My first question asks the Minister to provide a list of companies operating in Ireland which are trading with linked companies located in the occupied Palestinian territories. In 2020 the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights published a listing of all businesses involved in the illegal Israeli settlements. It was a highly significant development, naming those in the corporate world complicit with the war crime that is Israel's settlement enterprise. That database was set up in 2023.

I thank the Deputy for the question. The Government’s position and, indeed, that of the EU is clear: settlements are illegal under international law and undermine the realisation of a two-state solution.

While decisions regarding the operations of individual companies rest with those companies, a corporate decision to engage in economic and financial activities in settlements poses potentially significant reputational, legal and financial risk.

The Government does not maintain a list of companies operating in Ireland that may be trading with or linked to companies located in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory. Ireland does not encourage or support in any way economic and financial activities in such settlements. Ireland has not issued any export licences for dual use or other goods in such settlements. Ireland does, however, strongly support the promotion of legitimate trade relations with the Palestinian Authority.

At EU level, the Interim Association Agreement on Trade and Cooperation sets out the legal basis for relations between the EU and the Palestinian Authority. Ireland strongly supports the deepening of the EU-Palestine bilateral relationship, including in the area of trade, and it is welcome that the first ever meeting of the EU-Palestine high-level political dialogue took place in the margins of the Foreign Affairs Council on 14 April 2025. At this meeting, the European Commission announced a multi-annual comprehensive support programme worth up to €1.6 billion to foster Palestinian recovery and resilience, including a pillar to provide support for the private sector there.

As I said, when that UN database was updated in 2023 several companies with offices in Ireland remained on it following the update. It is widely known that these include Airbnb, Booking.com and Tripadvisor. The International Court of Justice ruled in July 2024 that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories is unlawful, that Israel should put an end to the occupation, desist from creating new settlements and evacuate those already established. It further concluded that where Palestinians have lost land and property, Israel should pay reparations. What is the Government's approach to these companies based in Ireland? That is the premise of my question.

Over the last week we have seen the shameful act of piracy against the Madleen aid flotilla and the detention of our colleague, Deputy Paul Murphy. I am sure the Minister is aware of the co-ordinated legal actions which were launched last week in Ireland, Britain and America, targeting the companies I mentioned that are operating in illegal Israeli settlements.

I am sure the Deputy is aware that in the case she referenced at the International Court of Justice, Ireland was one of the countries that intervened in that determination to ensure Israeli settlements were deemed to be illegal from the point of view of international law. Our Attorney General went to the Hague to take part in that case. That was one of a number of actions taken by Ireland to hold Israel accountable for its current actions and to support the Palestinian people in the face of the genocide that is happening. As part of that, we have supported UNRWA to the highest level because it is they key mechanism to get aid into the country. We have, along with the international community, supported UN resolution after UN resolution in an effort to change the dial. When I served as Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs, Ireland was one of the very first countries, along with Spain, to put pressure on the EU to try to turn the dial and move on article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement to ensure that Israel is held to account for its human rights violations.

I take on board what the Minister is saying but last week a number of organisations, including the Global Legal Action Network, GLAN, and the Ireland Palestine Alliance launched a High Court action challenging the refusal of An Garda Síochána to investigate Airbnb Ireland and its senior executives for alleged activity in Israeli settlements. Surely companies must abide by international law as a prerequisite to operating in this country. What I am seeking from the Minister is an explanation as to why this is being permitted here. It is not good enough that this behaviour is being tolerated. As in the case of apartheid South Africa, economic sanctions undertaken by the international community should be brought to bear on Israel. The Israeli State has flouted international law and this must be challenged in every single possible way. Back in the 1980s it was women working in Dunnes Stores who took a stand. Again, the Government is way behind the people on this issue. A few weeks ago, the Government refused to support a Sinn Féin Private Members' motion which would have ended the shameful Irish Central Bank's facilitation of the sale of Israeli bonds.

