Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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877. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for an update as of July 2025 on the programme for Government commitment to set up a cost of business advisory forum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41002/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government 2025 set out a commitment to establish a Cost of Business Advisory Forum. The first meeting of the Forum took place on the 11th of June where numerous organisations representing the Ireland’s enterprise sector were joined by officials from a variety of State Agencies and Government Departments.

The Forum is tripartite collaboration bringing together a broad section of enterprise representative organisations – spanning multiple sectors such as retail, tourism, agriculture and the multinational corporations we have welcomed to our shores – alongside Government Departments, Regulators and other State Agencies.

The purpose is to jointly consider those issues that can lead to higher costs for businesses in Ireland, any associated regulatory or infrastructural issues that merit a changed approach, and those steps that could be taken to mitigate these issues.

The second meeting – which was the Forum’s first thematic meeting – took place last Wednesday, 23rd July. This meeting focused on Energy Costs and Security of Supply.Members were asked to submit observations on the topic with colleagues in other Departments and agencies providing a formal response to these submissions. There was a lively in-person discussion on this topic and I look forward to engagements on other significant issues in the future.

It is anticipated that the Forum will meet regularly over the coming six months with each meeting devoted to a distinct thematic area of concern to businesses, including business costs, infrastructure and regulation.