Written Answers Nos. 1-20
8. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment his plans to review the work visa arrangements for individuals in high demand roles, such as in the STEM area, in particular, the rule that an employer must employ at least 50 percent of non-national workers from the EEA.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62148/25]
View answerIreland's employment permits system is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to fill skills or labour shortages in the State in the short to medium term. This objective must be balanced by the need to ensure that there are no suitably qualified Irish or EEA nationals available to undertake the work and that the shortage is genuine.
The system is managed through the operation of the Critical Skills Occupation List and the Ineligible Occupations List that set out skills that are in high demand or employments that are not eligible for consideration for an employment permit.
The Occupations Lists are subject to periodic review which includes a public consultation inviting submissions from interested stakeholders to provide their observations and experiences for changes, based on evidence. Receipt of submissions to the current review which I launched earlier this year closed on Friday, 19th of September. Officials from my department are currently engaging with other government departments with responsibility for various sectors of employment to consider these submissions and the evidence provided and will prepare a report with recommendations in the coming months.
I am also aware of the challenges faced by some employers in certain sectors with regard to compliance with the 50:50 rule. I have not been made aware of particular constraints faced by STEM related roles in compliance with the 50:50 rule. The employment permits management system does not indicate that this sector is non-compliant.
However, my officials are examining Ireland’s use of the 50:50 rule in general and interpretations of Union Preference as set out in the Employment Permits Act 2024. This policy review will take into account concerns around compliance with the rule and will include the observations provided by key government departments, including the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. It will also consider any potential revisions of the 50/50 rule, but noting that any proposed change will require a legislative amendment as this rule is provided for in primary legislation.
My officials will continue to engage with employers in the sector to provide advice and support on the legislative obligations for the permit process.
15. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will amend the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 to include apprentices in its remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55506/25]
View answerMy Department has responsibility for the National Minimum Wage Act. The Act prescribes the minimum hourly rate of pay for the majority of employees in Ireland, subject to a small number of exemptions. Apprentices are excluded from the Act and from the right to receive the National Minimum Wage.
When the National Minimum Wage was introduced in 2000, it was determined that apprentices would be excluded from the Act. There is good reason for this exemption.
Apprentices were, and continue to be excluded from the National Minimum Wage Act in recognition of the unique nature of apprenticeships and the fact that a long-established practice for determining rates, which adequately protects apprentices, exists.
Apprenticeships offer a unique combination of education and work experience. When the National Minimum Wage was first introduced it was recognised that providing an exemption for apprentices would promote and encourage employers to focus on training apprentices, and offering opportunities to them, while at the same time recognising the cost to employers in terms of time invested and productivity forgone.
Apprentices are employees and all of the 77 apprenticeship programmes are undertaken under a contract of employment. For the majority of apprenticeships, the rate of pay is agreed between the apprentice and the employer, with the employer paying the apprentice during both on-the-job and off-the-job training elements. For the 25 craft apprenticeship programmes, the minimum rates of pay applying under the employment contract are either agreed within the relevant sector, or are set out in legally binding Sectoral Employment Orders recommended by the Labour Court.
I am fully aware of the importance of apprenticeships as an education and training route for our young people, and of the importance of apprentices to our economy. The Government is strongly committed to growing and strengthening Ireland’s apprenticeship system, as set out in the Programme for Government and the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021–2025.
The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has responsibility for apprenticeship policy as it relates to education and training.
That Department plans to publish the next Action Plan for Apprenticeship in 2026. This Action Plan will strive to further grow apprenticeship opportunities and will be informed by two forthcoming reports on incentives; an economic review of existing employer and apprentice incentivisation commissioned by the National Apprenticeship Office, and a report on apprentice pay commissioned by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
My officials remain in regular contact with their counterparts in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science on the status of this important research. The research will inform any future discussions on the exemption of apprentices from the National Minimum Wage.
16. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will report on the work of Microfinance Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62046/25]
View answerI met with Microfinance Ireland (MFI) as recently as yesterday. They play a vital role in supporting microenterprises by addressing gaps in the market for businesses unable to secure loans from commercial lenders. It provides loans from €2,000 up to €50,000 to businesses that do not meet conventional risk criteria, with interest rates that are not reflective of the higher credit risk involved. This is particularly valuable for SMEs lacking a credit history.