Ireland has been a lighthouse internationally in supporting the Palestinian people. We have, as I pointed out, intervened in the case to ensure that Israeli occupation has been deemed illegal through a resolution of the court. We intervened in the South Africa case and supported that very firmly, as requested by the Dáil and my own parliamentary party. We have supported UNRWA and are bringing forward the occupied territories Bill, which is another significant step in terms of Government support. We have moved the dial by first recognising the State of Palestine, a key ask of the Palestinian Authority, and by pushing EU member states to hold Israel to account under the EU-Israel Association Agreement. In every single area, Ireland has been at the forefront in supporting the people of Gaza and we will continue to do so as a Government because it something that is very close to our hearts. I am the father of two young children and am acutely aware of what is happening in Gaza. We will do everything possible, every single day, to help and support the victims of Israeli perpetration.

With the agreement of Deputy Lawlor, we will move on to Question No. 3 now.

I thank Deputy Lawlor for facilitating me as I must leave shortly to chair a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Defence and National Security. I ask the Minister to provide an update on the action plan on competitiveness and productivity. I am aware that the closing date for submissions to the public consultation on the action plan is tomorrow. I ask the Minister to provide information on how many submissions have been received to date and what sort of outreach the Department has done in that area.

I thank the Deputy for this very important question in an area that we are really moving the dial on. Ireland currently holds a strong competitive position globally, ranked seventh overall, and first in the eurozone, in the annual IMD world competitiveness rankings for 2025. However, we cannot be complacent and work remains to be done in many areas. We are aware that there are significant challenges and it is important that we do not take our strengths for granted. In a rapidly changing and uncertain international environment, it is fundamental that we take action to address long-standing legacy issues as well as emerging threats to our competitive performance. Persistent high costs in areas such as energy continue to challenge the competitiveness of businesses, particularly SMEs. Moreover, external shocks like Brexit and geopolitical uncertainties have embedded themselves into the cost structure, making it harder for businesses to remain competitive, whether indigenous or FDI.

In response to international economic developments, and in line with a commitment in the programme for Government, work is under way on the development of an action plan on competitiveness and productivity. The Government agreed to accelerate the timeframe for this work and the action plan will be presented for consideration at a competitiveness summit to be held in July. The action plan will reflect a whole-of-government approach to domestic drivers of, or barriers to, competitiveness, focusing on areas firmly within our own control. Its development has been informed by extensive consultation across Government Departments and with external stakeholders. My Department has already undertaken a series of bilateral engagements with key Government partners, including in the areas of infrastructure, housing, research and innovation. This discussion will continue over the weeks ahead. My Department has also launched a public consultation which is currently open. The action plan will also be guided by the forthcoming Ireland's Competitiveness Challenge 2025 report from the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council, NCPC. That evidenced-based input will be vital to ensuring that our policy responses are targeted, proportionate and future-facing.

I thank the Minister for that update and welcome the work that has been done. What engagement has the Department had with the unions on the action plan? My fear is that workers' rights will be sacrificed on the altar of productivity. We need to be very careful in this space to bring workers and businesses together and ensure that there is not further division and polarisation between them. I am afraid that the threat of international trade tariffs will be used as fig leaf to guillotine employment rights, usher in bad trade deals like CETA and renege on our climate commitments.

We all want a strong economy but there must be balance. The business organisations I have engaged with are pointing to the lack of housing, pressures on services and the diabolical cost of living as presenting the biggest threat to business expansion. Have all these issues been taken into account in the action plan? It is really important that we have a sustainable plan that will address the cost of living and the cost of doing business as we go forward.

No Government has done as much for workers' rights as the previous Government, of which I was a member, did in terms of banning zero-hour contracts, bringing in tips legislation, introducing more agile practices in the workplace, the fruits of which we have seen and bringing in a statutory sick pay scheme. We turned the dial on a number of areas that had been neglected for years.

It is my job and responsibility to ensure businesses remain viable. I have met with union leaders over the past number of weeks in connection with the work that is ongoing in my Department. They expressed concern in some areas but they also acknowledged the huge number of reforms that have been carried out. We have the biggest reform of employment law ongoing through the employment law review group, which is examining laws that affect so many citizens right across the country. I am keen to ensure businesses remain viable. The cost of business advisory forum had its inaugural meeting last week. We have established a small business unit in the Department. We are changing the dial by doing things in a more simple, light and fast way. That will be my approach in the Department to ensure we really incentivise our indigenous economy.

