Deputy Smith is right to point out the pressure that small manufacturing and engineering businesses, particularly start-ups, are under with regard to access to finance. It is very important that they get finance at competitive rates. With regard to helping existing SMEs with their working capital, the new Microfinance Ireland thresholds are increasing from €25,000 to €50,000. The Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, is taking that Bill through the Oireachtas at present and it will be important to try to provide work…

I thank Deputy Durkan for his very important question. Ireland is recognised as one of the most competitive economies in the world and performs well in international rankings of competitiveness. In June 2023, Ireland was ranked as the second most competitive country in the world in the IMD world competitiveness rankings. The 2024 iteration of these rankings is due to be published in the coming weeks. The Government receives advice on issues relating to Ireland's international competitiveness from the National Compe…

I concur with the Deputy that we can never take our eye off the ball when we have an open and strong economy like Ireland's. We have to continue to work. It is very important that we have a pipeline of €165 billion for the next decade for capital infrastructure because infrastructure improvements will attract new businesses and keep our economy competitive. We have seen in the national broadband plan how important it is to have high-speed, high-quality broadband in the most rural parts of the country so they can co…

They are valid points. The Deputy raised the issue of climate. It is critical that we remain competitive. When we see a company like Diageo, the home of the black stuff, spending €100 million to decarbonise its processes over the next five or six years, when we have world leaders like that based here in Ireland and leading by example, it shows the change that is under way. We have to work with the wider economy to ensure we are supporting them. We are the listening voice that articulates and works with businesses t…

I thank Deputy O'Connor for his very important question. On 15 May, I and my Government colleagues announced a substantial range of measures to reduce costs for small and medium-sized businesses. Included in these measures was the reopening of the ICOB portal from 15 May to 29 May to allow ratepaying business owners who have not registered to do so. We have received feedback that the process of registering is simple and quick. I urge those business owners who have not applied to do so now and as soon as possible. A…

I thank the Deputy again for his question. Unfortunately, we are a price taker in the energy market and we have so much to do in that regard. It is good to note the reduction of about 40% in the wholesale cost of energy but that needs to be passed on to businesses and indeed on to the consumer to make us more competitive. On the Deputy's question in respect of Cork County Council, as I understand, in the past half an hour €114,000 has been paid out. Another payment run will be happening this week. That is exception…

It is okay, I can multitask.

I thank all the Deputies for their contributions. I agree with Deputy O'Connor. Cork County Council is the largest local authority in the country and it has the money. We do need to see action now and I will be demanding it over the next few days. As I said, I spoke with the head of the CCMA finance committee. I have written to all chief executives this morning on foot of the change last week. In the coming days, I will be working to ensure that this is paid out. There should not be a timelag. It is very simple, it…

I welcome this opportunity to address the House on recent measures the Government has taken to reduce costs for small and medium-sized businesses. SMEs are the backbone of our rural and regional communities and are central to Ireland's ability to build a broad-based and successful economy. Of a total of approximately 350,000 small and medium-sized companies in Ireland, 325,000 employ fewer than ten people. SMEs have faced a number of economic shocks in recent years, which have resulted in cost increases. The Covid-…

I thank Deputy O'Reilly for her question and her kind wishes. We look forward to working with all Members across the House. As we have demonstrated in previous Departments, working relationships are very important. I and the Ministers of State, Deputies Higgins and Calleary, will do our very best in our respective roles. The Labour Employer Economic Forum's subgroup on employment and enterprise has two groups under its auspices dealing with collective bargaining matters. The first group, chaired by the Minister of …

First, with regard to the legal issues, we were working with the Attorney General and additional external advice has been sought on the potential issues arising from it. We will keep the impetus going in that regard. With regard to Article 4 of the directive and the 80% threshold, we are required to prepare an action plan in line with the directive and work is under way at the moment in that regard. The deadline that has been established by the Commission is that it has to be prepared and presented by the end of 20…

We are very much committed to this process. Obviously, just a week into the job, I am trying to go through and evaluate all of these issues, but we are absolutely committed in the first instance. The Deputy can see that demonstrated by the establishment of the LEEF group chaired by the Taoiseach and the subgroup chaired by our Department. We are working at pace on the issues that have come forward and I listed the five points where substantial work is under way. With regard to the directive, we will meet the target…

I thank Deputy Nash for his kind words. As the Deputy will be aware, in 2021 the Low Pay Commission was asked to examine the programme for Government commitment to progress to a living wage and provide recommendations on how best to achieve this commitment. The Low Pay Commission’s recommendations were received and considered and in November 2022, the Government agreed that a national living wage would be introduced and set at 60% of the hourly median wages, in line with the recommendations of the Low Pay Commissio…

The Low Pay Commission was established by a Government of which my own party was a member. This shows we are very committed to employees right across the economy. On an objective analysis, last night we voted for auto enrolment to ensure pension rights to those right across our economy. The most vulnerable will benefit. We also introduced sick pay on a statutory basis, which will also help those on the margins of society. If we look at any objective analysis, from 2015 the national minimum wage has increased by 46.…

I am in a Department where we have to balance the rights of employers and protect employees. I have to protect the rights of consumers and balance that with the rights of businesses. We have to be in a very strong position to protect all those across our economy. I would say, demonstrate by evidence. This Government has shown huge evidence. We have been a reforming Government, in line with protecting employees right across our economy. Very significant changes and reforms have been made and we will take advice from…

I thank the Deputy for the question. The Sick Leave Act 2022 introduced employer-paid, medically certified statutory sick leave for the first time in Ireland. Commencing on 1 January 2023, the initial statutory entitlement was up to three days’ sick leave, which increased to five days on 1 January 2024. This could potentially increase to seven days in 2025 and ten days in 2026. Introducing statutory sick leave forms part of the Government's efforts to develop a more inclusive and more competitive economy and a fair…

I was very clear in my answer to Deputy Nash on a living wage. I said we were going to wait for the report from the Low Pay Commission. That is the mechanism and structure that is in place, and I am not going to pre-empt that report.

On sick pay, we are very committed as a Government to improve the rights of employees. We are in the month of April. Section 6 of the Act clearly sets out that the decision has to be made in quarter 4 and a ministerial direction has to be given on 1 January next year. I make all my policy decisions based on evidence. Through the year, I will look at how the economy is progressing and how the reforms that have been made continue to be progressed. I am proud to be part of a Government that introduced parental leave a…

I will not take any lectures from the Opposition about protecting workers. I am proud to have been a member of a Government that put €12 billion into the economy through the pandemic unemployment payment to ensure that people had certainty of income right through very difficult times in our economy. That ensured the economy was in good shape to deliver those commitments, protect those workers and ensure that business could take off like a rocket to employ people post the pandemic. That is what sustainable finances …

I thank Deputy Griffin for his kind words and also for his advocacy on behalf of the tourism sector, both as a Teachta Dála and in a previous ministerial role. The importance of the tourism sector to the economy and to communities in every corner of Ireland is well understood. It is recognised that the use of tourist accommodation to support the Government’s response to the humanitarian crisis has impacted on the sector. Fáilte Ireland identified that, in November 2023, 12% of all registered tourism accommodation s…