Loan terms typically range from three years for working capital to five years for capital expenditure. Interest rates are 5.5% for clients referred by Local Enterprise Offices and 6.5% for direct applications. In addition to finance, MFI provides post-approval mentoring through the Local Enterprise Office network, ensuring borrowers receive practical support to help their businesses succeed.
MFI has demonstrated agility in responding to unexpected challenges. During the pandemic, it rapidly introduced Covid-19 loans to provide liquidity before other State supports were in place. In 2023, at the request of my Department, MFI quickly launched loans for microenterprises affected by flooding and extreme weather events, showing its ability to adapt and deliver targeted support within days.
In August 2024, Minister Burke signed a Statutory Instrument to increase the maximum loan limit from €25,000 to €50,000, in response to rising costs and the evolving needs of SMEs. Since this change, demand for higher-value loans has grown significantly, with a marked increase in applications.
In 2025 almost 80% of loan approvals have been granted to businesses outside of Dublin and since its establishment in 2012 and up to 30 June 2025, MFI has approved 5,849 loans valued at €98.6 million, supporting 11,628 jobs nationwide.
The Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2024, currently progressing through the Oireachtas, will secure MFI’s future and strengthen its governance framework. This includes transferring ownership from the Social Finance Foundation to the Minister. I believe that this change will bolster the increasingly strategic role of tailored lending in job creation and enterprise growth.
My Department remains fully committed to the work of Microfinance Ireland. The recent increase in the lending limit and the legislative changes underway will ensure MFI continues to provide vital finance and mentoring to start-ups and small businesses, helping them survive, grow, and create jobs across all regions.
17. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment when he will publish a new national tourism policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62076/25]
View answerIn line with the Government’s commitment under the Programme for Government, I will officially launch Ireland’s new National Tourism Policy Statement in early December. This policy statement will reflect tourism’s repositioning within the enterprise and economic agenda and will set out a clear strategic direction for the sector to 2030, with a particular focus on the next five years.
This Government has already taken decisive steps to support the sector in 2025. These include increased investment under the revised National Development Plan, the reduction of VAT on food and catering services to nine percent from July 2026 as announced in Budget 2026, and a commitment from the Minister for Transport to address the passenger cap at Dublin Airport to safeguard connectivity and capacity.
The new policy will prioritise increasing visitor numbers, boosting revenue, and supporting employment. It will place a strong emphasis on SMEs, sustainability, and digital transformation. It will also reinforce tourism’s role in driving balanced regional development, with a particular focus on developing less mature tourism areas and unlocking the potential of rural and regional Ireland. This includes targeted investment in regional tourism infrastructure, support for regenerative tourism projects, and initiatives to promote Ireland’s diverse tourism regions such as the Hidden Heartlands, Ireland’s Ancient East, the Wild Atlantic Way, and Dublin.
Building on the objectives of the 2024 Tourism Policy Framework, the Statement will retain a strong focus on sustainability while responding to the Government’s broader ambition to diversify Ireland’s tourism offering and source markets. It will place the competitiveness of SMEs at the heart of our developmental approach, ensuring the sector continues to contribute meaningfully to Ireland’s economy
This Government is committed to growing and strengthening Ireland’s tourism industry. Through the implementation of the new National Policy Statement, we will showcase Ireland as a high-quality and accessible destination for both national and international visitors.
18. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the actions he has taken to support the employees, couriers and route owners of a company (details supplied). [62050/25]
View answerMy thoughts are with all those affected by the receivership of the Nuvion Group (Fastway and others). I know this news is difficult and distressing for all involved.
Receivership is a long-standing legal mechanism for the enforcement of a security. Usually in Ireland, a receiver is an individual appointed by a lender, such as a bank, to take control of a company's or individual's assets that were used as security for a loan. In general, a receiver’s primary function is to secure the assets of the company, which have been mortgaged or charged in favour of the security holder who appointed him or her, and realise those assets so that the secured creditor’s debt is repaid as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Receivers are independent in the exercise of their functions, and I cannot intervene in such matters.
Where employees are affected by receivership, Government works in a coordinated way to assist with income supports and employment and training opportunities for those affected.
I received a collective redundancy notification from the receivers of the Nuvion Group on 31 October 2025. I understand the receivers are currently undertaking the 30-day consultation with employees’ representatives, as required by law.
