations or conclude agreements.
My Department, through the Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels, is also engaging with other Member States to share best practice with regard to the development of the action plans.
Minister Burke met with the social partners at the LEEF plenary meeting held on 24th June 2024 at which Ireland’s action plan was discussed and will chair a meeting of the LEEF Subgroup on Employment and Enterprise in September. I also intend to meet with the social partners in July to discuss the content of collective bargaining and the action plan in more detail.
37. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will correct the response given by his Department to a Parliamentary Question (details supplied) that under Irish legislation, an employee cannot be discriminated against or dismissed due to their being a member of a trade union; and if, by doing so, he agrees that this statement is incorrect as there is no legislative protection against discrimination or any other disciplinary measure short of dismissal which an employer can impose on a trade union member as trade union membership is not a protected ground under the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015. [30097/24]
View answerThe Government continues to fully support the right of any worker to join and be active in their trade union. Employees have the right under the Constitution to form associations and trade unions. Under Irish legislation an employee is protected should they be dismissed because they are a member of a trade union. The underpinning principle and policy are that the legislative provision acts as a deterrent to employers against any such dismissals and illustrates the support the legislature holds for trade union membership more generally.
Deputy, you are correct that trade union membership is not a specific ground under the Employment Equality Acts and the Equal Status Acts (the Equality Acts).
But, while discrimination on the ground of trade union membership is not a protected ground under the Equality Acts, the Unfair Dismissal Acts provide for a number of grounds under which a dismissal may be considered unfair, including membership or proposed membership of a trade union or engaging in trade union activities, whether within permitted times during work or outside of working hours. Where an employee has been unfairly dismissed, an adjudication officer and, on appeal, the Labour Court may make an order for the reinstatement, re-engagement or awarding of compensation to the employee.
Additionally, the Workplace Relations Commission’s Code of Practice on Victimisation refers specifically to victimisation arising from an employee’s membership or non-membership, activity or non-activity on behalf of a trade union, in specific circumstances, including situations where there are no negotiating arrangements and where collective bargaining has not taken place. A complaint under the Code may be made to the Workplace Relations Commission under the Industrial Relations (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004, providing for up to 2 years remuneration in compensation.
38. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on productivity and competitiveness in the domestic economy; his plans to address issues in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30129/24]
View answerThe Institute for Management Development (IMD)’s World Competitiveness Yearbook 2024 ranks Ireland as the most competitive country in the euro area and the 4th most competitive economy in the world (out of 67 economies), a decline from 2nd position last year. Ireland has consistently been placed in the Top 20 most competitive economies globally since 2012.
Ireland’s strong economic growth, our highly skilled workforce, and our success in attracting inward investment in high value-added economic sectors has seen us ranked highly in independent global competitiveness rankings. Strong activity in these high-value added sectors has contributed to Ireland’s productivity performance in recent years – with Ireland having the highest labour productivity in the EU In Q4 2023. However, there are concerns that our success in these areas is masking issues in others. For example, the productivity performance of the domestic sector is not as strong. Our high-cost position also stands out to me as a concern – the fact that Irish prices are 42% higher than the EU average, in particular.
While our low level of unemployment reflects a strong labour market, in combination with high costs, it points to an economy operating at capacity. Constraints in the labour market impact on the delivery of housing, water and energy infrastructure; which in turn limits supply and drives prices higher again.
Each year, the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC) prepares and submits to the Taoiseach and the Government, through my Department, an annual report – Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge – outlining the challenges to Ireland’s competitiveness and productivity over the medium to long-term, and the policy responses required to meet them. The 2024 Challenge report is being finalised at present for publication. Once completed, I look forward to reviewing it and considering its recommendations and I will bring this to Government in due course.
39. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of businesses, by county, that registered for the increased cost of business grant before 1 May 2024; the number of businesses nationally, by county, that have registered since the application process reopened on 15 May 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30490/24]
View answerThe ICOB grant scheme has now closed and payments are currently being made to eligible businesses by each Local Authority.
