6. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when it is envisaged that a new whole-of-government action plan on competitiveness and productivity will be finalised in line with the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21913/25]

Sentiment score: 0.01

When is it envisaged that a whole-of-government action plan on competitiveness and productivity will be finalised in line with the programme for Government? As the Minister knows, there is obviously a lot of news happening, some of which has just been discussed, in respect of the different issues with the economy. Will he go through that?

Sentiment score: 0.16

I thank the Minister for his reply. It is great the timeline has been brought forward. The Minister is conscious of time, no more than myself, and therefore, it is a real positive that July is the new date. While the Minister and his team are doing significant work, there are challenges. As someone who has worked as an accountant with both large Irish multinationals and many smaller businesses, I deeply understand the difficulties businesses face and how marginal changes in costs, such as some of those costs we have seen, or indeed regulation, can tip the scales, especially in sectors where Ireland needs to compete globally. Something of which I am very conscious is the growing concern locally in Leixlip about the recent reports of possible job cuts at Intel, not just in Ireland but across the company worldwide. This site has been a cornerstone of high-value employment and innovation in Ireland for decades. Any uncertainty around its future is felt far beyond the gates of the campus. It will be felt as far away as Mullingar and all those other places. It impacts local businesses, local schools and everything else. This is a key focus of mine.

Sentiment score: 0.11

I thank the Minister. Intel's situation underscores how crucial it is that we address the systemic issues. In other Departments, we have things like planning delays, which can cause uncertainty. Energy prices, which the Minister alluded to earlier, are a key issue not only for small businesses but also for very large businesses like Intel. Energy prices are above many EU rates, so that is something of which we have to be very conscious. We all know that we have to speed up infrastructure delivery and I know that it is a significant part of the Government's plan in the next four years. There has been real focus on that. We must also factor in other issues such as cybersecurity threats and the resilience of supply chains. I raise these points not as a criticism but as a colleague who wants to work with the Minister to ensure that Ireland remains a top-tier business destination for investment and innovation. As a newly elected TD, I want to work with the Minister and do the best I can. We can work on all of these issues. I thank my colleague, Deputy Ged Nash, for doing the swap and for facilitating that this morning.

Sentiment score: 0.24