Parliamentary questions

35. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of critical skills employment permits approved in 2024 and to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50838/25]

36. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the actions being taken by the IDA and Enterprise Ireland to promote County Offaly as a location for investment; if consideration will be given to strengthening infrastructure and supporting skills development to make the county more attractive to employers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50723/25]

37. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the steps his Department will take to support the creation of new jobs in County Meath; if his department holds statistics on the number of SMEs which have closed in County Meath in each of the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49652/25]

38. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment his views on the lack of IDA-hosted visits to Waterford in comparison to the other cities of Ireland and even Shannon and Athlone towns. [50768/25]

39. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment for an update on the status of the growth and sustainability loan scheme as two banks (details supplied) have paused accepting new loan applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50590/25]

40. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the current average processing times for general and critical skills employment permit applications; to provide a comparison with the same period in 2025; the efforts being made by his Department to reduce employment permit application waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50437/25]

41. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the measures being considered to ensure that regulatory oversight under the European Union AI Act does not create barriers to AI start-ups and SMEs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50602/25]

42. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment for an update on the current processing times for critical skills employment permit applications and for general employment application; the average processing times for both; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50746/25]

43. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if a new North-East Regional Enterprise Plan will be published soon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50708/25]

44. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the engagement he has had with Government colleagues in relation to reducing the overall cost of business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50479/25]

45. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of investments the IDA is targeting in the Border region under its current strategy; it's performance in Border region investments under the previous strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50709/25]

46. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the level of support available to small- to medium-sized enterprises to reduce the cost of energy, his plans to expand these supports in Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50436/25]

47. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if a new mid-west regional enterprise plan will be published soon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50465/25]

48. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the plans from Enterprise Ireland and the IDA to find a replacement industry for a plant in County Laois (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50755/25]

49. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment for an update on the engagements he has undertaken with a company (details supplied). [50776/25]

50. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment his plans to create a business incubator for startups similar to station F in France; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50835/25]

51. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment for the number of general employment permits approved in 2024 and to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50839/25]

52. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of businesses that have been supported through energy efficiency grants in each county over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50435/25]

53. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to provide an update on the appeals process for the increased cost of business grant and power up grant for those businesses that were miscategorised; the number of businesses in Cork city and Cork county that submitted appeals; the number that were successful; if he will provide a timeframe for when businesses…

54. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the discussions his Department have had with the IDA to ascertain plans and schedules for the development of the 30-hectare business park they own in Portlaoise, County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50756/25]

55. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the engagement there has been with his Department, other Government Departments, State agencies and industry, including pharma, technology and medtech, regarding changes to US tariffs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50113/25]

56. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if a new south east regional enterprise plan will be published soon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50459/25]

57. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to provide an update on the extent to which the IDA is actively promoting south Tipperary as a location for foreign direct investment, with particular reference to the 50-acre IDA site at Ballingarrane, Clonmel; the engagement that has taken place with potential investors regarding this strategic site and other sit…

58. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment for an update on the provision of additional IDA lands for the Charleville region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50770/25]

59. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the engagement his Department has had with the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration on the development of a single application procedure for immigration and employment permission, mentioned in the Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50798/25]