I am glad to hear the Minister say that. As he knows, Fine Gael having been in government for 14 years, indigenous businesses have so far been left behind. The figures for foreign direct investment speak for themselves. The Minister talks about competitiveness and he is not wrong in the figures he is putting forward. However, he dismisses the figures relating to the competitiveness of the regions. As the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, will know, the west and north-west region is in the bottom 7% in terms of competitiveness, according to the EU index. The facts speak for themselves.

Yesterday, I participated in a discussion at the enterprise committee regarding the EU Omnibus package. The Draghi report indicated serious competitiveness deficits across the European Union that absolutely need to be addressed. I have huge concerns about both the contents of the proposed legislation and the manner in which it is being introduced. We certainly need simplification but what we do not need is deregulation.

Let me bust the myth to which the Deputy referred. Our indigenous economy is at record levels. Currently, Enterprise Ireland is supporting 234,000 jobs in our country. Our exports, at €36 billion, are at record levels. Enterprise Ireland companies spend €39 billion in our wider economy. The Deputy referred to the FDI sector. There are some very significant FDI companies in the country that interact with indigenous companies. For example, one company in the semiconductor space has interactions with and has built in 831 SMEs into its supply chain. The same is happening with companies from Banagher Precast Concrete to Kiernan Structural Steel in Longford. That is very important for our indigenous economy. I am trying to close that eco cycle to ensure our SMEs benefit from the presence of the FDI sector. That is happening in front of us.

To be clear on the facts, Ireland is the most competitive economy in the eurozone. I want to make sure that does not change. The actions I take will ensure our businesses have the best environment in which to grow, that we support viability and that we continue to grow our economy, as we did with the 90,000 extra jobs that were created over the past year. That is 90,000 families with an extra income.

What the Minister is saying is not compatible with what we are hearing from business organisations and what we know, which is that businesses are really struggling right now. They are struggling with energy costs, red tape and so many different things. That must be addressed. It is not right to say everything is okay for businesses, including indigenous businesses.

I apologise for interrupting the Deputy but she is on her fourth contribution on this question. She has already been up three times.

Sorry, a Chathaoirligh, I was not counting. The Minister has heard my message.

I thought I was counting wrong. Deputy Conway-Walsh has asked that we proceed directly to her next question, which is No. 5, as she has to leave. Is Deputy Gibney agreeable to that?

Yes.

I thank Deputy Gibney for accommodating me. I did not have an opportunity before Question Time began to ask her to do so.

I am seeking an update on the newly established and hugely important cost of business advisory forum, which met recently for the first time. Costs in general are spiralling, with the cost of energy being one of the major difficulties reported by the SME sector. I am pleased that ESB and EirGrid are members of the forum. Will the Minister confirm whether they have indicated any reductions in the cost of energy?

I convened the inaugural meeting of the cost of business advisory forum on 11 June 2025. In my opening remarks, I shared my vision and expectation that the forum would "create a space where businesses can speak directly to decision-makers about the real-world impact of rules and charges, and identify areas where practical changes can be made". The establishment of the forum delivers on a key commitment in the programme for Government. The forum is a subgroup of my Department's enterprise forum. I was pleased to appoint Mr. Kevin Foley as its chair and Mr. Ronan Byrne as vice chair.

The forum presents a unique opportunity for tripartite engagement, with Departments and regulators hearing directly from business owners and representatives. I was very encouraged to see a strong turnout at the first meeting and diverse representation from enterprise bodies across retail, tourism, agriculture, small businesses and the multinational sector. At the meeting, the chair outlined the forum's operational approach and its terms of reference were formally adopted. To set the scene, presentations were delivered by my officials on Ireland's economic landscape and by IBEC on the theme of regulatory ambition.

The forum's purpose is to examine the factors contributing to the rising cost of doing business in Ireland, including regulatory and infrastructural challenges that may require a sharper focus and a revised approach. It will identify practical steps to help to reduce those costs. To assist with its review, the forum will hold a series of follow-up thematic meetings on topics such as regulatory cost and simplification, planning and infrastructure, technology and innovation, visas and work permits, and utility costs. This is not an exhaustive list. It will develop with input from stakeholders as the engagement process continues over the coming six months.

