Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

194. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the main policy achievements of his Department since 27 June 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27959/24]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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 Annual Reports, which are available on our website at www.enterprise.gov.ie. These reports set out details of the objectives realised under each of the department’s strategic goals.

Key achievements for my Department in 2023 are listed below.

Enterprise Development and Innovation

• The Ukraine Credit Guarantee Scheme got underway with the first lender to the market announced in January 2023. The scheme provides loans at reduced rates and without the need for collateral on loans up to €250k, to SMEs including farmers and fishers, for purposes of working capital and medium-term investment.
• Extension and expansion of the €200 million Ukraine Enterprise Crisis Scheme to assist viable but vulnerable firms of all sizes in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors. The scheme assists firms suffering liquidity and supply chain issues as a result of Russia’s war on Ukraine and helps those impacted by severe rises in energy costs.
• The pilot framework to extend the LEO mandate was launched in January 2023. The framework will allow for the provision of direct grant aid to companies with over 10 employees in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors with export ambition.
• In February, DETE hosted a construction industry outreach event, ‘Collaborat to Innovate,’ to examine how best to promote innovation in the sector and accelerate the adoption of modern methods of construction (MMC) in the delivery of housing. DETE and EI also agreed a range of Housing for All related research projects for inclusion in the Construction Technology Centre ‘Construct Innovate’s’ work programme.
• Nine ‘Building Better Business’ conferences took place around the country to highlight the Regional Enterprise Plans and the twin challenges of digitalisation and the transition to a low-carbon economy.
• A dedicated webpage for retail specific information from across the Government system went live in March. “Retail sector in Ireland” is a resource for retail specific information that is available in one single online space in an accessible and user-friendly format.
• In March, a sixth call of the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) was launched. This call is encouraging projects that complement our policy objectives on digital transformation, integrating decarbonisation, and meeting our net zero commitments. In April, Funding of €17.6m was announced for a further five projects under Calls 4 and 5.
• The new Energy Efficiency Grant for small businesses was launched in May. The objective of the scheme is to support capital investment by businesses to reduce carbon emissions and overall energy costs by accelerating the adoption of low carbon technologies or processes.
• Three new innovation programmes were developed and launched through the European Regional Development Fund. These will, in the main, enhance knowledge transfer between industry and higher education, and provide innovation training.
• In June, the first allocation of funding under Irish Innovation Seed Fund (IISF) was made.
• NSAI has restructured their construction team to support Agrément, a certification process for innovative building products and systems, and anticipated future demand for on-site inspections.
• In June a new collection of standard recommendations was launched to guide the efforts of professionals in the retrofitting sector to deliver high-quality, sustainable, and efficient building upgrades.

Employment Rights And Workplace Relations

• On the first of January 2023, the National Minimum Wage increased by 80 cents, from €10.50 to €11.30. This increase can be considered the first year of the proposed four-year path towards reaching the living wage of 60% of the median wage.
• European Commission workshops with the expert group on the transposition of the EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages commenced in March.
• My Department completed the ratification process of International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 190 on the elimination of violence and harassment in the workplace in January 2023. This is a legal instrument which recognises the right of everyone to a world of work free from violence and harassment, including gender-based violence and harassment.
• An Interdepartmental Working Group has concluded its high-level considerations of the changes required in order to fully transpose Article 2(1) of Directive 2008/94/EC which provides protections for employees in the event of their employers’ insolvency. A report of the group’s recommendations was finalised in March 2023.
• Work commenced with contractors on the development of the new ICT processing system for employment permits with the aim of driving further efficiencies in processing and delivering increased productivity, while at the same time improving the overall user experience.

