Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2026
411. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the serious cost pressures and business viability challenges facing rural pubs; the measures he will consider to support rural pubs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45957/26]
View answerThe Government recognises that the cost of doing business has been a significant issue for businesses, including rural pubs, in recent years, driven by wider inflationary pressures. The Government continues to actively monitor cost developments across all sectors of the economy including rural pubs and other SMEs in the hospitality sector.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the Small Business Unit was established in my department last year, fulfilling a Programme for Government commitment. The Unit has been tasked with ensuring that the needs and issues of small businesses have a dedicated focus and are recognised and acknowledged across Government. There are a number of tools this unit and my department will use to enable its work.
First, through the rigorous implementation of the SME Test. The SME Test tasks policy makers to consider the impact that any new policy, legislation, or regulation, may have on SMEs, and to mitigate against those impacts where appropriate. Secondly, access to grants and support programmes have been simplified through the launch of the National Enterprise Hub (NEH). The NEH is hosted and operated by Enterprise Ireland (EI) and has over 250 different supports for businesses from 32 Departments and agencies. Since launching in 2024, the NEH has handled over 14,000 enquiries. Monthly volumes have grown steadily, with 804 queries received in April alone, representing a 30% increase on the same period last year. The average response time has consistently remained under 24 hours. The Hub’s website has also attracted significant interest, with over 100,000 visits to date.
Third, the Small Business Unit has responsibility for the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs). We are ensuring the LEOs are properly resourced to help small businesses. A review of the full suite of LEO supports is currently underway while my Department and EI have completed a review of applications for all LEO grant schemes to reduce the number of questions and simplify requirements.
In June 2025, the Cost of Business Advisory Forum was established. The Advisory Forum brings together key representative bodies across various sectors including retailers, hospitality and SMEs alongside senior officials across Government departments, regulators, and State agencies. The Forum has met regularly over the last year with each meeting devoted to a distinct thematic area of concern to businesses such as energy and security of supply, insurance costs, planning and infrastructure regulations, water and wastewater services costs, legal costs, reporting and compliance regulations as well as banking, payments, and financial services.
Representatives across different sectors reiterated the real-world impacts of sustained and increasing cost pressures and regulatory demands on day-to-day operations, investment capacity, and competitiveness, particularly for smaller enterprises. At the final meeting in April, Forum members discussed the final report and its recommendations. Once again, members stressed the importance of presenting a report that will articulate both immediate practical actions and longer-term policy considerations, which are measurable and impactful in reducing operational costs and regulatory burden on businesses in Ireland.
I attended the last meeting of the Advisory Forum alongside Minister Dillon and Minister Smyth, and noted the significant work completed by the Forum and reaffirmed the commitment to bring this report to Government. The final report, informed by extensive stakeholder input and cross government collaboration is expected to be presented to Government in before the summer recess and it will play a key role in shaping future approaches to supporting a competitive, resilient, and sustainable enterprise environment.
The Government is also conscious of the pressures this energy market volatility is placing on businesses, particularly SMEs. Over March and April, the Government introduced a substantial package of fuel supports, including measures such as reductions in fuel duties and targeted supports for sectors like transport, agriculture and fisheries, aimed at easing cost pressures and mitigating the impact of rising fuel prices on the wider economy. This demonstrates a responsive and targeted policy approach to addressing acute cost pressures while supporting broader economic stability. We also recognise the importance of reducing Ireland's exposure to such shocks. This underlines the need to accelerate the transition towards greater energy independence. Significant investment is being made in renewable energy, electricity grid infrastructure, and energy efficiency, with reducing reliance on fossil fuels central to improving resilience against current and future energy price shocks.
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers a suite of supports aimed at reducing energy demand and costs. Through the “Easy Wins” campaign, businesses are being encouraged to adopt practical, low-cost measures with rapid payback, including energy management training and energy audits. Financial supports are available through Rapid Approval Grants, such as the Business Energy Upgrade Scheme and the Non-Domestic Microgeneration Grant, as well as Tailored Support Grants including the Support Scheme for Renewable Heat, the Community Energy Grant, and supports for excellence in energy-efficient design.
In addition, the Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme provides long-term, low-cost financing to SMEs and small mid-caps, including those in agriculture and related sectors, with loans ranging from €25,000 to €3 million over terms of up to 10 years, including unsecured lending of up to €500,000. The Government has also allocated €300 million in Environmental Aid to support decarbonisation among large industrial firms supported by Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland. As of January 2026, 41 projects with a combined value of €154 million have been approved across sectors such as manufacturing, food and beverage, and pharmaceuticals, supporting reductions in energy use and enhancing competitiveness.
More broadly, the Government is addressing business costs through the Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity, published in September 2025, which sets out 85 actions across six themes to strengthen national competitiveness.
I would like to assure that the Government and my Department have been and are still committed to backing businesses and will ensure the actions aimed at supporting small businesses in the Programme for Government are implemented in an effective and timely manner.