A high level of engagement is not only welcomed but is strongly encouraged through the forum and also via the public consultation methodology, which is now live on my Department's webpage. Members of the public, as well as all participants in the enterprise forum and retail forum, are invited to contribute to the consultation. Submissions are open until 20 June.

I am specifically interested in the outcomes from the sector meetings. Can the Minister confirm whether there have been any indications of a reduction in energy prices? The cost of energy is huge for businesses, with many owners telling me their energy costs are greater than their wage bill. We must do something about that. I am also keen to know whether there has been any discussion about the cost savings utility providers have made being passed on to consumers.

Working people are being absolutely crucified by the cost of groceries and the cost of living in general. There is a strong perception that the cost of basic groceries has risen by a greater margin than the rise in the consumer price index. Recent media reports suggest that over the past four years, the price of a basket of groceries has risen by approximately 36%, while the consumer price index rose by 21% over the same period. Figures released earlier this month by a grocery data firm show the price of a weekly shop is rising by more than double the general rate of inflation.

The key area on which the forum will focus is the cost of regulation and trying to make things more efficient and easier for our small family businesses. I always point out that many of these businesses do not have a HR director or finance director; all their work is done around the kitchen table, trying to vindicate all the efforts they put towards employing two thirds of workers right across the country. That is why it is key that all the regulators, who make so many decisions, are involved. We need to look at the interoperability of those decisions with the decisions of other regulators and what costs that puts on businesses.

Critically, we have to achieve outputs. We must see how we can make changes, with the forum being a key accelerator in that regard to ensure we are doing things in a simpler manner. The Government is very much focused on that. As I said, we are at record levels of employment but there are challenges. I am more aware than most of the challenges in terms of the costs facing our family businesses. I have demonstrated what we are doing about this.

July will be a very important month for our competitive action plan. We will also establish our small business unit, and we have our cost of business advisory forum.

Many business owners barely have a wage at the end of the week by the time they have paid all of the costs of doing business. This did not begin today or yesterday. Many businesses tell us they are under threat of closure. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, CCPC, is represented on the forum. I welcome that. The remit of the commission has expanded in recent years, particularly in light of EU legislation aimed at strengthening consumer protections and ensuring fairness in digital and online markets. Is the Minister aware of the high rate of vacancies at the CCPC? As of 9 June 2025, the CCPC had 33 vacancies across various roles. Does he have a plan to recruit these essential staff to ensure consumers are adequately protected and that there is no danger of price gouging in the major supermarkets? People's food bills have risen significantly. It is vital that the public are reassured that no underhand tactics are at play here. The CCPC must be fully staffed.

The CCPC is a very important independent agency. The Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, is working very closely with the organisation on inflation in grocery prices.

With regard to vacancies, there has been a challenge with recruitment. The budget is there. There has been a significant increase in budgetary capabilities for the CCPC but it is a very competitive landscape and the recruitment process is very difficult. We are doing all we can to fill those vacancies. This is one of the areas that was raised with me by the head of the CCPC when I met him a number of weeks ago. We will ensure that it has the resources needed to grow. Over the past decade, the CCPC has grown exponentially. As a result of European laws and responsibilities, Ireland now has an outsized role in the regulatory environment. It is very important that the organisation is resourced. The cost of business advisory forum will bring all of those key agencies, from the Revenue Commissioners to the CCPC and An Bord Pleanála, into the same room. It is critical that we see how we, as a country, can make things simpler for our businesses.

Will the Minister of State outline the targeted actions his Department is taking to improve the employment rate of people with disabilities in Ireland given that Ireland consistently lags behind the EU average in this area? Will he also comment on Ireland's constrained labour supply, our obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the absence of a Government strategy from 2026 to address this issue?

I thank the Deputy for his question. It is a priority for the Government to narrow the employment gap to which the Deputy refers. Working to enable people with disabilities to pursue freely chosen employment is an important personal priority for me.

The forthcoming national disability strategy will include employment as an important consideration as one of its five key pillars. The national disability strategy is intended as a whole-of-government framework for the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Ireland. It is intended to publish this strategy in the coming months. It will contain a number of actions from my Department, including engagement with employers and employer bodies to raise awareness and to foster positive attitudes towards the employment of people with disabilities, which the Minister, Deputy Burke, has mentioned in the House previously.