Policy Development

• The SME and Entrepreneurship Taskforce reconvened in January to continue progressing priorities under the SME and Entrepreneurship Growth Plan.
• The Department’s Enterprise Forum meets quarterly to discuss enterprise policy implications arising from emerging national and international challenges.
• Implementation of the Regional Enterprise Plans continues, with several Steering Committee meetings taking place during H1 2023.
• The Industrial Heat Roadmap Working Group was established and first meeting held. A key output of this Working Group will be the development of a roadmap for decarbonising industrial heat. This roadmap will be published in Q4 2023 and will clearly set out the pathway to decarbonisation of industry.
• Progress on the implementation of the actions in the 2022/23 Retail Forum Work Programme is continuing and is driven by the members of the three Retail Forum Working Groups - Town Centre First/Night-time Economy, Green Transition and Digitalisation and Skills.
• A Working Group on the development of principles and guidelines on the ethical and trustworthy use of AI in the public service has met twice and developed a draft document, which they are continuing to progress. The recommendations of the Group will be brought to Government for consideration as soon as possible.
• In February 2023, the OECD’s first ever Ministerial on Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) highlighting the growing importance of the area. To ensure the Department responds coherently and consistently with messaging on the various Responsible Business initiatives across different Divisions, a Responsible Business contact group has been convened bringing officials together to clearly drive this agenda forward.
• In March the Commercial Built Environment Roadmap Working Group was established and first meeting held. This Working Group is tasked with supporting enterprises in ensuring that the commercial built environment achieves its climate change targets through the development and publication of a Commercial Built Environment Roadmap in Q3.
• In June the Consumer and Competition Protection Commission (CCPC) published their report, ‘A High-level Analysis of the Irish Grocery Retail Sector’.
• Following publication of the White Paper on Enterprise 2022-2030 in December of 2022, the first of a series of consecutive two-year Implementation Plans was developed by the Department and published on the 31 May. The Implementation Plan captures progress made against commitments, through bi-annual update reports, the first of which was delivered in Q3 2023.
• Following the review of TBESS changes have been made to the scheme in order to ensure more businesses are eligible to apply, the Finance Act which gave effect to these changes was commenced in mid-May.
• A review of the occupations on the Critical Skills Occupation List and Ineligible Occupations List for employment permits was launched in June.

Legislation

• The Representative Actions for the Protection of the Collective Interests of Consumers Bill 2023 was published in March. Final and Report stage took place in the Dáil on 21 June 2023.
• The General Scheme of Plan of Action on Collective Redundancies following Insolvency Bill 2023 was approved by Government on 4 May. The General Scheme of the Bill underwent pre-legislative scrutiny at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on 31 May.
• The EU (Cross-Border Conversions, Mergers and Divisions) Regulations 2023 were signed on 24th May. The regulations make it easier for companies to restructure across jurisdictions within the EU.
• Control of Exports Bill 2023 was published on 4 May, with Committee Stage on 28 June 2023.
• Phase one of the Personal Injuries Resolution Board Act 2022, to reform and enhance the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) commenced with effect from 13 February. Phase one included legislative provisions regarding the retention of additional claims by the Board and the Court treatment of costs. Phase two will commence in September.
• Amendments to the Employment Permits Bill to provide for the Seasonal Employment Permit and a new option to transfer employer without needing a new permit have been approved by Cabinet on 23 May.
• The Screening of Third Country Transactions Bill was considered by the Select Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment on 25 January 2023. A number of amendments were agreed and the Bill will progress to report stage in Autumn.
• Government approved the priority drafting of the General Scheme of the Digital Services Bill 2023 in March and the Pre-Legislative Scrutiny report was received in June. Drafting is underway.
• On the 20th of June, Government approved the drafting of the Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill in accordance with the General Scheme.
• A public consultation and webinar, with over 500 participants in attendance, was held on the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. A further webinar will take place on 4 July 2023. Stakeholder engagement will inform the ongoing transposition project.

From 1 January 2024 to date my Department continues to deliver on the following:

