Parliamentary questions

Business Supports

Robert Troy

165. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of applications received for the cost of business support grant on a county-by-county basis and the corresponding amount of grant awarded. [21101/24]

Enterprise Support Services

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

170. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if local enterprise offices do not offer grants to financial advisors working in the Central Bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20193/24]

Departmental Data

Louise O'Reilly

171. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 250 of 6 March 2024, the expected default rate on State-backed loans of 80%; how such a rate is calculated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20289/24]

Departmental Staff

Carol Nolan

172. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of employees within his Department and bodies under the aegis of his Department who are currently suspended on full pay pending disciplinary investigations; to outline, in tabular form, the length of time these employees have been under suspension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20312/24]

EU Programmes

Matt Carthy

173. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the EU programmes or funds outside of the multiannual financial framework that Ireland has paid into from the year 2014 to date; any receipts from same, by programme or fund, by year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20353/24]

Small and Medium Enterprises

Louise O'Reilly

174. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the current rate of basic level digital intensity of Irish SMEs. [20428/24]

Business Supports

Claire Kerrane

175. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to provide, in tabular form, all grants available to new businesses setting up in an area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20440/24]

Ports Policy

Neasa Hourigan

176. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to a ship, the Sarah M, certified by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping and seeking to head towards Greenore, County Louth; whether he is assured this vessel will not port and engage in export, which would be in contravention of sanctions placed upon Russia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20454/24]

Work Permits

Fergus O'Dowd

177. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to provide their views on a report in relation to work permits (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20598/24]

Workplace Relations Commission

Paul Donnelly

178. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of vacant WTE positions currently in the Workplace Relations Commission; the estimated full-year cost of filling each of those vacancies; and when each of the vacancies will be filled, in tabular form. [20635/24]

Departmental Data

Louise O'Reilly

179. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the percentage of Irish businesses using Cloud, Big Data and AI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20706/24]

Departmental Policies

Fergus O'Dowd

180. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to respond and address serious concerns raised by local business owner in respect of the current pressures facing the food and hospitality sectors (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20727/24]

Business Supports

Darren O'Rourke

181. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the trading online voucher scheme can be used to help businesses migrate from a copper broadband connection to a fibre broadband connection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20785/24]

Company Law

James Browne

150. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position regarding a personal situation related to a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19920/24]

EU Directives

Cormac Devlin

151. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to provide an update on the transposition of the EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages into Irish law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19994/24]

Business Supports

Jim O'Callaghan

152. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will detail, in tabular form, on the basis of a local authority breakdown, the number of businesses that have registered for the Increased Cost of Business Scheme grant as of 29 April 2024, or the latest date available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20073/24]

Research and Development

Neasa Hourigan

153. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 355 of 25 April 2024, the total expenditure in the form of grants or relief given to social enterprises for research and innovation in each of the years 2020 to 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20102/24]

Industrial Development

Brendan Howlin

154. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of IDA-supported jobs for each of the past three years in each county, in tabular form; the number of site visits organised by the IDA for companies in each of the past three years, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20103/24]

Enterprise Support Services

Brendan Howlin

155. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of Enterprise Ireland-supported jobs for each of the past three years in each county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20104/24]

Departmental Staff

Cormac Devlin

132. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to detail the arrangements in place for where an employee of the Department, and each organisation under its aegis, becomes elected or co-opted to a local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19572/24]

Small and Medium Enterprises

Neasa Hourigan

133. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the total expenditure in the form of grants or relief given to small and medium enterprises for research and innovation in each of the years 2020 to 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19619/24]

Renewable Energy Generation

Jim O'Callaghan

134. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his response to the recommendations of the Report on Offshore Renewable Energy published by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19905/24]

Small and Medium Enterprises

Niamh Smyth

135. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the supports available for a sole trader (details supplied) to deal with rates; and what grants are available to them. [19906/24]

Work Permits

Michael Healy-Rae

267. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 247 of 23 April 2024, if he will provide further information in relation to production staff for fish processing in particular; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19195/24]

Departmental Correspondence

Fergus O'Dowd

268. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will respond to concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18732/24]

Departmental Correspondence

Fergus O'Dowd

269. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to respond to concerns raised by a local business (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18805/24]

Broadband Infrastructure

Denis Naughten

270. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the total number of copper communication lines within his Department that are currently in active operation and for which his Department is paying for on a monthly basis, inclusive of ISDN, PTSN and copper-based lease lines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18834/24]

Brexit Supports

Catherine Murphy

271. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the way in which the €15 million allocated to his Department under the 2023 EU Brexit Adjustment Fund was spent; and if he will provide headings and sub-headings and amounts associated with same. [18898/24]

