I propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 16, 20 and 24 together.
I thank the Deputy for submitting his question. It is probably the most topical one on the Question Paper. The increased cost of business scheme was introduced back in March 2024 and the power up grant was introduced in October of the same year. Both schemes are now closed but, in total, more than €400 million in grant aid was successfully paid to SMEs rig…
TDs / Alan Dillon
Alan Dillon
Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
2
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
112,967
words spoken in the chamber
112,959 as a minister, 8 as a TD
392
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
2
topics asked about
Across 2 departments
From the Dáil chamber only: committee meetings are not in this archive.
What they ask about
The subject headings the Oireachtas filed their questions under.
Who they ask
The departments their questions were addressed to.
Month by month
Low months are usually recesses, when the Dáil does not sit. The archive runs to 22 October 2026.
Questions asked 2 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 415 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 2 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 0 | 23 |
| March 2025 | 0 | 1 |
| April 2025 | 0 | 31 |
| May 2025 | 0 | 23 |
| June 2025 | 0 | 35 |
| July 2025 | 0 | 0 |
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| September 2025 | 0 | 35 |
| October 2025 | 0 | 4 |
| November 2025 | 0 | 46 |
| December 2025 | 0 | 18 |
| January 2026 | 0 | 21 |
| February 2026 | 0 | 33 |
| March 2026 | 0 | 25 |
| April 2026 | 0 | 31 |
| May 2026 | 0 | 12 |
| June 2026 | 0 | 39 |
| July 2026 | 0 | 6 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 0 | 22 |
| October 2026 | 0 | 10 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 347 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Asked about similar topics
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Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Mayo 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fine Gael 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications 29 January 2025 to 1 June 2025
- office Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment 2 June 2025 to now
Regarding the Deputies' supplementary questions, we can go back and forth. To answer Deputy Ward's questions on the steps that are now required, it was important that the Government this week approved the appeals process. We will now engage with the local authorities to map out the extent of those businesses that were eligible for ICOB 1 and, therefore, applied for ICOB 2 but were unsuccessful. ICOB 2 is the importan…
I thank the Deputies for their contributions as regards the announcement this morning.
Regarding the scheme and Deputy McGrath's point, the scheme was not perfect. There is an acknowledgement that it was reflective of the 2023 rates. Many businesses had to engage with local authorities about up-to-date rates and a rates repayment plan to bring them up to speed. We want to enhance potential further schemes down the r…
I thank the Deputy. A well-functioning labour market and good working conditions are essential components of sustainable and inclusive growth. As part of the efforts to maintain this, the Government operates an employment permits system that is highly responsive to the labour market. I recognise the valuable role migrant workers play in Irish society, particularly in critical areas such as healthcare and ICT. The yea…
I understand the issues about migrants the Deputy is raising. We have heard some of the stories and I have engaged also with the migrant refugee representative body to ensure their members are listened to and are front and centre in any enhancements we can make to the scheme. We have looked at how the granting of reactivation permits is in one sense supported. We want to work with the Department of Justice in that re…
I thank the Deputy for his input. We are open to any suggestions or proposals and will work through any enhancements needed within the system. I do not think it should be a rigid system. It should be agile and flexible to meet the needs of our current labour market. If the general work permits or critical skill work permits are required, we actively update the needs analysis regarding which sectors do or do not requi…
I thank the Deputy. As she will be aware, I, as the Minister of State at the Department for Enterprise, Trade and Employment with responsibility for small business and retail, have responsibility for ensuring that emissions in the commercial built environment are reduced in line with climate action targets. Achieving these targets will mean that many owners of commercial properties will have to carry out energy upgra…
A key priority for the Government within our competitiveness plan is to engage with the Department of energy, climate and environment to ensure we can drive down the cost of energy, not just for residential consumers, but for businesses to ensure they remain viable.
