Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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188. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which he sees opportunities for reform to be of benefit to the public and private sectors in 2022, with particular reference to the need to ensure competitiveness and effectiveness throughout these sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2077/22]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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A key element to ensuring competitiveness for the whole economy is boosting productivity through innovations and reforms in the public and private sectors. Investment in research, development and innovation (RD&I) is known to boost firm-level productivity and overall economic performance.

Government support for public and private sector investment in digital skills and technology, alongside RD&I, allows Irish enterprises and public bodies to seize opportunities to develop innovative new products and services. This will ensure the long-term effectiveness and competitiveness of both Ireland’s private and public sectors.

The Government aims to enable Irish businesses to take advantage of digital opportunities by intensifying connectivity, digital adoption, and innovation. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that Ireland's Recovery and Resilience Plandevotes 32% of its total allocation to measures that support the digital transition. This includes measures enhancing connectivity, supporting the digitalisation of the public administration and of enterprises, and contributing to up-skilling in the educational system.

To further innovation, the Government has committed to developing a new national strategy for research and innovation in the Economic Recovery Plan. The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is leading the development of this new national strategy, in consultation with key Government Departments, agencies and stakeholders. This new Strategy will be published in 2022.

In respect of the public sector, the Government published Ireland’s first Public Service Innovation Strategy – ‘Making Innovation Real’ in November 2020, which aims to develop, foster and sustain innovation capacity and capability across the public service.

In addition, the Government has developed a number of resources and supports to enable public bodies to develop their own Innovation Strategies as well as an Innovation Scorecard which supports public bodies to measure and improve their innovation capability. Some examples include:

-The Public Service Innovation Fund provides funding to projects that encourage new ways of working and the use of experimental or emerging technologies.

-The Public Service Innovation Network enables connections between people, teams and organisations to share ideas, experiences and best practice.

-Embedding Robotic Process Automation and other intelligent automation technologies across government through a simplified procurement framework developed by DPER. This technology proved to be pivotal in the Covid19 response in areas like the HPSC and the development of the PUP.

-Learning and Development interventions to hundreds of public servants in innovation-related modules and principles of design thinking.

These policies will enable Ireland’s private and public sectors to seize the opportunities which will ensure they continue to perform effectively and competitively into the long term.