Parliamentary questions

24. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the seasonal supports available to small businesses in the food, catering, and hairdressing sectors during the 2025 Christmas period, in advance of the VAT reduction scheduled for July 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62146/25]

25. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if there are efforts underway in his Department to streamline the process of work permits and visas for non-EEA nationals into a single integrated process so that a work permit will not expire before a visa is granted; if his Department has had any engagement with the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Mig…

26. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if his Department has had any engagement with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science regarding the changes to the national training fund, and how it may affect businesses. [61623/25]

27. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment his Department’s efforts to promote tourism in east County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61449/25]

28. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment how Budget 2026 will support the SME sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62048/25]

29. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment his plans to invest in tourism marketing and tourism product development, including investment in regenerative tourism projects in the midlands with the help of the EU just transition fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62077/25]

30. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment for the artificial intelligence adoption accelerator available through Enterprise Ireland digital discovery grant to be expanded from the current specific criteria (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62012/25]

31. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will provide an update on supports for remote working and remote working hubs in Donegal as a measure to address regional imbalance; whether additional supports will be allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62293/25]

32. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment his views on the lack of access to hotels for those with mobility issues; and specifically the availability of hoists. [58315/25]

33. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the means by which his Department intends to support Athlone’s continued growth as a key regional centre of innovation and employment; and whether consideration is being given to enabling or streamlining the use of compulsory purchase orders by local authorities where necessary to facilitate strategic urban developmen…

34. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment whether he would engage with Enterprise Ireland and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to develop guidance for meanwhile use of derelict and vacant buildings for start-ups and small businesses. [62051/25]

35. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if his Department has undertaken any recent analysis of the challenges and future prospects for the retail sector in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61548/25]

36. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if there will be a new Southeast Regional Enterprise Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62042/25]

37. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment his plans to enhance the business regulatory environment by removing unnecessary regulatory or administrative burdens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62078/25]

38. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment while welcoming both the VAT 9% rate and the auto enrolment scheme, the supports his Department has in place for businesses that are not in a position to benefit from the reduction to VAT 9%, and have increased costs under the new auto enrolment scheme and increased minimum wage; and if he will make a statement on the…

39. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the means by which IDA Ireland determines site visit locations; and to provide the factors that may have contributed to the decline in visits to County Kildare since 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62147/25]

40. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he intends to amend and extend certain rights and protections of retired persons and certain representative associations in relation to industrial relations and trade disputes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62214/25]

41. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the measures introduced to assist SMEs on opportunities presented by artificial intelligence for business growth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62011/25]

42. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he is aware of the growing number of retail outlets establishing themselves across the country which are selling products without adhering to the required regulatory guidelines; if his Department has carried out any review or assessment of compliance levels within such outlets; the enforcement measures currently…

43. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the steps he will take to protect the estimated 30 percent of Irish workers whose jobs could be replaced by AI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62273/25]

44. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment whether his Department will consider legislating for workers' wages to be protected in situations where they are unable to access their workplace due to severe weather events, as happened during storm Éowyn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62289/25]

45. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the steps he is taking to implement the Competitiveness and Productivity Action Plan goal of improved and more targeted funding for the adoption of AI and digital tools under the enterprise pillar of the new National Digital and AI Strategy; the metrics his Department will use to measure the success of these polic…

46. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment for an update on efforts by his Department to encourage greater collective bargaining coverage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62174/25]

47. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will report on plans to promote and develop marine and coastal tourism in Dublin Bay north, including initiatives to support local tour operators and local businesses that rely on seasonal visitor traffic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62163/25]

48. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment when he anticipates scoping research will conclude and a pilot regarding taking collective bargaining into account for public procurement will begin, as laid out in the Action Plan on Collective Bargaining; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62290/25]