After the strategy has been published, the Department will establish a new Minister-led forum that will provide a platform for a more structured consultation and engagement with employers on the employment of people with a disability. It is intended to be a subgroup of the Department's enterprise forum and will serve as a means of advancing that employment by discussing employer concerns and potential obstacles. The forum will also showcase best practice examples from both private and commercial semi-State companies. It is my hope that these dialogue processes will enable a better understanding of the range of supports available to employers and of employers' legal obligations to provide reasonable accommodations to workers and job candidates with disabilities. The specific commitments from my Department will be set out in the strategy once it is finalised and approved by Government.

I thank the Minister of State. While I welcome his comments, we really need serious action in this area. As he will know, we are a laggard in terms of our performance. The figures speak for themselves. The right of persons with disabilities to work on an equal basis with others is enshrined in international, EU and national policies including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It has also been enshrined in the past two programmes for Government. Significant obstacles still remain to the development of pathways to employment for people with disabilities. Disabled people are only half as likely to be in employment as others of a similar working age. At 32.6%, the employment rate among people with disabilities in Ireland is the lowest in the EU, comparing poorly with the EU average of 51.3%. At the same time, our disability employment gap is the highest. Among people who are unable to work due to a long-standing health problem or disability, two in five are in poverty. We really need serious action.

Narrowing that employment gap for people with disabilities is a Government priority. The Minister, Deputy Burke, the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, and I are very much focused on this. The forthcoming national disability strategy, which will be published in the coming months, is really important in respect of employment. That strategy is a whole-of-government framework and relates to the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The finalisation and co-ordination of the strategy is being led by my colleague the Minister, Deputy Foley. I commend her work in ensuring that the voices of those with disabilities have been central to that development. My Department will lead on the employment pillar of the strategy. The first meeting of the group is envisaged as happening later this year, following the publication of the strategy. We want to address employers' concerns, showcase best practice and promote awareness to support those with disabilities and to ensure legal obligations to them are upheld.

There are wonderful organisations right across the country working with people with disabilities but the State has really let them down. As I was saying, two in five people with disabilities are at risk of poverty, one in five lives in consistent poverty and one in two lives in deprivation. The additional costs of living for people with disabilities are well documented in the 2021 Indecon cost of disability report. This report stated that the additional cost associated with managing a disability fell between €11,579 and €16,285. That is an additional €233 to €313 per week for people with a disability. This Indecon report was published in 2021, but we have moved no further along. We are still the laggard of Europe. We still fall consistently below where we should be. I welcome the Minister of State's comments, but we really need to see the required action.

Our enterprise agencies are already active in this space. Our local enterprise offices offer tailored supports for entrepreneurs with disabilities. Enterprise Ireland has an open door mentoring programme, which provides mentoring and capability supports, while IDA Ireland connects companies with talent from under-represented groups, including those with disabilities. I hear what the Deputy is saying. We hope to continue our engagement with the office of the Minister, Deputy Foley, to get the national disability strategy published and to launch the Minister-led disability employment forum. That subgroup of the enterprise forum is key. It will provide a platform for collaboration, innovation and problem-solving with employers and promote best practice in ensuring that people with disabilities can enter the workforce.

What is the position of the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment on the introduction of alcohol labelling under the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018? I ask this question in light of recent comments citing the potential halting of the introduction of this labelling as a potential measure for businesses in response to tariffs.

The introduction of alcohol labelling under the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill.

As regards the question more broadly and measures to support businesses in response to tariffs, the Government recognises that this is a dynamic and evolving situation, which is being monitored closely by the Government. A key element of the Government's response is the forthcoming action plan on market diversification that is being developed jointly by my Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The action plan provides an opportunity now for new ambition in our approach to market diversification. The action plan will provide a whole-of-government approach to enhance Ireland's economic and trading relationships with new and emerging markets. It will also consider actions which can be taken in established markets where there is value to be maintained and, potentially, more value available.