Enterprise Development and Innovation

• The Shared Island-funded enterprise scheme was awarded €30 million in Shared Island funding in February 2024 and will focus on three thematic areas – female entrepreneurship, clusters and networks, and green investment. The enterprise agencies are currently working towards further mobilisation of this scheme later in the year.
• Establishment of AI Advisory Council.
• In April the Second Digital Ireland Conference was held in Dublin Castle bringing together government, industry and academia to exchange views on digital developments in the EU and globally.
• In May a package of supports for SMEs was announced that include:
• reopening the Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) Scheme for another 14 days
• introducing a second payment of ICOB for businesses in the retail and hospitality sectors
• doubling the Innovation Grant Scheme to €10,000
• increasing the maximum amount available under the Energy Efficiency Grant Scheme to €10,000 and reducing the business contribution rate from 50% to 25%
• widening the eligibility for the Trading Online Voucher, extending it to all sectors up to 50 employees, modernising eligible expenditure and doubling the grant to €5,000
• increasing the lending limit for Microfinance Ireland loans to €50,000 from €25,000
• widening the eligibility for the Digital for Business Consultancy Scheme and extending it to all sectors with up to 50 employees
• launching a new ‘Ireland’s Best Entrepreneur Programme’ to encourage entrepreneurship and startups in under-represented groups
• launching the new online National Enterprise Hub for SMEs to access information on the wide range of Government business supports
• implementing an enhanced ‘SME Test’ by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in conjunction with the Department of the Taoiseach
• review of ESRI research on the impact of Statutory Sick Leave before deciding on any further increases
• review the proposed Roadmap for Increasing Minimum Annual Remuneration Thresholds for Employment Permits
• The Minister also launched the Local Enterprise Offices Policy Statement 2024 – 2030, in May. The LEO Policy Statement, is anchored on 4 key pillars:
• Enabling Enterprise;
• Offering business advice;
• Providing Enterprise support;
• Support locally economic development.
• Progress on the commitments listed in the White Paper are reported on to the Cabinet Committee on Economy and Investment every six months. The first update report was delivered back in November 2023, and covered the period H1 2023. The second update report was published in May 2024. In addition to providing updates across the 40 initiatives, these reports included updates, where available, on progress towards the 15 targets identified in the White Paper. Almost half of the activities outlined in the first implementation plan (43%) were delivered in the first year.
• Enterprise Ireland’s results from January 2024 showed there are now 225,495 employed in EI supported companies with a total of 15,530 jobs created. 68% of new jobs created were regionally based. Latest export results, released in June 2024, show a total of €34.57 billion in 2023, a new record for Irish exporters supported by Enterprise Ireland.
• IDA Ireland is now in the final year of its 2021-24 strategy, “Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth” and has already achieved or is on track to achieve all targets set across the five strategic pillars of the strategy: Growth, Transformation, Regions, Sustainability, and Impact. The overall targets of 800 investments and 50,000 jobs have been surpassed and there are now over 1,800 client operations in IDA Ireland’s portfolio of multinational companies with a third of these companies located in Ireland for at least 20 years.
• My Department, working with the three Regional Assemblies, Enterprise Ireland (EI) and Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), has ensured all three of Ireland’s NUTS 2 regions have been designated as Regional Innovation Valleys under the European Commission’s New European Innovation Agenda initiative. This inclusion recognises the regions’ potential as hubs of innovation and economic growth within a network of 151 similarly designated regions across Europe.
• I announced an increase in the value of Innovation Vouchers from €5,000 to €10,000 from 1 July 2024. These vouchers facilitate company access to the third level sector (across the island of Ireland) and are often the first step for a company on their innovation journey.
• My Department also supported the continued investment in the development and deployment of disruptive technologies and applications on a commercial basis through the announcement of €6.8 million in funding for a twelfth project under Call 6 of the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund, and the launch of Call 7 as a rolling Call. Applications will be accepted at any stage up to the deadline at 5pm on 30 April 2025.
• The 2024 Trade Mission programme is progressing with Trade Missions undertaken to Dubai, Abu Dhabi/Saudi Arabia, India, Bangladesh and Poland so far in 2024. Further Trade Missions are scheduled for July (East Coast USA) and September (West Coast USA).
• The second international Trade Horizons conference, focusing on trade and sustainability, will take place in Dublin Castle on 4 July 2024.
• On 28 May 2024, I secured Government approval for public procurement guidance to promote the reduction of embodied carbon in construction. Letters will issue shortly to public bodies to advise them of new guidance when designing public projects and procuring cement and concrete products in particular. The guidance ensures a consistent approach to reducing the embodied carbon – emissions associated with extracting and producing construction materials – in construction projects procured by government departments and their agencies.
• The EU-New Zealand FTA, entered fully into force on 1 May 2024 creating significant economic opportunity for Irish firms as well as our vibrant agri-food sector. It confirms the special status of a number of Irish products, with geographical indications (GIs) confirmed in the agreement.
• On 27 May 2024, the Council of the European Union adopted the Net Zero Industry Act. An Interdepartmental Implementation Group, led by my Department and comprising DHLGH, DECC, DFHERIS, DFIN, DPENDR, OGP, is progressing the implementation of the Act and engagement is ongoing. The specific time limits and deadlines set out in the Act are expected to be met.
• DETE-ESRI Joint Economic Research Programme Seminar was held.
• Regional Competitiveness Seminar was held in Limerick which was organised on behalf of the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC).
• In June, I published the Decarbonisation of Industrial Heat Roadmap, which sets out what the operating environment for energy used in manufacturing will look like in the future. The announcement included ringfencing of €300 million under the Capital Plan which will be available to drive the decarbonisation of Ireland’s industrial emitters. The fund will be used by EI and IDA Ireland to support client companies to reduce their industrial emissions between now and 2030. Work to progress the enabling measures identified under the Decarbonisation of Industrial Heat Roadmap are in progress.
• The first Annual Report of the Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA) was published.
• The National Enterprise Hub (NEH) is currently at an advanced stage of development with a formal launch taking place on 10^th July. The NEH will make it easier for business to access information about the broad range of supports available to them across Government. The NEH is supported by a team of advisors who can be contacted by phone, email and live chat.
• The Government approved Ireland joining the Europe Startup Nations Alliance (ESNA). Enterprise Ireland will represent Ireland at ESNA.

