Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Since June 2020, my Department has been working to achieve the commitments and priorities set out in the Programme for Government: Our Shared Future. We implemented our 2021-2023 Statement of Strategy and delivered on our remit to drive the productive capacity of the economy, create and maintain high-value jobs, promote fair competition in the marketplace, protect consumers and safeguard workers during a period when the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU and the impacts of the war in Ukraine were creating unprecedented challenges for the business community in Ireland.

The main policy achievements and actions taken by my Department to boost jobs and business between June 2020 and December 2022 are set out in our Statement of Strategy Report on Delivery, which is available on our website at www.enterprise.gov.ie. This report sets out details of the objectives realised under each of the department’s strategic goals.

In 2023 my Department has played an important role in delivering our priorities under the Programme for Government and in delivering cross-Government policy objectives as set out in documents such as the National Planning Framework and National Development Plan, the Climate Action Plan 2023, Harnessing Digital – the Digital Ireland Framework and to our international commitments including the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The Government’s White Paper on Enterprise 2022-2030 sets out the medium- and long-term ambitions for a vibrant, resilient, regionally balanced and sustainable economy made up of a diversified mix of leading global companies, internationally competitive Irish enterprises and thriving local businesses. Our recently published report on implementation of the White Paper shows we are making good progress across a range of initiatives.

The Implementation Plan 2023-2024 identified 40 initiatives, with 93 underlying activities, across the seven priority pillars set out in the White Paper on Enterprise. In the first half of 2023, 83 of these activities were undertaken, with 10 not yet scheduled to commence. 10 activities are currently completed as of H1 2023, with 61 activities on track for completion against their intended target dates. 12 are currently delayed against their intended targets, but are expected to be completed.

The employment situation is generally well-balanced regionally, and the enterprise agencies have seen year-on-year increases in IDA Ireland client expenditure, increases in the number of large Irish exporting companies and the number of High-Potential Start-Ups (HPSUs) supported by Enterprise Ireland, and Irish-owned enterprise productivity growth. Moreover, enterprise agency targets for regionally balanced development were either met or almost met in 2022, with 52% of all FDI investments located outside of Dublin (against a 50% target over multiple years) and 64% of new jobs created in Enterprise Ireland-assisted firms outside of Dublin (against a 2 out of every 3 jobs target).

White Paper on Enterprise Update Report H1 2023