Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 July 2025
322. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the measures he is taking to boost domestic enterprises in the context of external pressure and on the multinational sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36062/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government sets out an ambitious vision for Ireland’s enterprise policy, seeking to secure a sustainable, innovative and high-productivity economy.To achieve sustainable, diversified growth and enhanced economic resilience, it is vital that the Irish-owned enterprise sector fulfils its potential to scale and succeed on global markets. As an agency of my Department, Enterprise Ireland (EI), is responsible for helping prospective and emerging exporters to build company scale and expand their reach. Enterprise Ireland is also focused on driving the productivity of our SME sector and supporting businesses to broaden and deepen their innovation capacity.
The focus of Enterprise Ireland’s new strategy, ‘Delivering for Ireland, Leading Globally (2025-2029)’, is to support Irish companies to Start, Compete, Scale and Connect. Its long-term ambition is that Irish exporting companies will become the primary driver of the Irish economy. This strategy reflects a long-term commitment to ensuring that Irish enterprises are not only competitive but also globally connected and culturally agile, capable of thriving in diverse international environments.
EI aid to exporting SMEs includes direct financial assistance through grants, loans, and equity investments; Market Research and export development assistance; funding and mentoring for Innovation and Research; and facilitating international trade missions, trade event programmes, buyer visits, and market access opportunities, which are instrumental when growing and scaling internationally.EI's Strategy sets out a number of initiatives to create resilient, internationally focused Irish enterprises, and ambitious targets are set for export growth and market diversification of the EI client base. This includes growing the total value of exports reported by EI client companies on an annual basis and driving diversification. Companies, supported by EI, exported goods and services worth €34.6 billion in 2023, the highest level on record. The impact of this activity by EI client companies can be seen in the €39.3 billion spent in the Irish economy in 2023 which includes approximately €11.7 billion spent on payroll.
Innovative, ambitious start-ups are the bedrock of the Irish economy and will form the foundations of future enterprise success. In partnership with the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) and the wider enterprise and innovation ecosystem, Enterprise Ireland is supporting the next generation of Irish enterprise successes by helping ambitious start-ups to access finance, build capacity, and grow domestically and internationally. EI and the LEOs are also providing the expertise, funding and investment to support Irish businesses to lift productivity through innovative products, competitive sales offers, and greater efficiency in how work is carried out.
