Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

I thank Deputy McAuliffe for this important question. It is a matter that will pave the way for a significant future in Ireland for semiconductors and other areas. Important projects of common European interest are becoming increasingly important as a means to enhance the competitiveness of the EU and its member states. The new programme for Government contains a commitment to "Boost participation in Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) to increase competitiveness and productivity for Irish companies and create more jobs". Ireland needs to significantly step up its involvement in the important projects of common European interest, subject to available funding, and I see SMEs and start-ups as being central to this. We have a great opportunity for our SMEs through the funding of breakthrough research and development, and first industrial deployment projects, to enable scaling up. In other words, we have an opportunity to help to make our most important technologies ready for mass production and we want SMEs rightly involved at the heart of it.

I fully support the integration of SMEs into future investments in important projects of common European interest. Officials in my Department are working with their counterparts in enterprise agencies to identify Ireland's priorities for the future. This ensures that the priorities from across industry, including our SMEs, are identified and proposed for consideration at the EU level in the selection of these new important projects of common European interest technologies. My Department is also fully engaged with the joint European forum for important projects of common European interest, JEF-IPCEI, and is a member of working groups on national best practices and facilitation of SME participation.

My Department will implement recommendations from these groups and will aim to make more important projects of common European interest accessible for SMEs and support SMEs through the process. In addition to these working groups, my Department is also participating in the JEF working groups, which are tasked with designing new important projects of common European interest in the strategic sectors of advanced semiconductor technologies and Al. Ireland's representation on these groups includes both Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland to help promote the interests of Irish industry as part of the scope of this development.

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