My Department has been preparing for tariffs and economic shocks. We are working with Enterprise Ireland, our dedicated agency that provides support to exporters. Enterprise Ireland has established a bespoke team that is engaging with exporters and supporting businesses around tariffs and mitigation measures as well as offering advice and support on diversification measures. Enterprise Ireland stands ready to support exporters through its current range of supports and is focused on assisting businesses in developing a response to trade tariffs. Through its team in Ireland and across its seven offices in the US, Enterprise Ireland is working with Irish companies and business owners and providing them with the latest in strategic market intelligence, information and resources through webinars and guidance on accessing advisory and financial supports.

Enterprise Ireland has also published a trade disruption checklist. This is a practical tool for SMEs to assess their exposure to tariffs and prepare mitigation strategies.

The Minister of State began by saying that the topic of the question is a matter for the Minister for Health, yet on 6 April the Minister for Finance mentioned this, on 1 May the Tánaiste mentioned it and on 8 April the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Burke, mentioned it. They all referred to this as a potential measure in the context of tariff mitigation. I will therefore ask the question again. What is the Department's position on removing alcohol labelling as a potential measure next year? This legislation has been in the pipeline since 2018. It positions us as a leader in health measures, just as the smoking ban did many years ago. As the Minister has said, the reality is that there are European measures that we need to measure ourselves by. If we kept in step with Europe on the smoking ban, we would still not have a smoking ban. This is our opportunity to mitigate a major health issue here in Ireland. It has the backing of the entire medical community. I need to be clear that this Department will not halt or pause the potential introduction of this.

Let us be absolutely clear that the introduction of alcohol labelling is a Department of Health function. If the Deputy wants to ask this question during oral questions to the Department of Health, she is welcome to do so. Ours is the Department of enterprise, however, and I am responsible for small businesses. As a result, I have a duty to defend the interests of Irish indigenous SMEs, which are facing unprecedented global trade pressures not of their own making. The Deputy is right that the US market accounts for nearly 40% of Irish global exports of alcoholic beverages, with exports of Irish whiskey alone worth nearly €450 million. Indeed, in the context of the Deputy's question about alcohol labelling, the Minister, Deputy Burke, has written to the Minister for Health about the introduction of the new labelling requirements. This is not about undermining public health; it is about a sequence around policy and a way not only to protect jobs and to preserve competitiveness but also to ensure that businesses have economic resilience within their sector. The proposed legislation is very much at a time when many of these companies are struggling with uncertainty.

I have not had a drink of alcohol in thirteen and a half years. Alcohol and its negative impacts have played a huge part in my life. I say this and share it because there is hardly a family in Ireland which has not had the same experience. Once again, therefore, what is the Department's position? I know very well that I can seek an answer from the Minister for Health about her position, but the Minister of State has just told me that his Department has corresponded with the Minister for Health on this. What is he trying to say? This is not a new thing. It has been the subject of full consultation. It was introduced by the Taoiseach back in 2018, and it is wrong and unfair to dangle it as a response to tariffs when it will not even help those Irish companies involved because it does not have an impact on exports. Distributors are already putting labels on products in anticipation of what might happen, so all this would do is cause confusion if the Government were to roll it back. What is the Department's position, as opposed to that of the Department of Health, on the matter?

We are very much committed to a whole-of-government approach not only to public health but also to economic sustainability. The national alcohol labelling regulation, while rooted in public health objectives, must be implemented in a way that does not jeopardise Ireland's export-led recovery. Indeed, the alcohol beverage manufacturing sector employs more than 5,500 people and is a strategic contributor to our national economy. In one sense, we do not want to abandon the public health goal but we are asking for more pragmatic sequencing and economic realism in terms of its implementation. We will not apologise for standing up for Irish jobs and Irish businesses within this sector and ensuring that we maintain Ireland's global competitiveness. We need to ensure that this well-intentioned regulation does not become an ill-timed disruption to many of these exporters at a time of real uncertainty.

What steps is the Minister for trade and employment taking to deal with the huge delays relating to the bureaucratic system that companies in Ireland face in trying to get work permits for foreign applicants? I refer especially to the IRHA and many other industries - agriculture, to name one - and parts of industries. Has the Minister met with the IRHA to discuss these issues? The ongoing delays are crippling the economy.