Where their employer has become insolvent, employees’ entitlements are protected under the Redundancy Payments Scheme and Insolvency Payments Scheme. These schemes guarantee employees’ statutory redundancy payments and certain wage-related entitlements, such as arrears of wages and minimum notice.
The receiver is responsible for applying under the Redundancy and Insolvency Payments Schemes on the employees’ behalf. Processing of these claims cannot occur until the termination of employment has taken place, after the 30-day consultation period concludes.
The Department of Social Protection is engaging directly with the receivers and the affected employees in this case to provide the necessary information and support during this time. My officials been in close contact with that Department to provide clarifications to the receivers and to employees in a coordinated way.
Employees in need of immediate financial assistance should visit their local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office, where an application for an Urgent Needs Payment will be processed as a high priority.
Creditors, including self-employed contractors, should contact the receivers to submit proof of debt and to file a claim regarding unpaid monies/invoices.
Revenue has confirmed that it will work with individual couriers and businesses and will be pragmatic in its approach where businesses experience cashflow difficulties as a result of the loss of business or payments.
Businesses experiencing cashflow issues as a result of these developments may wish to contact the National Enterprise Hub, which aims to provide a central, all-of-government service to help businesses access government supports.
19. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if his Department has collaborated with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality to align childcare policy with labour market needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62169/25]
View answerAccording to the latest employment figures from the CSO’s Labour Force Survey, published on 21st of August 2025, total employment stood at 2.8 million, with 65,700 jobs created in the year to Q2 2025. There are now more people employed in Ireland than ever before. Within this, we have seen a rise in labour force participation. Given how tight the labour market is, it is important that we continue to grow labour supply, through the likes of childcare policy as well as other avenues to encourage parents into the labour force, where possible.
The Irish Government will continue to support workers and parents throughout their careers, with initiatives to improve work-life balance and flexible working arrangements which encourages greater participation, resulting in greater diversity and inclusion within the workforce.
‘Pathways to Work’ is the national employment strategy and works towards the labour market activation of the unemployed, groups underrepresented in the workforce, and workers transitioning to more viable roles or sectors across the economy.
My Department is working closely with the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality in the implementation of this strategy.
The ‘Work Life Balance Act 2023’, together with initiatives such as the ‘National Remote Work Strategy’, reflects the Government’s commitment to flexible working options to promote better work-life balance, higher female labour market participation and a more inclusive labour market, including lone parents and those with disabilities. The Programme for Government, ‘Securing Ireland’s Future’, re-affirms this commitment to promoting flexible working arrangements that benefit both workers and employers.
The Work Life Balance Act established important new rights for employees in all sectors of the economy. These include the right of all workers to request remote working, the right of parents and carers to request flexible working arrangements such as adjusted working patterns and reduced hours. The right to request flexible working arrangements for parents and carers was commenced in March of 2024.
Under the Act, a review on the Right to Request Flexible working for parents and carers is to take place in the coming year. This review will also examine the feasibility of extending the right to request flexible working to all workers. Officials in the Department of Children, Disability and Equality are in the early stages of planning the review.
The ‘Social Inclusion Roadmap’ aims to reduce the number of people in consistent poverty in Ireland and increase social inclusivity, including women and children. My Department participates in the related steering group for the Roadmap, working closely with the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality to implement the strategy.
The Department of Children, Disability and Equality is also currently developing the next Whole of Government National Strategy for Women and Girls. Within the new Strategy, and the Action Plan that is to follow, the Government will seek to address the gendered norms in caring responsibilities and promote and extend the range of supports available, such as flexible working and family leaves.
I would also flag the imminent ‘Working in Ireland’ survey being conducted by UCD which my Department has co-funded. The field work of this extensive survey has been completed and I would expect research outputs in the next number of months, which will shed further light on working conditions, challenges and opportunities right across the labour market.
Other recent initiatives that are also relevant include the work that has been done in launching Ireland's Action Plan on collective bargaining which highlights our well-established system of voluntary collaboration in relation to the labour market. Finally, it is also important to flag the new Employment Regulation Order (ERO) for the childcare sector that applies to approximately 35,000 staff working in the early ears and school-age childcare sector. It is estimated that around 23,000 of these workers will benefit from higher wages as a result of the new minimum hourly rates of pay in this key sector.
20. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the additional new actions his Department are taking to stop the decline in overall visitor numbers and tourism spending in Ireland in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62268/25]
View answer
