Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 April 2024
27. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 149 of 7 February 2024, to provide an update on the implementation of the White Paper on enterprise; the status of the second update report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16897/24]
View answerThe White Paper on Enterprise was published in December 2022 and sets out the Government’s approach to enterprise policy for the period to 2030. The vision set out in the White Paper is for Irish-based enterprise to succeed through competitive advantage founded on sustainability, innovation and productivity, delivering rewarding jobs and livelihoods.
My Department is responsible for the development of consecutive two-year Implementation Plans of cross-government activity to implement the policy direction set out in the White Paper. The first Implementation Plan, covering the period 2023-24, was published in May 2023. It identified a portfolio of 40 key initiatives across all seven policy priorities detailed in the White Paper on Enterprise. These 40 initiatives, while not exhaustive, reflect the range and depth of activities planned and underway in my Department, our enterprise agencies, and across Government.
Since the White Paper’s launch, significant work has been undertaken on a whole-of-Government basis to advance the vision it sets out and considerable progress has been made. Progress on the Implementation Plan is reported on every six months to the Cabinet Committee on Economy and Investment, through a series of update reports.
The first Update Report was developed over the course of Q3 2023 and was published in November 2023. This report details the progress made during Q1 and Q2 2023 on the 40 key initiatives that were identified and agreed as part of the 2023-2024 Implementation Plan, and showed significant strides already being taken towards implementation, with the majority of actions underway and on track. The second update report, which was developed by my Department during Q1 of this year, is currently being finalised and will be published in the coming weeks . This second update report details progress on implementation of the White Paper on Enterprise during Q3 and Q4 2023.
The Update Reports gives an overview of the range and depth of activity completed and underway to realise the objectives of the White Paper on Enterprise . These activities are largely driven by the Department and its enterprise agencies, with other relevant Government Departments and public bodies also responsible for a number of key deliverables. The Update Report also provides updates regarding the progress made against the 15 key targets set out in the White Paper on Enterprise, where data are available.
