Pádraig Ó Céidigh (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I raise again the issue of small and medium enterprises, SMEs. As the Leader will be aware, having been very much part of the process, as was the Leas-Chathaoirleach, the Seanad prepared a comprehensive report on SMEs, for which many thanks go to Ms Bridget Doody and her team. I am keen that we execute the findings of the report at this stage. Many people put an awful lot of work into it. The Leader is committed to the report and stated previously that he is open to having the Minister come to the House for full and proper debate on SMEs.

The report makes a couple of key requests and a number of recommendations. The main recommendation is to appoint a Minister or Minister of State with responsibility for SMEs. The current approach to SMEs is totally disjointed and we need joined up thinking and engagement with SMEs.

Last night, I introduced the Leader to members of the board of the Entrepreneur of the Year programme who were here for a meeting with me. They are absolutely passionate about delivering and supporting the mentoring and support of small and medium size businesses in Ireland. There is a great goodwill towards supporting SMEs.

We will make a submission to the Minister to make changes on capital gains tax to create a proper environmentally friendly investment focus for people to invest in small and medium size businesses and encourage and increase opportunities for females to be involved in SMEs. Ireland falls below the European average in this area, although the number of women involved in SMEs here has increased significantly in the past six or seven years. That needs to be considered and appreciated.

The unintended consequences of legislation is a serious issue for SMEs. When debating legislation, we should consider the direct and indirect effects it may have on SMEs. I spoke previously about the effect the general data protection regulation, GDPR, is having on small businesses. The GDPR is damn near closing down small GP surgeries in rural areas as well as solicitors and accountancy practices. I would appreciate the Leader's support in this regard.

My colleague, Senator McDowell, spoke on Tuesday about the Perjury and Related Offences Bill 2018. I hope we can bring the legislation before the House in the next week or two and progress it as speedily as possible through the Dáil.