Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond.

Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail)
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It is great to have the Minister of State in the House. I highlight the importance and the successes of the THRIVE programme and ask that his Department engage directly with the management of the programme to ensure it receives funding and can continue beyond this June. I emphasise the crucial importance of continuing to fund this truly innovative initiative that is specifically designed to support women who are striving to bring new products and services to the market within the science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEM, sector.

The programme is delivered by the regional development centre in Dundalk Institute of Technology, which has a hugely successful track record of delivering entrepreneurship programmes across the region. STRIVE serves as a beacon of empowerment for women in STEM, providing them with the necessary resources, mentorship and guidance to navigate the complex landscape of product development and innovation. By offering a platform where female entrepreneurs can flourish and bring their ideas to fruition, THRIVE is not just supporting individuals. It is fostering a culture of inclusion and diversity within the traditionally male dominated fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

As the Minister of State knows well, we are standing on the cusp of major technological advancement. Society is moving on. It is imperative that we harness the full potential of the talents and perspectives of our people. Women have long been under-represented in STEM fields. Initiatives like the THRIVE programme are instrumental in bridging that gap and creating a more equitable playing field. By investing in the programme, we are not only investing in the success of individual women but also investing in our economy and in the future.The ideas and solutions that emerge from the programme have the potential to revolutionise industries, create jobs and drive economic growth. I hope the Minister of State and his Department can engage with the THRIVE management and Lavina McGahon, who is the manager of the programme in Dundalk.

It has been given national recognition. It was the national winner of the European Enterprise Promotion Awards - Promotion of Entrepreneurship Spirit, which took place in Bilbao in Spain in November of last year. It has been getting the results and it would be a real shame to let this programme fall off a cliff in June.

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I sincerely thank Senator McGreehan for bringing forward this very important issue. At the outset, I will take the liberty to address my response not just to Senator McGreehan, but to the school kids who are in the Visitors Gallery because this is really important. We are dealing with a very important issue for every one of them and they are very welcome to the people's House and the Parliament.

As the Senator knows better than any of us, the increased participation by women in STEM, but also in the workforce and politics is vital for the economy, the Government and our society. This Government is committed to ensuring that women are able to realise their full entrepreneurial potential.

The THRIVE programme the Senator mentioned is supported by the local enterprise office, LEO, in Louth, which has paid out €10,000 in funding over the past three years, but also by attending and supporting events that have been of great benefit to LEO clients in Louth. The Senator and I were in the Carrickdale Hotel ten days ago and we are really taken by the enthusiasm for business in the region. I had a good chance to talk with the head of the LEO office and officials from DKIT, alongside the Senator that morning. As the Senator will know, I was lucky enough to visit the Louth LEO on what I believe was my first LEO visit as Minister of State more than a year ago and I was really taken by the quality of the clients. In fact, last year, 212 companies were supported by the Louth LEO, and that created 154 jobs alone.

STEM is a vitally important sector of our economy, but it is crucial that we, as a country, have as many women in STEM as possible. I understand the Louth LEO, as well as the Cavan LEO, have done great work with the THRIVE programme, but a request for the continuation of this funding has not yet been made. It is crucial that we promote and support women entrepreneurs and women in STEM because it is frankly the right thing to do.

Ireland has the third highest rate of early-stage female entrepreneurs across European countries, but we still have much room to improve. Growing the number of women entrepreneurs and women in business more generally is a key objective of this Government. I feel very strongly about the need to step up our efforts to make progress in that area. Officials in my Department are actively engaging with our agencies and all 31 of our local enterprise offices to examine what can be done to progress equality, diversity and inclusion. This includes looking at the data and statistics that are currently collated regarding women in business and identifying where there may be gaps so that we can have greater insight into our performance in this area. I met with a group called TechFoundHer in recent months to discuss how we can improve here.

Enterprise Ireland has an ambitious target to increase the number of women-led companies growing internationally by 100% by 2025. As well as that, year on year, the LEOs are celebrating increasing numbers of women in business through the National Women’s Enterprise Day, which takes place each year in October. This past year, the theme was Empowering Business Together, with events taking place nationwide. I had the privilege of launching it in Tallaght with a range of inspiring speakers and with topics covering everything from leadership to developing a strategic mindset to meeting the challenges of digitalisation and transforming a business in a low-carbon economy.

I can assure the Senator that much work is under way to support women in STEM and indeed between the Louth LEO and the THRIVE programme. Funding has been provided for the past few years, and I hope that any request for funding would be viewed positively.

Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State. He has made several fantastic visits to County Louth, and north Louth in particular. He is always very welcome. I am very grateful for his response and his Department's recognition of what we all want to see succeeding, namely, improving entrepreneurship for women and across all the sectors.

What I am hearing from the Minister of State, and forgive me if I am wrong, is that no application has been put in. The THRIVE programme should apply to the Louth LEO. That is where the funding should come from, and where I should direct it regarding where the funding should come from. If the LEO has that funding earmarked for something else and if that funding is not possible, or if there is not enough funding, I would hope that we can engage again. There is so much going on within LEO offices and we have a really good one in County Louth. It does fantastic work. I would like the Minister of State's office to be open to me and to the THRIVE programme in case that funding of €10,000 is not an option for the THRIVE programme in Dundalk.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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The Minister of State has one minute to conclude.

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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My office is always open to the Senator. I mean that sincerely. Last year, we increased national funding for local enterprise offices by €9 million. We gave them additional funding so they can not only maintain current programmes but can do more programmes. However, if the team in County Louth feel they do not have sufficient resources, the Department will of course be more than happy to engage directly. I expect any application to be viewed positively and, more importantly, I would like to see at least another three years of the THRIVE programme.