Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 8 together.

The Government's response to the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council's competitiveness challenge report 2024 was published on 5 November last. The Government's response was co-ordinated by the Department of An Taoiseach, drawing together material from relevant Departments. This was the fifth year in which a formal response was issued by the Government to the council's annual competitiveness challenge report. The response addressed the 20 recommendations made by the council to the Government. These recommendations included: enabling stronger productivity growth through research, development and innovation; reducing the burden of regulation and the cost of doing business in Ireland; accelerating progress on the usage and generation of energy in line with our climate targets; and improving the planning, development and delivery of infrastructure. In its response, the Government welcomed the advice and views of the council and agreed on the importance and relevance of its recommendations to Ireland's continued competitiveness.

For a significant majority of the recommendations made by the council, meaningful action is under way and this is outlined in the formal response. These actions include the allocation in budget 2025 of a record €14.9 billion for capital investment and the decision to allocate an additional €3 billion from the proceeds of share sales to boost public investment in housing, energy and water infrastructure; the introduction of an initiative to minimise the regulatory burden on SMEs, including by rigorously applying the new SME test across Departments; and the phased commencement of the Planning and Development Act 2024 to enhance efficiency and certainty in the planning system. Additionally, for the first time, a competitiveness summit was held on 2 December last to consider Ireland's competitiveness challenge, drawing on presentations from the chair of the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council and the OECD. That ensured a focus on competitiveness concerns in advance of budget 2025.

As outlined in the programme for Government, the principal aim of the new Government is to protect the future security of our economy through increasing the productivity and competitiveness of our domestic and international business. This work will continue to be informed by the analysis and recommendations of the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council.

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