Employment Rights And Workplace Relations

• Government approved the recommendation of the Low Pay Commission to increase the National Minimum Wage by €1.40 to €12.70 an hour from 1 January 2024. This increase can be considered the second phase of a four-year transition to 2026, at which point the Living Wage will replace the National Minimum Wage. The Government is committed to introducing a national living wage by January 2026 which will be set at 60% of the hourly median wage. The Low Pay Commission has estimated that a National Minimum Wage of €12.70 will represent 55.1% of median wages in 2024.
• The Low Pay Commission published a Report on Sub-minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage in June.
• The development of a Single Application Procedure for employment and immigration permissions has been agreed by Government to create a single point of application for third country nationals applying to work and live in Ireland.

Policy Development

• Powering Prosperity – Ireland’s Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy was published on 8 March.
• The Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence by Council of Europe was adopted (DETE led during negotiations).
• An Assessment of the Cumulative Impact of Proposed Measures to Improve Working Conditions in Ireland was published on 5 March.
• Skills for Biopharma: Researching and Forecasting the Current and Future Skills Needs of the Biopharma Sector in Ireland to 2027 was published by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs.
• On 1 May, a new Balance for Better Business 5-year strategy and targets was launched, to improve gender balance in senior business leadership in Ireland, with a view to the benefits of diversity for business performance.
• Skills for International Financial Services: An Assessment of Future Skills Requirements in High Potential Sub-sectors of Ireland’s International Financial Services Sector to 2027 was published on 3 May by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs.
• In June, “Artificial Intelligence: Friend or Foe” was published.

Legislation

• S.I. NO. 10/2024 – Sick Leave Act 2022 (Increase of Statutory Sick Leave Days Order 2024, increased the entitlement to statutory sick leave days from 3 days to 5 days, effective from 1 January 2024.
• S.I. No. 705/2023 - Workplace Relations Act 2015 (Fixed Payment Notice) Regulations 2023 were published in January 2024. These regulations set out new fines for businesses found breaching rules surrounding tips as outlined in the Payment of Wages (Amendment) (Tips and Gratuities) Act 2022.
• Commencement of Digital Services Act 2024, giving full effect to EU Digital Services Act in Ireland.
• The General Scheme of the Employment (Restriction of Certain Mandatory Retirement Ages) Bill 2024 was approved by Government on 5 March 2024. The Bill will implement a key commitment included in the government’s response to the Pensions Commission Recommendations and Implementation Plan. It will deliver a statutory provision which will allow, but not compel, an employee to stay in employment until the State Pension age, which is age 66.
• The right to request remote working was integrated into the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023, which is led by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. In March the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment commenced Part 3 of the Act, which provides all employees with the right to request remote working arrangements. The Act includes obligations for the employee and the employer with regard to requests for remote working arrangements.
• Enactment of Statutory Instrument giving full effect to EU Digital Markets Act in Ireland
• The European Union (Adjustments of Size Criteria for Certain Companies and Groups) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 301 of 2024) came into operation on the 1 July 2024, adjusting company size thresholds in line with 25 per cent inflation, thereby reducing the regulatory and administrative burden on some companies which would otherwise become subject to audit and additional financial reporting requirements.
• June 2024 has seen The Employment Permits Bill 2022 pass all Oireachtas stages and it is expected to be enacted next month. This Bill will allow for a more flexible employment permits system which will be better able to adapt to changing labour market needs.
• Digital Services (Levy) Bill 2024 was passed by Dáil Éireann on 26 June 2024.
• The Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Act 2024 (Commencement) Order 2024 came into effect from 1 July finalising the State’s commitments to further enhance the protections afforded to employees in a collective redundancy situation following insolvency.
• Drafting commenced of the Companies (Corporate Governance, Enforcement and Regulatory Provisions) Bill 2024.
• Adoption of EU Artificial Intelligence Act by European Council on which my Department led during negotiations.
• The General Scheme of the Protection of Employees (Employers' Insolvency) (Amendment) Bill 2024 was approved by Government in May 2024. The Scheme protects employees’ pay-related entitlements if their employer becomes insolvent. The Bill will expand access to the Scheme to protect employees of employers who cease trading without entering into liquidation, receivership or bankruptcy.
• My Department is working with stakeholders to determine how Ireland can best leverage the potential of the European Chips Act for increased research and manufacturing investment in Ireland. The Department and its agencies have begun implementation of the European Chips Act, including by supporting participation in two pilot lines and advancing the process of selecting an Irish Competence Centre in Semiconductors. Work is also ongoing to develop a National Semiconductor Strategy due for publication in Q3 2024.

