Parliamentary questions

27. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to proceed with Ireland’s membership of the European Unified Patent Court System and the holding of a referendum on the subject. [6358/25]

28. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to provide an update on the Programme for Government commitment to develop an all-island innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6599/25]

29. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a fund exists for businesses impacted by Government-funded construction. [6546/25]

30. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he intends to act on the requests made by a campaign (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6619/25]

31. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of businesses in County Offaly that applied for the Power Up grant; the number of the applications that were successful; the total value of the grants approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6499/25]

32. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to expand on the Programme for Government commitment to create 300,000 new jobs by 2030 and to outline the strategic investment supports proposed. [6711/25]

33. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on the south east regional enterprise plan; if a new plan is being prepared; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6502/25]

34. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment whether he has engaged with a group (details supplied); and has any progress made on legislation to meet some of their asks. [6601/25]

35. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his priorities for 2025 in the areas of artificial intelligence and digital transformation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6367/25]

36. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the measures he plans to take to support the SME sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6717/25]

37. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment how he proposes to engage with President Trump’s administration in the United States with regard to mooted tariffs on European Union produce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4364/25]

38. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on whether SMEs should be given more favourable treatment in terms of lower taxation and less regulation in comparison to multinational companies, considering respective contributions to the domestic economy and the fact the SMEs are penalised far greater. [6362/25]

39. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will increase wages for apprentices to at least the national minimum wage where they are below that level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6497/25]

40. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if support will be provided to businesses which suffered losses not covered by insurance during storm Éowyn; if he has engaged with the insurance industry regarding payment of storm-related claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6704/25]

41. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to outline his plans to achieve a living wage for workers in Ireland. [6715/25]

42. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position regarding the establishment of a small business unit in his Department, as set out in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6776/25]

43. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is preparing a response strategy in the event of the trade relationship between Ireland and the United States taking a turn for the worse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6790/25]

44. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will expand on the Programme for Government commitment to support SMEs and reduce the cost of business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6597/25]

45. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to outline progress on the recommendations of the Government’s response to Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge 2024 with regard to artificial intelligence, in particular the commissioning of research on the impact of artificial intelligence on the Irish economy and on the campaign to outline the possibilities of artif…

46. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment how his Department plans to balance the need for Ireland to be at the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI) innovation while also developing a policy for responsible AI use; what he considers to be the main obstacles to the implementation of his Department’s AI policy; if he will provide a progress update on his…

47. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to outline his efforts to oppose the Mercosur Trade Agreement. [4447/25]

48. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he intends to expand the Power Up grant to include businesses that are currently excluded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6408/25]

49. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of jobs supported by Enterprise Ireland in Kerry in 2024; how this compares to the end of 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6624/25]

50. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of work visas granted in each of the years 2022, 2023 and 2024; the average length of time to process such applications, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6789/25]

51. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to cases whereby businesses that qualify for the Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) grant and the Power Up grant were misclassified in the wrong category; if an appeals system has been established to ensure they can draw this funding down; if this appeal system has been communicated to all …