Results 121-140 of 8,617 for speaker:Peter Burke

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Tourism Policy (25 Sep 2025)

Peter Burke: Irish pubs are a valued part of Ireland’s hospitality offering and contribute to the character and vibrancy of many communities across the country. They also play a role as local employers and contribute to the social and economic fabric of rural and urban communities alike. As the National Tourism Development Authority, Fáilte Ireland promotes and highlight pubs with a strong...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: National Minimum Wage (25 Sep 2025)

Peter Burke: The Low Pay Commission has an evidence-based approach to its decision making. Its annual recommendations on the National Minimum Wage are informed by national and international research in the field of minimum wages and are guided by the statutory criteria it must consider when making its recommendations. The Low Pay Commission uses data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) when...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Regional Development (25 Sep 2025)

Peter Burke: At the outset, I should clarify that regional tourism promotion is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland, in collaboration with Local Authorities and other tourism stakeholders. Cork is represented by three regional tourism brands: Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s Ancient East, and Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands. I am advised that Fáilte Ireland has established...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Small and Medium Enterprises (25 Sep 2025)

Peter Burke: I want to begin by assuring the Deputy that I, along with the Government and my Department, fully recognise the vital role SMEs play in the Irish economy. While Ireland maintains a strong global competitive position, recent international developments and longstanding structural challenges such as high energy, labour, and regulatory costs are putting pressure on businesses, particularly...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (24 Sep 2025)

Peter Burke: I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 47 together. Regional development is a key element of our national enterprise policy, as set out in the Programme for Government and the White Paper on Enterprise, and is a key focus of the work of my Department and its agencies. In this regard, IDA Ireland has reaffirmed its strong commitment to regional development as a core pillar of its...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (24 Sep 2025)

Peter Burke: Foreign Direct Investment is a key element of our economic strategy, with investments by IDA Ireland client companies consistently generating highly skilled jobs nationwide and very considerable exchequer returns. My Department works closely with IDA Ireland and other stakeholders to ensure a strong pipeline of foreign direct investment into Ireland. Regional development is a key element...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Tourism Policy (24 Sep 2025)

Peter Burke: The Programme for Government provides that this Government will work with Fáilte Ireland to develop a balanced regional spread of tourism throughout the country, promoting and enhancing the Hidden Heartlands, Ireland's Ancient East, the Wild Atlantic Way and Dublin. County Meath is included in Fáilte Ireland’s Ancient East regional tourism development strategy 2023-27....

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Wage-setting Mechanisms (24 Sep 2025)

Peter Burke: The Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages in the European Union was published on 19th October 2022 and was transposed in Ireland by 15th November 2024. No new legislation was required for transposition of the collective bargaining elements of the Directive in Ireland due to the existing legal framework in place which provides for collective bargaining. Under Article 4, the Directive aims to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Tourism Promotion (24 Sep 2025)

Peter Burke: The Programme for Government recognises the rapidly changing geopolitical landscape across the world and the threats and challenges this entails. The recently published Government Action Plan on Market Diversification represents one strand of a coherent Government response to global economic uncertainty, including the measures being taken to drive competitiveness and productivity and the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Trade Relations (24 Sep 2025)

Peter Burke: Our long-established trade partnerships, forged over many decades, are evolving. At the same time, new markets are emerging, digital technologies are transforming industries and the global demand for sustainable solutions is accelerating. I recently launched the Government Action Plan on Market Diversification. This Action Plan was the result of extensive collaboration across government...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Export Controls (24 Sep 2025)

Peter Burke: As the National Competent authority for export controls, my responsibilities centre around the control of exports of dual-use and military items under EU and national legislation. These controls are administered by my Department, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/821 of the European Parliament and of the Council setting up a Union regime for the control of exports, brokering, technical...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Middle East (23 Sep 2025)

Peter Burke: I propose to take Questions Nos. 240 and 241 together. My Department has not acquired any product or service from an Occupied Palestinian Territory or from Israel or the Occupied Territories in the past two years. My Department operates a devolved procurement function whereby each business unit and Office of the Department is responsible for the procurement of their own goods, services...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (23 Sep 2025)

Peter Burke: Policy commitments regarding the employment of people with disabilities are now part of the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025 - 2030, which was launched on 3 September. Under this new strategy, my Department forms part of the Employment Pillar, together with the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Medicinal Products (23 Sep 2025)

Peter Burke: The relationship between competitiveness and broader societal well-being has been clearly articulate by the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council with the latter emphasising that improving the quality of life for the whole community is the ultimate objective of the competitiveness agenda. Timely access to effective medicines has an important role to play here. This actively...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Small and Medium Enterprises (23 Sep 2025)

Peter Burke: I acknowledge the challenges facing employers in the hairdressing and barber sector in tackling the rising costs of doing business in Ireland. My Department is implementing measures to support enterprise, protect jobs, and foster a competitive, sustainable business environment. As a matter of priority, the Government accelerated the publication of the Action Plan on Competitiveness and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (23 Sep 2025)

Peter Burke: The Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) scheme opened for applications on 14th March 2024 and closed on 29th May 2024 following an extension to the original deadline to allow those who missed the first closing date a second chance to register. The local authorities contacted businesses at that time with information on how to apply. The scheme is now closed and it is not possible at this point...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (23 Sep 2025)

Peter Burke: No formal assessment of compliance with public sector duty was undertaken for the Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity. However, the principles underpinning the duty are inherent to my Department’s broader approach to policy development, which routinely applies an equality, inclusiveness and rights-based lens to its work. The Action Plan was therefore developed in a way...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (23 Sep 2025)

Peter Burke: Under the Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity, the Department of Defence has committed to continuing to progress the interests of Irish SME’s to facilitate growth and ensure deeper engagement in the commercial dual use area - both nationally and at an EU level. I understand from my colleague the Minister of Defence that while his Department will look to develop a more...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (23 Sep 2025)

Peter Burke: Ireland has a strong start-up ecosystem, but scaling remains a challenge due to limited access to finance. In July 2025, I published the Report ‘Market Demand for and Supply of Scaling Finance in Ireland’, which identified a €1.1 billion funding gap for deals starting from €3 million and Series A+ rounds over the next 3–5 years. To address these and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (23 Sep 2025)

Peter Burke: Both the second payment of the Increased Cost of Business scheme and the Power Up grant were aimed at businesses in the retail, hospitality and beauty sector. In order to qualify, the primary activity of a business must have been in those sectors. The Increased Cost of Business scheme and the Power Up grant are now closed. In terms of broader Government supports for business, I'd like to...