It is probably one of the most important areas we can focus on and currently are focused on. We are providing grants to small businesses around emission…
The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, is working with the SEAI to try to streamline the grant applications, not just for businesses, but for homes under the warmer homes scheme. Where businesses or customers successfully make an application to get onto the scheme, the scheme takes into consideration the likelihood of trying to procure a contractor. That extends out the timeline so, in effect, the timeline could be 18 months …
I thank all the Deputies for their contributions today. It is an honour to stand before the House on International Workers' Day, a day dedicated to recognising the invaluable contribution of workers across Ireland and the world. As Minister of State with responsibility for small business and retail, I acknowledge and celebrate the hard work, dedication and resilience of our workforce, which forms the backbone of our …
I thank the Deputy for her question. Ireland has attracted the best data centres and tech companies in the world. This is a really important relationship and the Government continues to work with the sector towards a secure and decarbonised energy future. However, data centres, like all large energy users, have to exist within the boundaries of our climate legislation and targets. The programme for Government address…
There has been a commonality in People Before Profit to demonise data centres. I just saw the Deputy using her phone. Phones are central to everything data centres present around AI and online storage. They are critical to the infrastructure of a modern economy in Ireland. We will continue to deliver a balanced approach to facilitate additional demand for energy by data centres.
The Government has outlined clear pri…
To address the Deputy's first point, AI is the technology of the future. To say it has no relevance to us trying to reach our climate targets-----
It presents a real opportunity to unlock, produce and consume electricity more efficiently. I have no doubt there is significant opportunity in Ireland, with a lot of tech companies using AI and with their data centres, for us to enhance our competitiveness. We can also reduce our emissions. It is the technology of the future. We have set out the principles within Government that new data centre grid connections will…
I thank the Deputy for the question. The programme for Government acknowledges the increased energy cost pressures on households and businesses, and aims to bring forward a number of measures to help contain energy costs. These include ard taxation measures to help contain energy costs. We have established a cross-government energy affordability task force to identify, assess and implement measures that will enhance …
I thank the Deputy. I disagree with his comment that data centres create only a few jobs. The role that data centres play in the economy is significant for large tech and foreign direct investment, FDI. We will continue to support our commitment to working with key stakeholders in that area, including the IDA, to identify and support new approaches. That is important. We need to integrate large-scale demand and susta…
The Deputy needs to consider that the tech investment going into these data centres and the AI revolution is leading the way around renewable energy solutions.
Ireland needs to be to the fore in this regard. We all know that AI will unlock opportunities to produce solutions-----
-----to energy and efficiency measures. We are certainly committed and have said that we will ensure we have clear principles for sustained data centre development. We published our statement on the role of data centres in Ireland's enterprise strategy. We want clearer guidance for decision makers in the planning process. We also want to encourage the data centre sector to implement decarbonised energy solutions that…
The regulation of textiles has become a priority focus for the EU in recent years. There are two significant pieces of relevant legislation in development or recently implemented. First, since 1 January 2025, the waste framework directive requires all member states to have a separate collection system for textiles. Ireland's system consists of a network of local authority and charity bring banks, charity retail shops…
I acknowledge the Deputy’s work with Liberty Recycling. Since January of this year, Ireland has understood and tried to transpose the EU law that is required by every member state. We have a system in place for the separation and collection of textiles, and the bring banks are a significant part of that. I understand that significant improvements are required. I am aware of this due to working with local authorities …
As I said in my earlier contribution, we have drafted the national policy statement and roadmap for circular textiles, which will be important in supporting the transition. That will soon go out to consultation. On the Deputy’s point, we have a real challenge around fast fashion and how we address it. The current system needs to be enhanced. We need to continue to work with local authorities and charities but we must…
I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I am taking it on behalf of the Minister for arts, Deputy O'Donovan. Having worked with the Deputy on the tourism and arts committee for five years during the previous Dáil term, I know how important this issue is and what a champion Deputy Byrne is for the arts and cultural sector. What he has raised today is significant and recognises the efforts we all need to …
I again thank the Deputy for raising this important Topical Issue matter this evening. I will certainly relay his comments to the Minister. I am encouraged by what the Deputy said about the importance of the youth culture card. Every organisation providing a range of programmes, events and resources for young people, including both in-person and online events, needs to be supported.
There is an ambitious programme i…
I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach and wish her luck in her new role chairing the Dáil.
I thank all the Deputies for their engagement in today's debate. The interventions we heard reflect not only the gravity of the current situation, but also the breadth of concerns across the Dáil for our economy, our trading relationships and Ireland's place in a changing world. We are all experiencing and getting to grips with …