Malcolm Byrne
Ceist:306. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the range of supports available to SMEs to make greater use of green technology. [51185/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 7 July 2026
Ceisteanna (306)
Freagraí scríofa
I thank the Deputy for the question. It is a priority of my Department to ensure that Irish SMEs are supported to improve competitiveness, reduce costs and improve energy security through the adoption of green technologies. There are substantial supports in place to help businesses to cut energy costs, decarbonise and become more sustainable. This ranges from audits to help them to understand and tackle energy usage, assistance to assess what action they can take, and financial support to invest in retrofitting their building, and buy energy efficient equipment and to make the transition to renewable energy sources.
As a first step, businesses can access supports to identify opportunities to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions. For SMEs an energy audit is a great starting point. Most audits are fully funded and carried out by an SEAI-registered expert. Similarly, Enterprise Ireland’s Climate Action Voucher offers up to €1,800 to fund two days of independent consultancy to help companies to identify and act on energy-saving opportunities.
Local Enterprise Offices run the free Green for Business scheme that give business access to a green consultant who carries out an assessment and works with the business to develop their action plan. In 2025, 966 projects were approved under this scheme, with funding of €2 million.
The Climate Action Programme from Fáilte Ireland meanwhile is fully subsidised and gives SMEs in the Tourism Sector access to a dedicated expert advisor who will work with them on a one-to-one basis to assess their current operations and create a tailored, practical action plan. This gives an SME clear, unbiased guidance on how to reduce emissions, improve energy use, and explore available funding opportunities.
In addition, the ClimateToolkit4Business.gov.ie is a free and simple support that allows businesses to estimate their carbon footprint through a self-assessment tool and provides a tailored action plan, along with guidance on the range of Government supports available.
Once a business knows where they should invest, there are grants available towards buying energy efficient equipment, building retrofits and moving to renewable energy sources. The Energy Efficiency Grant is a practical grant administered through the Local Enterprise Offices. I changed the terms and conditions of it so that a 75% grant is now available, up to a maximum of €10,000. This grant supports practical measures to reduce energy costs, including LED lighting, upgraded refrigeration units, ovens and dishwashers. It also supports heat recovery systems, smart energy controls, anaerobic digesters and other steps that improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and enhance the overall sustainability of the business. In 2025, 681 businesses were approved for this grant, with funding of €5.7 million.
Businesses of all sizes can also access the SEAI’s Business Energy Upgrades Scheme, which supports high-quality energy audits and a range of building upgrades, including solar thermal and solar PV installations, automatic controls, heat pumps, air-handling units, ventilation, and fabric improvements such as wall insulation. In 2025, 186 grants were approved under the scheme, with funding of €3.36 million.
Skillnet Ireland meanwhile provides a range of upskilling programmes and business supports to help enterprises develop the skills needed to adopt and maximise the benefits of green technologies. Supports are available across areas including renewable energy, energy efficiency, environmental management, water and wastewater management, and green technology services. In addition, the Skillnet Ireland Climate Ready Academy helps businesses build the leadership capability and practical expertise required to embed sustainability into their operations and support their transition to a low-carbon economy.
In summary, there are supports available to business of all sizes and for every point in their energy efficiency, security and sustainability journey. All of the information I have mentioned above is also available on the National Enterprise Hub.gov.ie. I would strongly encourage businesses to visit the site as it brings together the funding, advice and training offered across Government in one place.