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 Annual Reports, which are available on our website at www.enterprise.gov.ie. These reports set out details of the objectives realised under each of the department’s strategic goals.

Key achievements for my Department in 2023 are listed below.

Enterprise Development and Innovation

• The Ukraine Credit Guarantee Scheme got underway with the first lender to the market announced in January 2023. The scheme provides loans at reduced rates and without the need for collateral on loans up to €250k, to SMEs including farmers and fishers, for purposes of working capital and medium-term investment.
• Extension and expansion of the €200 million Ukraine Enterprise Crisis Scheme to assist viable but vulnerable firms of all sizes in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors. The scheme assists firms suffering liquidity and supply chain issues as a result of Russia’s war on Ukraine and helps those impacted by severe rises in energy costs.
• The pilot framework to extend the LEO mandate was launched in January 2023. The framework will allow for the provision of direct grant aid to companies with over 10 employees in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors with export ambition.
• In February, DETE hosted a construction industry outreach event, ‘Collaborat to Innovate,’ to examine how best to promote innovation in the sector and accelerate the adoption of modern methods of construction (MMC) in the delivery of housing. DETE and EI also agreed a range of Housing for All related research projects for inclusion in the Construction Technology Centre ‘Construct Innovate’s’ work programme.
• Nine ‘Building Better Business’ conferences took place around the country to highlight the Regional Enterprise Plans and the twin challenges of digitalisation and the transition to a low-carbon economy.
• A dedicated webpage for retail specific information from across the Government system went live in March. “Retail sector in Ireland” is a resource for retail specific information that is available in one single online space in an accessible and user-friendly format.
• In March, a sixth call of the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) was launched. This call is encouraging projects that complement our policy objectives on digital transformation, integrating decarbonisation, and meeting our net zero commitments. In April, Funding of €17.6m was announced for a further five projects under Calls 4 and 5.
• The new Energy Efficiency Grant for small businesses was launched in May. The objective of the scheme is to support capital investment by businesses to reduce carbon emissions and overall energy costs by accelerating the adoption of low carbon technologies or processes.
• Three new innovation programmes were developed and launched through the European Regional Development Fund. These will, in the main, enhance knowledge transfer between industry and higher education, and provide innovation training.
• In June, the first allocation of funding under Irish Innovation Seed Fund (IISF) was made.
• NSAI has restructured their construction team to support Agrément, a certification process for innovative building products and systems, and anticipated future demand for on-site inspections.
• In June a new collection of standard recommendations was launched to guide the efforts of professionals in the retrofitting sector to deliver high-quality, sustainable, and efficient building upgrades.

Employment Rights And Workplace Relations

• On the first of January 2023, the National Minimum Wage increased by 80 cents, from €10.50 to €11.30. This increase can be considered the first year of the proposed four-year path towards reaching the living wage of 60% of the median wage.
• European Commission workshops with the expert group on the transposition of the EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages commenced in March.
• My Department completed the ratification process of International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 190 on the elimination of violence and harassment in the workplace in January 2023. This is a legal instrument which recognises the right of everyone to a world of work free from violence and harassment, including gender-based violence and harassment.
• An Interdepartmental Working Group has concluded its high-level considerations of the changes required in order to fully transpose Article 2(1) of Directive 2008/94/EC which provides protections for employees in the event of their employers’ insolvency. A report of the group’s recommendations was finalised in March 2023.
• Work commenced with contractors on the development of the new ICT processing system for employment permits with the aim of driving further efficiencies in processing and delivering increased productivity, while at the same time improving the overall user experience.