Visa Agreements

Matt Carthy

272. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is aware of an issue impacting upon non-EU citizens working in Ireland whereby they are unable to secure appointments to apply for Schengen area visas; if he has engaged with relevant EU Member State embassies in Ireland or his EU counterparts in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19121/24]

European Union

John Paul Phelan

273. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to list all Acts and Statutory Instruments sponsored by his Department which became law from 20 February 2020 to date in 2024 and which were necessitated, either in whole or in part, to transpose or give effect to regulations, directives or other measures passed at European Union level. [19163/24]

Business Supports

Fergus O'Dowd

274. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in a situation where a business in the hospitality trade is paying above the €30 thousand rates criteria to access the ICOB grants, if he will provide details of all other supports that would be available to this business considering the pressures on the sector at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19318/24]

Local Authorities

Catherine Murphy

275. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide the amount of grant-aid returned and or surrendered to his Department, by local authority in 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, to include the heading of which it was intended for. [19358/24]

Artificial Intelligence

David Stanton

276. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the current composition of the Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council; the number of times it has met since its establishment; the advice, if any, he has received to date from the Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19392/24]

Broadband Infrastructure

Darren O'Rourke

277. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if digital innovation vouchers can be used to help businesses migrate from a copper broadband connection to a fibre broadband connection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19405/24]

EU Directives

Ged Nash

278. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the nature of and the current situation with regard to the European Commission’s announcement of 20 September 2022 that it was sending Ireland a formal notice (INFR(2022)0369) in respect of Directive (EU) 2019/1152 on transparent and predictable working conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19498/24]

EU Directives

Ged Nash

279. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the nature of and current situation with regard to the European Commission’s announcement of 26 January 2023 that it was sending Ireland a reasoned opinion (INFR(2018)2235) for the non-conformity of Irish legislation with Directive 2014/67/EU on the enforcement of Directive 96/71/EC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19499/24]

Research and Development

Neasa Hourigan

167. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the total expenditure in the form of grants or relief given to multinational corporations for research and innovation in each of the years 2020 to 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18572/24]

Business Supports

David Stanton

168. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to outline the supports, if any, available to refurbish vacant or derelict properties to use for retail or business purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18584/24]

Business Supports

Louise O'Reilly

169. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of businesses, broken down by every local authority area in the State, that have registered for the increased cost of business grant to date. [18587/24]

Business Supports

Jennifer Whitmore

170. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to provide details of support offered by his Department for companies operating in the circular economy (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18619/24]

Business Supports

Éamon Ó Cuív

171. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment why premises whose rates valuation was revised in the past year and increased as a result, as part of the national rates revision that this ongoing, are not eligible for a grant of 50% of the new rate this year subject to the other criteria appertaining to the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18643/24]

Labour Market

Bernard Durkan

172. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the options available for a first-time job applicant (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18701/24]

EU Directives

Ged Nash

45. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he intends to support the current scope of application of the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which would exclude the vast majority of Irish companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18146/24]

EU Directives

Ged Nash

46. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on the current lengthy approach to the transposition of the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which would delay the administering of justice; if he will commit to ensuring that the Directive is transposed into Irish law as soon as is possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18147/24]

EU Directives

Ged Nash

47. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will support the ‘value chain’ definition based on internationally agreed standards from the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD guidelines and work to ensure that serious downstream human rights impacts are not excluded when it comes to transposing the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive into Irish law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18148/24]

EU Directives

Ged Nash

48. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps he is taking to ensure that the financial sector in Ireland is held to account for its impact on human rights and the environment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18149/24]

EU Directives

Louise O'Reilly

49. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he supports or opposes the changes to the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive which reduces the number of companies covered under the Directive to companies with more than 1,000 employees and €450 million annual turnover. [18153/24]

EU Directives

Louise O'Reilly

50. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment regarding the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, if he supports the lengthy approach to transposition of the Directive which would delay the provision in the Directive; if not, if he will commit to ensuring that cross-departmental work is initiated as soon as possible to transpose the directive into Irish law as quickly as possible. [18154/24]

EU Directives

Louise O'Reilly

51. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will commit to supporting the value chain definition based on the internationally agreed standards (UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for MNCs) and work to ensure that serious downstream human rights impacts are not excluded when it comes to transposing the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive into Irish law. [18155/24]

EU Directives

Louise O'Reilly

52. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he supports the agreed compromise in relation to the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive which excludes the financial sector from carrying out due diligence on its clients; and if not, the steps is he willing to take to rectify this domestically. [18156/24]