The figures for registrations before 1 May and after 15 May are set out below:
|
Local Authority |
Total Registrations |
Submissions prior to reopening |
Submissions after reopening |
|
Carlow County Council |
1009 |
951 |
58 |
|
Cavan County Council |
1227 |
1118 |
109 |
|
Clare County Council |
2059 |
1837 |
222 |
|
Cork City Council |
4097 |
3806 |
291 |
|
Cork County Council |
5616 |
4722 |
894 |
|
Donegal County Council |
2480 |
2300 |
180 |
|
Dublin City Council |
7978 |
7471 |
507 |
|
Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council |
2675 |
2483 |
192 |
|
Fingal County Council |
3039 |
2757 |
282 |
|
Galway City Council |
1944 |
1878 |
66 |
|
Galway County Council |
1944 |
1832 |
112 |
|
Kerry County Council |
2606 |
2304 |
302 |
|
Kildare County Council |
3175 |
2867 |
308 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
1494 |
1208 |
286 |
|
Laois County Council |
964 |
909 |
55 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
493 |
468 |
25 |
|
Limerick City and County Council |
3151 |
2727 |
424 |
|
Longford County Council |
788 |
753 |
35 |
|
Louth County Council |
2045 |
1912 |
133 |
|
Mayo County Council |
2627 |
2456 |
171 |
|
Meath County Council |
2574 |
2320 |
254 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
1261 |
1198 |
63 |
|
Offaly County Council |
1046 |
949 |
97 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
1070 |
952 |
118 |
|
Sligo County Council |
1041 |
997 |
44 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
3106 |
2951 |
155 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
2598 |
2361 |
237 |
|
Waterford City and County Council |
2149 |
1895 |
254 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
1437 |
1367 |
70 |
|
Wexford County Council |
2736 |
2675 |
61 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
2147 |
2013 |
134 |
|
Totals |
72,576 |
66437 |
6139 |
40. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to outline the impact that Britain’s becoming a third country as a result of Brexit is having on trade as pertaining to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30286/24]
View answerIreland’s markets for exports of goods and services continue to develop in a positive and sustainable manner despite challenges in the trading environment due to Brexit, the global pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
The Central Statistics Office compiles statistical data in relation to Goods Exports and Imports. According to the latest Goods Exports and Imports release from the CSO The United Kingdom (UK) is Ireland's 2nd largest trading partner.
The value of Ireland's trade with UK in 2023 was €123bn, a 155% increase in the 10 years since 2013.
The value of exports from Ireland to UK in 2023 was €68bn with imports of €55bn.
67% of Ireland's exports to UK in 2023 were Services exports and 33% were Goods exports.
Services 2023
Services exports and imports with the UK reached their highest levels in 2023.
Services exports and imports with the UK have been increasing over many years and this trend continued into 2023 with both Services exports and imports, higher by 4% and 3% respectively, in 2023 compared with 2022.
On the 27 June 2024 Enterprise Ireland my department’s trade and innovation agency announced that client exports reached a record €34.57bn in 2023 which is a new record for Irish exporters.
Total Exports to the UK grew by 6% to €9.97bn, Food exports grew by 7% to €4.76bn. Industrial & Lifesciences exports grew 3% to €3.25bn, while Technology and Services were up 8% to €1.96bn in 2023 making the UK the largest export market for Enterprise Ireland client companies, accounting for 29% of total exports.
According to the latest data available from the CSO for trade in Goods in the period Jan-Mar 2024 goods exports from Ireland to the UK increased by 3%, compared with Jan-Mar 2023, while goods imports fell by 28%.
There is no statistical data available for Services data in 2024.
41. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to provide an overview of the various credit guarantee and loan schemes for businesses initiated by his Department since July 2020; the benefits and impacts of these schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30039/24]
View answerMy Department is committed to helping Irish businesses with targeted interventions and supports including State supported loan schemes to help address market failures in the area of access to finance and to assist SMEs in times of crisis.
Loan schemes developed by my Department since July 2020 include the Future Growth Loan Scheme (FGLS) launched in 2019 at €300m and expanded to €800m in July 2020; COVID-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme (CCGS) launched in September 2020; The Brexit Impact Loan Scheme launched in October 2021; and COVID-19 Loan Scheme launched in June 2022. These schemes are now closed to new lending.
Two other schemes, namely the Ukraine Credit Guarantee Scheme launched in January 2023 and the Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme launched in September 2023 are currently open to lending.
Together, these loan schemes have formed an integral part of assisting Irish SMEs, to respond to the recent economic shocks; to ensure increasing productivity levels to maintain and increase competitiveness of the Irish SME base; and to address other core policy agendas such as climate action.
• A total of 3,507 loans valued at €767.8m were drawn under the FGLS which closed on 31st March 2023.
• In response to the pandemic, the COVID-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme assisted businesses by making reduced cost loans available for working capital and investment purposes. 9,856 loans valued at €708.7m were provided under this scheme. The scheme closed on 30 June 2022 and helped maintain over 81,000 jobs in a time of global crisis.