Policy Development

• The SME and Entrepreneurship Taskforce reconvened in January to continue progressing priorities under the SME and Entrepreneurship Growth Plan.
• The Department’s Enterprise Forum meets quarterly to discuss enterprise policy implications arising from emerging national and international challenges.
• Implementation of the Regional Enterprise Plans continues, with several Steering Committee meetings taking place during H1 2023.
• The Industrial Heat Roadmap Working Group was established and first meeting held. A key output of this Working Group will be the development of a roadmap for decarbonising industrial heat. This roadmap will be published in Q4 2023 and will clearly set out the pathway to decarbonisation of industry.
• Progress on the implementation of the actions in the 2022/23 Retail Forum Work Programme is continuing and is driven by the members of the three Retail Forum Working Groups - Town Centre First/Night-time Economy, Green Transition and Digitalisation and Skills.
• A Working Group on the development of principles and guidelines on the ethical and trustworthy use of AI in the public service has met twice and developed a draft document, which they are continuing to progress. The recommendations of the Group will be brought to Government for consideration as soon as possible.
• In February 2023, the OECD’s first ever Ministerial on Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) highlighting the growing importance of the area. To ensure the Department responds coherently and consistently with messaging on the various Responsible Business initiatives across different Divisions, a Responsible Business contact group has been convened bringing officials together to clearly drive this agenda forward.
• In March the Commercial Built Environment Roadmap Working Group was established and first meeting held. This Working Group is tasked with supporting enterprises in ensuring that the commercial built environment achieves its climate change targets through the development and publication of a Commercial Built Environment Roadmap in Q3.
• In June the Consumer and Competition Protection Commission (CCPC) published their report, ‘A High-level Analysis of the Irish Grocery Retail Sector’.
• Following publication of the White Paper on Enterprise 2022-2030 in December of 2022, the first of a series of consecutive two-year Implementation Plans was developed by the Department and published on the 31 May. The Implementation Plan captures progress made against commitments, through bi-annual update reports, the first of which was delivered in Q3 2023.
• Following the review of TBESS changes have been made to the scheme in order to ensure more businesses are eligible to apply, the Finance Act which gave effect to these changes was commenced in mid-May.
• A review of the occupations on the Critical Skills Occupation List and Ineligible Occupations List for employment permits was launched in June.

Legislation

• The Representative Actions for the Protection of the Collective Interests of Consumers Bill 2023 was published in March. Final and Report stage took place in the Dáil on 21 June 2023.
• The General Scheme of Plan of Action on Collective Redundancies following Insolvency Bill 2023 was approved by Government on 4 May. The General Scheme of the Bill underwent pre-legislative scrutiny at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on 31 May.
• The EU (Cross-Border Conversions, Mergers and Divisions) Regulations 2023 were signed on 24th May. The regulations make it easier for companies to restructure across jurisdictions within the EU.
• Control of Exports Bill 2023 was published on 4 May, with Committee Stage on 28 June 2023.
• Phase one of the Personal Injuries Resolution Board Act 2022, to reform and enhance the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) commenced with effect from 13 February. Phase one included legislative provisions regarding the retention of additional claims by the Board and the Court treatment of costs. Phase two will commence in September.
• Amendments to the Employment Permits Bill to provide for the Seasonal Employment Permit and a new option to transfer employer without needing a new permit have been approved by Cabinet on 23 May.
• The Screening of Third Country Transactions Bill was considered by the Select Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment on 25 January 2023. A number of amendments were agreed and the Bill will progress to report stage in Autumn.
• Government approved the priority drafting of the General Scheme of the Digital Services Bill 2023 in March and the Pre-Legislative Scrutiny report was received in June. Drafting is underway.
• On the 20th of June, Government approved the drafting of the Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill in accordance with the General Scheme.
• A public consultation and webinar, with over 500 participants in attendance, was held on the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. A further webinar will take place on 4 July 2023. Stakeholder engagement will inform the ongoing transposition project.

From 1 January 2024 to date my Department continues to deliver on the following:

