Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 June 2021
177. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will outline his key policy achievements in his Department since 27 June 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32715/21]
View answerDuring the last year, my Department has progressed a range of policy initiatives across its broad remit including a range of Programme for Government commitments. Details of activity during 2020 can be found in my Department’s Annual Report 2020, published at www.enterprise.gov.ie.
Key policy achievements since 27 June 2020 include the following:
We published a €7 billion Jobs Stimulus in July 2020. A range of financial and regulatory measures were developed and expanded to assist businesses during the pandemic. These include ensuring that companies had access to finance through the Future Growth Loan Scheme, the SBCI-COVID-19 Working Capital Scheme, the COVID-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme and Microfinance Ireland’s COVID-19 Business Loan and Brexit Business Loan schemes. Further initiatives included the Sustaining Enterprise Fund, the Restart Grant and the Restart Grant Plus, the Online Retail Scheme and the Trading Online Voucher Scheme.
On legislation, my Department moved to implement temporary emergency measures to enable companies to meet their statutory obligations under company law and to proactively respond to the pressures businesses were facing in relation to solvency in the context of the lockdowns associated with the COVID-19 crisis. I have brought several Bills to Government for approval to draft, including the General Scheme of the Sale of Tickets (Cultural, Entertainment, Recreational and Sporting Events) Bill 2021, the General Scheme of the Consumer Rights Bill, the Competition (Amendment) Bill 2021, the Investment Screening Bill and the Control of Exports Bill. I have prioritised and accelerated the development of a new rescue process for small and micro companies with a view to ensuring that viable companies have the best possible chance of survival after COVID-19. My Department is also working on legislation to establish the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement to be a stand-alone statutory body.
The EU Platforms to Business Regulation, the first ever set of rules for creating a fair, transparent and predictable business environment for smaller businesses and traders on online platforms, was transposed into national law. A Sub-Group on Insurance Reform was established within the Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery, which I chair. The Action Plan is well advanced, with important actions such as the Personal Injuries Guidelines commenced in April 2020.
Improving terms and conditions for all workers is a priority for me. We are proceeding with plans for statutory sick pay and the living wage. A Code of Practice on the Right to Disconnect was launched as part of the National Remote Working Strategy published in January 2021. We published extensive guidance, including our Guide to Supports for Businesses, the National Work Safely Protocol and guidance on safe shopping. A COVID-19 contingency plan ensured that the employment permit regime could continue to operate throughout the crisis though the introduction, on a temporary basis, of a type of ‘e-employment permit’.
Other key achievements include working across Government to develop Ireland’s position in response to the EU Commission proposals for the revision of the state aid framework. We published a Code of Conduct between landlords and tenants for commercial rents. We provided targeted support for companies in the area of research, development and the production of COVID-19 related products, and launched a third call under the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund.We worked closely with the Department of An Taoiseach on Ireland’s Economic Recovery Plan, which aims to achieve rapid job creation and economic growth after the pandemic, and with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to include enterprise programmes for digitalisation and decarbonisation in Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan. We contributed to the Climate Action Plan showing my Department’s ongoing commitment to climate action. We also continued extensive work to ensure a coordinated and coherent approach to Brexit in preparation for all Brexit outcomes.
Following the formation of the Government in 2020, my Department took on responsibilities for trade promotion, employment rights and redundancy and insolvency policy, the Low Pay Commission, Balance for Better Business and Trading Online Vouchers.
