Parliamentary questions

516. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if an employee working as a live-in carer may have a deduction made from their wages in respect of bed and board; and if so, what constitutes a reasonable deduction; if there is a prescribed limit or cap; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39321/26]

517. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if a non-EEA national, specifically a carer from India, may be granted an employment permit where the employer is a private individual; the criteria for such applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39322/26]

518. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the position regarding development plans (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39337/26]

519. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to report on the application renewal of a work permit (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39530/26]

520. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to report on the application renewal of a work permit (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39531/26]

521. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment in instances where the approval an application for the renewal of a work permit is significantly delayed through no fault of the permit holder but eventually approved and where the successful renewal is accompanied by a higher minimum annual remuneration and if that higher minimum annual remuneration be back dated…

522. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment whether his Department has examined the adequacy of existing redundancy and income-support protections for workers displaced as a result of artificial intelligence, automation or restructuring within the technology sector; whether international approaches, including measures used in Germany and Sweden relating to …

236. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the position regarding the number of times that the retail forum has met in both 2025 and to date in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38637/26]

237. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the position regarding any recommendations and actions emanating from the retail forum to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38638/26]

238. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the position regarding the mechanisms in place to ensure that the retail forum includes retailers in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38639/26]

239. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the actions he is taking to ensure that the retail forum’s remit is widespread to include both urban, suburban and rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38640/26]

240. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the position regarding the membership of the retail forum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38641/26]

241. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the reason for the decision to require a money message for the Industrial Relations (Provision in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38498/26]

242. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if his Department will provide an update on when a refund will be provided in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38514/26]

243. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to give consideration to the importance of tourism in County Kerry and especially Killarney town by reconsidering the short-term lets policy; to allow a waiver for the proprietors of short-term lets who are in business three years or longer in relation to the need to apply for planning permission to be allowed con…

111. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the State supports in place to support the manufacturing of chocolate in Ireland; the measures to support marketing Irish chocolate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38256/26]

112. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the way in which his Department is supporting Irish small and medium enterprises looking to enter international markets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38296/26]

113. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the financial supports, compensation schemes, tax relief measures, or emergency assistance available to business owners who have experienced a loss of revenue as a result of repeated power outages or electricity supply disruptions; and if he will outline the supports currently available to affected businesses. [3797…

114. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of men and women who applied for parent's benefit in the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38032/26]

115. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of men who applied for paternity benefit and the number of women who applied for maternity benefit in the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38034/26]

116. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will provide an update on the national life sciences strategy consultation process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38152/26]

117. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will outline any engagement he has had with industry on the subject of new graduates being unable to obtain entry-level jobs in areas most affected by the adoption of artificial intelligence; if his Department has conducted any industry surveys to assess the existence of such a trend; and if he will make a stat…

118. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of SMEs who have availed of the Energy Efficiency Grant by County and by sector in each of the years 2023 to 2025 and to-date in 2026, in tabular form; if there are any plans to amend the scheme to increase the level of grant aid or make it easier for SMEs to access given the rising cost of energy; an…

119. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the supports in place for businesses and workers in response to a fire (details supplied), including those who lost premises and those indirectly impacted due to asbestos risks; the engagement he has had with the Minister for Social Protection on supports for workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter…

120. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to provide an update on job losses at a company (details supplied); to provide urgent clarification on the handling of this redundancy process; the supports available for affected workers; if he will address the legislative gap that allows employers to bypass trade unions in collective redundancy situations; and if he…