• The Brexit Impact Loan Scheme (BILS) launched in October 2021 to replace the Brexit Loan Scheme was designed to address the impact of Brexit on SMEs and small midcaps. 1,929 loans valued at €260m was drawn under the scheme. The BILS closed in December 2022.
• The COVID-19 Loan Scheme was developed in response to the closure of the COVID-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme in 2022. 273 loans amounting to €27.4m were drawn under the scheme, which closed in December 2022.
• The Ukraine Credit Guarantee Scheme launched in January 2023 and is available until 31 December 2024. €1.2 billion is available in loans through participating lenders. Loans of up to €1 million are available at reduced cost to businesses impacted by increased costs due to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. 3,123 loans valued at €274 million have been drawn down under this scheme up to the end of May 2024.
• The Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme launched in September 2023 provides loans from €25,000 to €3 million, with terms of up to 10 years and loans of up to €500,000 available unsecured. The scheme targets a minimum of 30% of the lending volume towards environmental sustainability purposes encouraging SMEs to take positive actions to support the climate change agenda. Up to 70% of lending is for strategic investments aiming to increase productivity and competitiveness thus underpinning future business sustainability and growth. Loans for climate action and environmental sustainability purposes will benefit from an additional interest rate discount. 391 loans valued at €62,84m have been sanctioned up to 31 May 2024. The Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme will operate until 30 June 2026 or until the scheme has been fully subscribed (whichever is earlier).
Access to finance loan schemes provide a very important strand of finance to Irish SMEs. My Department continues to assess the need for these schemes taking account of market conditions and demand for such schemes.
42. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for a report on the implementation of the South East Regional Enterprise Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30006/24]
View answerBalanced regional enterprise development is a key focus for me and this Government as set out in the White Paper on Enterprise. My Department contributes to this agenda in several ways, including through the development, implementation and oversight of nine Regional Enterprise Plans (REPs).
The South-East REP is implemented at a regional level by a Steering Committee made up of stakeholders from Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford. Patsy Carney is Chairperson of the South-East REP Steering Committee. I expect a Steering Committee meeting will be organised in the coming months.
My Department oversees implementation of the REPs at the national level. A meeting of the National Oversight Group for the REPs with Steering Committee Chairpersons, including Mr Carney, took place on 25 April 2024. At that meeting the REP Chairpersons provided feedback on implementation and the future of the REPs initiative was also discussed.
As mentioned by Minister Higgins in her replies of 18 April and 23 May, nine REP Progress Reports have been published, which document implementation to the end of Q3 2023 for each plan, including the South-East. These reports were prepared by the Steering Committees and are available on my Department’s website. Good progress has been made implementing actions across the South-East REP.
Some highlights include:
• The South-East Technological University’s Walton Institute has developed an RD&I funding roadmap for companies. This documents how organisations can leverage a multitude of national and international financial supports to grow their RD&I capabilities in collaboration with academic institutions. The Walton Institute has presented this roadmap to a significant cohort of clients over the past number of months. The Walton Institute continually seeks to engage with the SME and industry community in the South-East, including offering Enterprise Ireland innovation vouchers for companies to work with them to explore how digital twin technology could revolutionise how a business operates.
• The South-East Offshore Wind Partnership is continuing its work to prepare the region to take advantage of the economic opportunity presented by offshore wind. A best practice field trip was completed in early May 2024 to the North-East of the UK to view the full scale of the opportunity including research and development facilities, enhanced Foreign Direct Investment, indigenous companies pivoting into offshore, port development, and education and training provision.
The REPs are collaborative plans bringing together a range of stakeholders, from the enterprise agencies to higher education institutions and local authorities. Projects under the REPs may draw on a range of funding sources, from EU level to funding provided directly by local authorities and elsewhere in central government, such as schemes administered by the Department of Rural and Community Development and Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.
My Department is one of the main sources of support for REP projects and has provided significant funding to develop regional enterprise ecosystems through the Regional Enterprise Development Fund and Regional Enterprise Transition Scheme. In total the South-East region has secured over €8.2 million through these funds for eight innovative projects. To develop a pipeline of projects for future funding streams, the Regional Enterprise Innovation Scoping Scheme was introduced in 2022. Eight projects in the South-East secured funding of over €785,000 to enable the investigation and confirmation of early-stage project concepts. These Enterprise Ireland funding schemes have helped drive implementation of the South-East Regional Enterprise Plan.
