Cathal Crowe
Ceist:173. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the main policy achievements of his Department since 22 January 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70522/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 10 December 2025
Ceisteanna (173)
Freagraí scríofa
Since January 2025, my Department has made significant progress delivering on our Programme for Government priorities and my ambition to support businesses especially SMEs to grow and thrive and deliver high quality jobs across Ireland.
The CSO’s Labour Force Survey for Q3 2025 shows that employment continues to grow, with 30,700 jobs created in the year to Q3 2025. Total employment now stands at over 2.82 million, an increase of approximately 1.1 percent over Q3 2024. Employment growth has been widespread throughout the regions, with employment outside of Dublin increasing by 23,700 in the year to Q3 2025 (+1.2%).
I am pleased to report positive trends in the volume of inward investment. Since the beginning of the year to Q2 2025 IDA Ireland supported 179 investments by global companies into Ireland, a 37 per cent increase on the same period last year, that are expected to deliver cutting edge R&D, strengthen our talent proposition, drive sustainable change, and lead to the creation of over 10,000 jobs. Enterprise Ireland (EI) is working in partnership with over 4,000 companies to help them to grow and succeed in international markets. EI’s end of year statement for 2024 was published in January and outlined that there are now over 234,000 people employed in companies supported by Enterprise Ireland. EI published its 2024 export results in July – client companies achieved exports of €36.75 billion, up 7% on 2023.
In September the Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity was published. The Action Plan is a critical government policy that focuses on the economic areas that fall within our domestic sphere of influence. In light of the rapidly evolving global landscape. This whole-of-government Action Plan is the strategic response to the challenges Ireland is facing. The delivery of the Action Plan will be supported by the funding allocations agreed in the National Development Plan Review 2025, including the €3.68 billion allocated to my Department.
As part of Budget 2026 I secured significant pro-enterprise tax measures totalling €1 billion benefit to business in a full year. I secured €1.3 billion in Enterprise and Tourism Development, a €4.88 billion Capital Commitment to 2030, and an €800 million Capital Spend in 2026. Pro enterprise measures secured as part of Budget 2026 include:
• Hospitality VAT rate reduction for Food, Catering and Hairdressers, from 13.5% to 9%, effective 1 July 2026.
• R&D Tax Credit increase from 30% to 35%.
• Capital Gains Tax revised, Entrepreneur Relief lifetime limit threshold on qualifying gains increased from €1 million to €1.5 million, at a rate of 10%, one of the most substantial changes to this relief since its introduction in 2016.
• €0.65 per hour increase in the National Minimum Wage, effective 1 January 2026. This represents a 4.8% increase and will directly affect over 201,000 workers earning the National Minimum Wage.
• Extension of SARP (Special Assignee Relief Programme), which provides an income tax relief for persons assigned to work in Ireland from abroad and changes to the administrative requirements to make SARP more practical for businesses.
• Extension of KEEP (Key Employee Engagement Programme), a tax-efficient share option scheme, until 2028.
• Changes to the participation exemption for foreign dividends to introduce a simplified method of double tax relief.
• Enhancements to the Digital Games Tax Credit. This is a relief for the digital gaming sector that can be claimed on costs incurred in development.
• Relief on Foreign Earnings extended to the end of 2030 and the limit on the deduction increased to €50,000. This will assist indigenous companies mthat export and have employees located in emerging overseas markets.
The Tánaiste and I launched the Government’s Action Plan on Market Diversification in 2025, a strategic whole of government initiative designed to bolster Ireland’s economic resilience and expand global trade opportunities for Irish businesses. In line with the Action Plan throughout the year I led a number of Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland and Tourism Ireland Trade Missions to Japan, Canada, UAE and United States.
I established a Small Business Unit in my Department fulfilling a key commitment in the Programme for Government. The Unit and Enterprise Ireland have completed a comprehensive review of application requirements for each LEO grant, resulting in a significant reduction in the number of questions across multiple grant schemes. I also convened the first meeting of the Cost of Business Advisory Forum. This Forum delivers on a key commitment in the Programme for Government 2025 and is focused on reducing the cost of running a business and addressing delays that can impact the operation of business in Ireland. I signed regulations to give effect to EU Directive on cutting red tape and simplifying the obligations on business in relation to corporate sustainability reporting. These regulations provided much-needed legal certainty to Irish business.
Since the move of tourism into my Department I have placed a stronger focus on tourism SMEs as well as balanced investment in tourism to ensure that every region of Ireland benefits from tourism’s growth. Earlier this month I launched our new National Tourism Policy Statement, 'A New Era for Irish Tourism' in Mullingar. Key actions in the new tourism policy include the commitment to develop food-related tourism, for the first time placing a key focus on the culinary offering provided by the sector. Also for the first time, ambitious targets will be set for Fáilte Ireland and our tourism bodies, on employment numbers and visitor spend.
Under the Disruptive technologies Innovation Fund Call 7 almost €159 million has now been awarded to 27 projects that will play a pivotal role in addressing the major challenges facing our society and economy, such as meeting Ireland’s climate obligations, driving digital transformation, advancing Artificial Intelligence and green technologies, developing innovative health technologies and services and supporting upskilling initiatives to maintain Ireland’s global competitiveness.
My Department established the Employment Law Review Group and published Ireland’s Action Plan to Promote Collective Bargaining 2026–2030, a comprehensive strategy designed to reinforce Ireland’s long-standing system of voluntary industrial relations. We also worked to continue to strengthen the mandate of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC).
I wish to acknowledge the support of my colleagues Ministers Dillon and Smyth in delivering our important policy objectives this year. I also wish to thank the officials in my Department for their work during 2025. More detail on my Department’s policy achievements in 2025 will be set out in the Department’s 2025 Annual Report which will be published next year.