Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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215. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the additional supports that will be provided to support the retail sector, particularly small and medium size enterprises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14960/25]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The broad range of supports for the retail sector, including training programmes and funding, to help retailers adapt to new challenges and opportunities in retail can be found on the National Enterprise Hub.

Two such supports are the Energy Efficiency Grant (EEG) and the Grow Digital Voucher. Both the EEG and the Grow Digital Voucher are available to all eligible business with up to 50 employees, regardless of sector. The EEG now offers grant assistance of up to a maximum of €10,000 with a 75% contribution rate from Government for a broad range of measures to support the investment in technologies and equipment identified through the Green for Business Scheme.

The Grow Digital Voucher offers up to €5,000 to small businesses to invest in technology such as online booking systems, stock control, AI, cyber security, and payroll software. These grants are designed to enhance the productivity and competitiveness of small businesses.

Although now closed, in 2024 over €400 million was paid to SMEs right across the county, including retailers in particular, under the Increased Cost of Business and Power Up grant schemes.

The Programme for Government includes a number of initiatives to support SMEs, in particular the retail and hospitality sectors, acknowledging the increased cost pressures on these sectors. This includes changes to VAT, PRSI and other measures in line with the normal budget process, assisting businesses in adopting sustainable practices and digital technologies and taking steps to tackle retail crime. Small businesses continue to be the backbone of our local and national economies and we are working to ensure that the Programme for Government actions aimed at supporting small businesses are implemented in an effective and timely manner.

I recently Chaired my first meeting of the Retail Forum in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. This was established in 2014 and remains an important platform for engagement with the retail sector. It allows for open discussions between retail stakeholders and Government on issues of importance to it and affords members the opportunity to identify practical actions to be implemented by government, or by the sector itself, to ensure its economic resilience.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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216. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if additional supports will be provided for the retail sector taking into account the particular pressures on this sector due to the increasing prevalence of shopping through international online enterprises and its adverse impact on Irish retailers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14961/25]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Small businesses continue to be the backbone of our local and national economies, and we are working to ensure actions aimed at supporting small businesses, including retail businesses, are implemented in an effective and timely manner.

In 2024 the Department of Enterprise introduced a package of targeted supports for businesses to digitalise. These supports are designed to enhance the productivity and competitiveness of small businesses, including retailers.

The Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Grow Digital Voucher offers businesses with up to 50 employees in all sectors up to €5,000 towards deployment of a wide range of digital software solutions. This new offering will cover a wider range of digital interventions available to a broader range of businesses. This includes a range of elements including e-commerce software, e-invoicing software, cyber security software, as well as analytics software including artificial intelligence systems and website development subscriptions.

The LEOs Digital for Business consultancy scheme provides expert digital consultants to help businesses explore technology adoption opportunities. The LEOs are committed to assisting small businesses to engage with Digitalisation and are fully committed to assisting them in achieving basic digital intensity, towards the target of 90% by 2030. This Programme is designed to help small businesses across all sectors to prepare and implement a plan for the adoption of digital tools and techniques across their operations. It provides third party consultancy to assist small Businesses in identifying where they are on their digital business journey and in developing a digital adaptation plan based on their identified needs and is now a prerequisite of applying for the new Grow Digital Voucher.

The Grow Digital Portal, is a website with a 5-minutes assessment that helps businesses, including retailers, to assess their progress on digitalisation and opportunities for improvement as well as presenting relatable case studies of businesses that have benefited from technology adoption.

The broad range of supports for the retail sector, including training programmes and funding to help retailers adapt to new challenges and opportunities in retail can be found on the National Enterprise Hub.