My Department has secured up to €145 million for the Smart Regions Enterprise Innovation Scheme, which will support projects aligned to the Regional Enterprise Plans. The first call of €35 million under this scheme, which is co-funded under the European Regional Development Fund, is open on the Enterprise Ireland website. The Scheme will support the development of innovative services through local infrastructure, innovation clusters, services to SMEs and early-stage feasibility and priming research. I expect to see projects from the South-East supported through the scheme and I hope to announce successful projects under the first call in the coming months.
43. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to report on the growth and sustainability loan scheme for SMEs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30034/24]
View answerThe €500 million Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme is a long-term loan guarantee scheme jointly developed by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The scheme is underpinned by resources from the European Investment Bank Group (EIBG) and delivered by the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI).
The Growth and Sustainability Loan scheme provides lending to SMEs, including farmers and fishers and small mid-caps. Loans of between €25,000 and €3 million, with terms of up to 10 years and attractive terms and conditions, are available through the scheme to eligible SMEs through participating finance providers, with loans of up to €500,000 available unsecured.
The scheme targets a minimum of 30% of the lending volume towards environmental sustainability purposes with the aim of encouraging SMEs to take positive actions in support of the climate change agenda. Up to 70% of lending is for strategic investments with a view to increasing productivity and competitiveness and thus underpinning future business sustainability and growth. Loans for climate action and environmental sustainability purposes will also benefit from an additional interest rate discount.
Bank of Ireland were first to launch the scheme on 19th September 2023. AIB launched the scheme on 13 November 2023, followed by the first non-bank lender Finance Ireland who launched the scheme on 15 December 2023. PTSB launched the scheme on 16 April 2024 with another non-bank lender due to launch the scheme in the coming weeks.
As of 31 March 2024, 391 loans have been sanctioned for the amount of €62,840,416.
The Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme will operate until 30 June 2026 or until the scheme has been fully subscribed (whichever is earlier).
44. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for an update on sick leave provisions; and when these will be implemented. [30516/24]
View answerThe Sick Leave Act 2022 provided an initial statutory entitlement to up to 3 days’ sick leave in 2023. This increased to 5 days on 1 January 2024. The sick leave entitlement could potentially increase to 7 days in 2025, reaching 10 days in 2026.
Officials in my Department are engaging with the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) on research to inform the decision in respect of the next phase in the roll-out of the scheme. The first stage of this work has been completed and certain informational and data gaps have been identified, including data required to identify workers and firms who are currently covered by a company sick pay policy.
The next stage of research will aim to bridge some of these data gaps. This work will involve both quantitative and qualitative analysis and may require a firm-level survey representative of the sectoral and size distribution of Irish companies.
Additionally, it must be acknowledged that this is a relatively new form of research. The Sick Leave Act itself has only been in operation since January 2023 and a comprehensive analysis of the sick pay landscape has not been undertaken to date in Ireland.
My officials are engaging on an ongoing basis with the ESRI to ensure that the required data can be collected and analysed in an efficient, timely manner. A Ministerial Order to give effect to any decision to vary the number of sick leave days is not required before 1 January 2025.
45. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his assessment of the operation of the disruptive technologies fund; the amount allocated to the fund since July 2020; the impact of this funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30038/24]
View answerThe Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) is a €500 million challenge-based fund established under Project Ireland 2040. It seeks to invest in the development and deployment of disruptive technologies and drive collaboration between Ireland’s world-class research base and industry.
A total of 104 projects have been approved in the first six Calls with an approved allocation of €371m in total. To date, my Department has provided over €138.5m in funding for the project partners from the €265.5m in DTIF Budget allocations in that period.
The fund is delivering strongly across several enterprise and research objectives. DTIF funding has helped to leverage an additional €222m in private sector research funding from the 194 SMEs and 52 MNCs in collaborations with 147 research performing organisations in every region across the country.
The successful projects address our six national Research Priority Areas and are helping to deliver on commitments in the White Paper on Enterprise, especially in relation to advancing innovation, achieving decarbonisation and promoting digital transformation.
The Call 1 and 2 projects have or are nearing completion, with projects going on to win further European funding. My officials are working with Enterprise Ireland to continue to identify the project outputs and outcomes.
My Department will shortly initiate a stakeholder consultation exercise to obtain the views of all stakeholders on, inter alia, how effectively the Fund meets their needs and considerations for the future strategic direction of the Fund post 2027.
I launched a seventh DTIF Call last May and consortia can submit applications at any stage from now to the deadline on 30 April 2025.