Enterprise Development and Innovation

• The Shared Island-funded enterprise scheme was awarded €30 million in Shared Island funding in February 2024 and will focus on three thematic areas – female entrepreneurship, clusters and networks, and green investment. The enterprise agencies are currently working towards further mobilisation of this scheme later in the year.
• Establishment of AI Advisory Council.
• In April the Second Digital Ireland Conference was held in Dublin Castle bringing together government, industry and academia to exchange views on digital developments in the EU and globally.
• In May a package of supports for SMEs was announced that include:
• reopening the Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) Scheme for another 14 days
• introducing a second payment of ICOB for businesses in the retail and hospitality sectors
• doubling the Innovation Grant Scheme to €10,000
• increasing the maximum amount available under the Energy Efficiency Grant Scheme to €10,000 and reducing the business contribution rate from 50% to 25%
• widening the eligibility for the Trading Online Voucher, extending it to all sectors up to 50 employees, modernising eligible expenditure and doubling the grant to €5,000
• increasing the lending limit for Microfinance Ireland loans to €50,000 from €25,000
• widening the eligibility for the Digital for Business Consultancy Scheme and extending it to all sectors with up to 50 employees
• launching a new ‘Ireland’s Best Entrepreneur Programme’ to encourage entrepreneurship and startups in under-represented groups
• launching the new online National Enterprise Hub for SMEs to access information on the wide range of Government business supports
• implementing an enhanced ‘SME Test’ by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in conjunction with the Department of the Taoiseach
• review of ESRI research on the impact of Statutory Sick Leave before deciding on any further increases
• review the proposed Roadmap for Increasing Minimum Annual Remuneration Thresholds for Employment Permits
• The Minister also launched the Local Enterprise Offices Policy Statement 2024 – 2030, in May. The LEO Policy Statement, is anchored on 4 key pillars:
• Enabling Enterprise;
• Offering business advice;
• Providing Enterprise support;
• Support locally economic development.
• Progress on the commitments listed in the White Paper are reported on to the Cabinet Committee on Economy and Investment every six months. The first update report was delivered back in November 2023, and covered the period H1 2023. The second update report was published in May 2024. In addition to providing updates across the 40 initiatives, these reports included updates, where available, on progress towards the 15 targets identified in the White Paper. Almost half of the activities outlined in the first implementation plan (43%) were delivered in the first year.
• Enterprise Ireland’s results from January 2024 showed there are now 225,495 employed in EI supported companies with a total of 15,530 jobs created. 68% of new jobs created were regionally based. Latest export results, released in June 2024, show a total of €34.57 billion in 2023, a new record for Irish exporters supported by Enterprise Ireland.
• IDA Ireland is now in the final year of its 2021-24 strategy, “Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth” and has already achieved or is on track to achieve all targets set across the five strategic pillars of the strategy: Growth, Transformation, Regions, Sustainability, and Impact. The overall targets of 800 investments and 50,000 jobs have been surpassed and there are now over 1,800 client operations in IDA Ireland’s portfolio of multinational companies with a third of these companies located in Ireland for at least 20 years.
• My Department, working with the three Regional Assemblies, Enterprise Ireland (EI) and Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), has ensured all three of Ireland’s NUTS 2 regions have been designated as Regional Innovation Valleys under the European Commission’s New European Innovation Agenda initiative. This inclusion recognises the regions’ potential as hubs of innovation and economic growth within a network of 151 similarly designated regions across Europe.
• I announced an increase in the value of Innovation Vouchers from €5,000 to €10,000 from 1 July 2024. These vouchers facilitate company access to the third level sector (across the island of Ireland) and are often the first step for a company on their innovation journey.
• My Department also supported the continued investment in the development and deployment of disruptive technologies and applications on a commercial basis through the announcement of €6.8 million in funding for a twelfth project under Call 6 of the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund, and the launch of Call 7 as a rolling Call. Applications will be accepted at any stage up to the deadline at 5pm on 30 April 2025.
• The 2024 Trade Mission programme is progressing with Trade Missions undertaken to Dubai, Abu Dhabi/Saudi Arabia, India, Bangladesh and Poland so far in 2024. Further Trade Missions are scheduled for July (East Coast USA) and September (West Coast USA).
• The second international Trade Horizons conference, focusing on trade and sustainability, will take place in Dublin Castle on 4 July 2024.
• On 28 May 2024, I secured Government approval for public procurement guidance to promote the reduction of embodied carbon in construction. Letters will issue shortly to public bodies to advise them of new guidance when designing public projects and procuring cement and concrete products in particular. The guidance ensures a consistent approach to reducing the embodied carbon – emissions associated with extracting and producing construction materials – in construction projects procured by government departments and their agencies.
• The EU-New Zealand FTA, entered fully into force on 1 May 2024 creating significant economic opportunity for Irish firms as well as our vibrant agri-food sector. It confirms the special status of a number of Irish products, with geographical indications (GIs) confirmed in the agreement.
• On 27 May 2024, the Council of the European Union adopted the Net Zero Industry Act. An Interdepartmental Implementation Group, led by my Department and comprising DHLGH, DECC, DFHERIS, DFIN, DPENDR, OGP, is progressing the implementation of the Act and engagement is ongoing. The specific time limits and deadlines set out in the Act are expected to be met.
• DETE-ESRI Joint Economic Research Programme Seminar was held.
• Regional Competitiveness Seminar was held in Limerick which was organised on behalf of the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC).
• In June, I published the Decarbonisation of Industrial Heat Roadmap, which sets out what the operating environment for energy used in manufacturing will look like in the future. The announcement included ringfencing of €300 million under the Capital Plan which will be available to drive the decarbonisation of Ireland’s industrial emitters. The fund will be used by EI and IDA Ireland to support client companies to reduce their industrial emissions between now and 2030. Work to progress the enabling measures identified under the Decarbonisation of Industrial Heat Roadmap are in progress.
• The first Annual Report of the Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA) was published.
• The National Enterprise Hub (NEH) is currently at an advanced stage of development with a formal launch taking place on 10^th July. The NEH will make it easier for business to access information about the broad range of supports available to them across Government. The NEH is supported by a team of advisors who can be contacted by phone, email and live chat.
• The Government approved Ireland joining the Europe Startup Nations Alliance (ESNA). Enterprise Ireland will represent Ireland at ESNA.