My Department is committed to delivering an efficient and responsive employment permit system which supports businesses and ensures that we are well positioned to maximise the benefits of economic migration. The system is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to fill skills and-or labour shortages required to develop and support enterprise for the benefit of our economy.

The Department has responded to labour shortages reported by the haulage sector by making the role of heavy goods vehicle, HGV, driver eligible for a general employment permit without restriction. In April 2025, the quota for HGV-bus mechanic was extended by 200 permits in direct response to identified labour shortages. The role of coach and bus driver is subject to a quota of 1,500 general employment permits, with over 1,000 remaining available.

Following a surge in demand for employment permits across 2021 and 2022, the Department implemented an action plan which increased resources and introduced more efficient methods of processing permit applications. The measures have resulted in significant reductions in wait times and a vastly improved user experience.

As of 16 June 2025, my Department is processing general employment permit applications received and critical skills permit applications received, with approximately 2,000 applications awaiting processing.

Applications for HGV drivers were temporarily placed on hold in the first half of this year due to an external delay in the licence verification process. Until recently, there was an operational agreement that this Department would verify the driving licences of HGV drivers before issuing an employment permit. However, following legal advice on this issue, the employment permits unit will no longer be verifying driving licences in that manner. Consequently, the unit has recommenced processing permit applications for this role and all applications which have been on hold have now been processed.

The regulation of who is licensed-----

I thank the Minister of State.

It was not too long ago that the Minister of State was on this side of the House. I wish him well in his new position. He is aware that the situation faced by our licensed hauliers is disgraceful.

Hard-working Irish businesses are trying to operate legally only to be choked by a lot of regulatory issues and a dysfunctional recruitment process. It is unbelievable. If a haulier in Tipperary in my constituency or anywhere else wants to hire a qualified driver from outside the EU, for example, South Africa, they must wade through a nine-stage bureaucratic minefield and deal with five different departments. The process involves licence exchange agreements, a mandatory 28-day labour market, visa applications, work permits, PPS numbers, residence cards and CPC modules. The list goes on. This process can take up to two years, with costs racking up every step of the way. At the end of it, the driver may not even be allowed into the country.

We recognise the pressures faced by many in the licensed haulage sector. I assure the Deputy that the Government is responding to those concerns. We have made significant progress with the new online employment permit system. It is delivering an effective and responsive system to provide the maximum benefits of our economic migration system. Over the past three years, we have increased staff resources, streamlined internal processing and introduced the new online digital system. It is very user-friendly. General employment permits are being turned around in 19 business days, while critical skills permits are being turned around in just 12. That is significant progress. Since the new system was launched, more than 3,700 applications have been received and more than 3,100 permits have been issued. The system is operating at pre-launch levels. There is high user success.

I do not believe those figures. They do not reflect my experience. People come here illegally and get all the treatment, including free housing and everything else. The message the Minister is giving out is to penalise those who play by the rules. Multinationals can get away with stuff as well. This affects small businesses. It is not just the hauliers; it is also agriculture and hoteliers trying to get people in. They pay the money and go through the system. It is so bureaucratic, and the Minister is telling me it takes 19 days. That is simply not happening. It is not the case in Tipperary, certainly. People are not telling me lies. The process needs to be streamlined. Where a business needs employees from abroad in order to carry out its business, where those people are qualified and meet all the criteria, there must be a streamlined process in order that businesses can get them in . They make a huge investment and the driver, operator or whomever may not come at all or might leave after a short time. It is a risky business for employers. They need these people. The Minister must cut out the red tape.

These are accurate figures presented by the Department.

I do not believe them.

I am not aware of the cases the Deputy raised.

They are numerous.

If he wants to send me a note in relation to them, I will be happy to take the matter up. As stated, there is a more modern and integrated system now. We are working with the Department of Justice to try to streamline matters more. There is also a single application process for visas. We have made significant progress in relation to labour shortages in many sectors. The Minister and I have made additions - most recently in April - in the context of permits for HGV drivers and vehicle repairers. We will look at the review relating to the employment permit occupations list that is scheduled for the summer. It is an important step forward. Overall, we have invested heavily in the permit system. It has shown huge benefit in trying to fill the skills shortages in certain sectors of our market.