Parliamentary questions

702. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if it is his intention to require employers to furnish references to employees upon request; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46454/25]

703. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the progress that has been made on the review of the eligibility criteria for the insolvency payment scheme, which Bill was referred to the OPC on 31 May 2024, it was listed as a priority for drafting during the Autumn term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46473/25]

704. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the details of the average processing time for employment permit appeals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46593/25]

705. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment his position on the development of new cruise berths in Dublin; and his views on the way in which this could support the growth of cruise tourism and wider economic benefits. [46661/25]

706. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the assessment carried out on the economic contribution of cruise tourism to Ireland, including the potential to triple passenger numbers to over 600,000 annually;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46663/25]

707. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the way in which the development of additional cruise capacity at Dublin Port will support job creation in the tourism and hospitality sectors; and if he will outline the discussions that have taken place with stakeholders on maximising these opportunities. [46664/25]

708. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of applications and approvals for the grow digital voucher in each of the 12 months from September 2024 to August 2025, in tabular form. [46688/25]

709. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the steps that Failte Ireland are taking to promote Christmas food markets; and the budget allocation for the promotion of these types of markets. [46722/25]

710. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of WTE inspectors by grade working in the Workplace Relations Commission in 2023, 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form; and if this number will be further increased before end of year 2025 [46723/25]

711. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the steps being taken to hold online sellers and marketplaces, including those based outside Ireland, to the same standards and regulation as Irish retailers who sell consumer goods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46747/25]

712. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he plans to adopt solutions to address gaps in compliance by online sellers of consumer goods; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that established Irish retailers who follow the rules face an unfair disadvantage as certain third-country traders avoid costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. […

713. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment his plans for a digital awareness campaign to inform online shoppers about their consumer rights and relevant health, safety and environmental issues ahead of Cyber Week and Black Friday; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46749/25]

714. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he has taken steps to engage with the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland to ensure compliance and enforcement of advertising standards on digital platforms selling goods to Irish consumers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46750/25]

715. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the measures being taken in Ireland ahead of the festive shopping season to tackle the surge in low value imports, as highlighted by the European Commission in their E-Commerce Communication in February 2025 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46751/25]

716. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the measures the competition and consumer protection commission has put in place to enforce the stronger powers granted to them in Consumer Rights Act 2022, and in particular measures with respect to digital services. [46756/25]

717. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if the economic impact assessment of the Low Pay Commission’s recommendation to abolish sub-minimum rates of pay has been completed; if there is a timeline for completion and publication; if he plans to publish the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46765/25]

718. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment in light of significant truck driver shortages reported in Cork, up to 40 vacancies locally, the measures that will be taken to fast-track HGV licensing, streamline cross-departmental employment permits, and support sectoral recruitment in Cork’s haulage industry. [46810/25]

719. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the steps being taken to stimulate investor confidence especially in high-growth sectors in Cork and the Munster region with Q2 venture capital investment plunging 80% to €116.5million [46822/25]

720. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 966 of 29 July 2025, the data and research his Department has to support the answer regarding the emergence of new jobs; whether these jobs will be equal or greater than the number of jobs lost to AI; whether the minister is aware of research which indicates AI has led to decre…

721. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment given the eight competent authorities for the EU AI Act announced in March, if he will set out the specific regulatory bodies and market surveillance authorities that are responsible for each of the prohibitions laid in Article 5 of the EU AI Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46930/25]

722. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to provide the reviews, reports, research and data his Department has available and which it has commissioned or directly undertaken in relation to assessments of the trends of insolvencies, incorporations, strike-outs and liquidations in the hospitality sector since the publication by the National Competitiveness and P…

723. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will clarify how MicroFinance Ireland’s funding is accounted for in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47055/25]

724. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will provide a breakdown of MicroFinance Ireland loan approvals, by county and sector to date 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47056/25]

725. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the proportion of MicroFinance Ireland loans in 2025 that have been granted to start-ups versus established businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47057/25]

726. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the steps that are being taken to ensure that microenterprises in rural and disadvantaged areas are aware of, and can access, MicroFinance Ireland supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47058/25]