Employment Rights And Workplace Relations

• Government approved the recommendation of the Low Pay Commission to increase the National Minimum Wage by €1.40 to €12.70 an hour from 1 January 2024. This increase can be considered the second phase of a four-year transition to 2026, at which point the Living Wage will replace the National Minimum Wage. The Government is committed to introducing a national living wage by January 2026 which will be set at 60% of the hourly median wage. The Low Pay Commission has estimated that a National Minimum Wage of €12.70 will represent 55.1% of median wages in 2024.
• The Low Pay Commission published a Report on Sub-minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage in June.
• The development of a Single Application Procedure for employment and immigration permissions has been agreed by Government to create a single point of application for third country nationals applying to work and live in Ireland.

Policy Development

• Powering Prosperity – Ireland’s Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy was published on 8 March.
• The Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence by Council of Europe was adopted (DETE led during negotiations).
• An Assessment of the Cumulative Impact of Proposed Measures to Improve Working Conditions in Ireland was published on 5 March.
• Skills for Biopharma: Researching and Forecasting the Current and Future Skills Needs of the Biopharma Sector in Ireland to 2027 was published by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs.
• On 1 May, a new Balance for Better Business 5-year strategy and targets was launched, to improve gender balance in senior business leadership in Ireland, with a view to the benefits of diversity for business performance.
• Skills for International Financial Services: An Assessment of Future Skills Requirements in High Potential Sub-sectors of Ireland’s International Financial Services Sector to 2027 was published on 3 May by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs.
• In June, “Artificial Intelligence: Friend or Foe” was published.

Legislation

• S.I. NO. 10/2024 – Sick Leave Act 2022 (Increase of Statutory Sick Leave Days Order 2024, increased the entitlement to statutory sick leave days from 3 days to 5 days, effective from 1 January 2024.
• S.I. No. 705/2023 - Workplace Relations Act 2015 (Fixed Payment Notice) Regulations 2023 were published in January 2024. These regulations set out new fines for businesses found breaching rules surrounding tips as outlined in the Payment of Wages (Amendment) (Tips and Gratuities) Act 2022.
• Commencement of Digital Services Act 2024, giving full effect to EU Digital Services Act in Ireland.
• The General Scheme of the Employment (Restriction of Certain Mandatory Retirement Ages) Bill 2024 was approved by Government on 5 March 2024. The Bill will implement a key commitment included in the government’s response to the Pensions Commission Recommendations and Implementation Plan. It will deliver a statutory provision which will allow, but not compel, an employee to stay in employment until the State Pension age, which is age 66.
• The right to request remote working was integrated into the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023, which is led by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. In March the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment commenced Part 3 of the Act, which provides all employees with the right to request remote working arrangements. The Act includes obligations for the employee and the employer with regard to requests for remote working arrangements.
• Enactment of Statutory Instrument giving full effect to EU Digital Markets Act in Ireland
• The European Union (Adjustments of Size Criteria for Certain Companies and Groups) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 301 of 2024) came into operation on the 1 July 2024, adjusting company size thresholds in line with 25 per cent inflation, thereby reducing the regulatory and administrative burden on some companies which would otherwise become subject to audit and additional financial reporting requirements.
• June 2024 has seen The Employment Permits Bill 2022 pass all Oireachtas stages and it is expected to be enacted next month. This Bill will allow for a more flexible employment permits system which will be better able to adapt to changing labour market needs.
• Digital Services (Levy) Bill 2024 was passed by Dáil Éireann on 26 June 2024.
• The Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Act 2024 (Commencement) Order 2024 came into effect from 1 July finalising the State’s commitments to further enhance the protections afforded to employees in a collective redundancy situation following insolvency.
• Drafting commenced of the Companies (Corporate Governance, Enforcement and Regulatory Provisions) Bill 2024.
• Adoption of EU Artificial Intelligence Act by European Council on which my Department led during negotiations.
• The General Scheme of the Protection of Employees (Employers' Insolvency) (Amendment) Bill 2024 was approved by Government in May 2024. The Scheme protects employees’ pay-related entitlements if their employer becomes insolvent. The Bill will expand access to the Scheme to protect employees of employers who cease trading without entering into liquidation, receivership or bankruptcy.
• My Department is working with stakeholders to determine how Ireland can best leverage the potential of the European Chips Act for increased research and manufacturing investment in Ireland. The Department and its agencies have begun implementation of the European Chips Act, including by supporting participation in two pilot lines and advancing the process of selecting an Irish Competence Centre in Semiconductors. Work is also ongoing to develop a National Semiconductor Strategy due for publication in Q3 2024.