1. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the way in which he will address the disparity in income levels across the State; the way in which he will ensure high-paid jobs are not only centralised in major urban areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13851/26]
Sentiment score: 0.13
What is Minister doing about the disparity in income levels across the State and what is he doing to ensure that well-paid jobs are not just centralised in the major urban areas but also spread out to the regions? I and many other rural and regional Deputies stand here week in, week out asking for fairness and balanced regional investment to attract secure and well-paid jobs to our regions. We have an over-concentration of high-paid employment in major urban centres forcing people to relocate or commute long distances just to access employment opportunities.
Sentiment score: 0.39
The newly released 2024 data from the CSO shows stark disparities in disposable income and worrying employment trends, particularly around the northern and western region. I will set out some of the figures that are causing me concern. The average disposable income per person nationally in 2024 was €30,139 but in the northern and western region, it was €27,166. In Mayo, it was €27,343, which was almost 10% below the national average. That is not a marginal gap but a clear regional imbalance that confirms what communities already know, which is that workers in the northern and western region are more likely to be in lower-paid employment and have less money left at the end of the month. Even more alarmingly, in 2024, 58,140 people were recorded as employed in jobs physically located in Mayo, which was a drop of 8.7% on 2023.
Sentiment score: -0.09
There is something to see here. I ask the Minister to pay attention to this because what I quoted to him in terms of the drop of 8.7% in 2024 in Mayo alone represents 5,540 fewer jobs located in the county in just one year. Yes, some people commute to neighbouring counties but when the number of jobs physically based in a county falls so sharply, it signals declining regional investment and missed opportunity. While this data does not yet include 2025, it paints a deeply worrying picture of growing regional inequality. The statistics do not lie. Balanced regional development cannot just remain a slogan. If high-paid jobs continue to cluster in a small number of urban centres, we will deepen the housing crisis pressures in those cities, hollow out rural communities and widen the income gap between regions so we need very targeted regional enterprise strategies and stronger incentives for high-value industries to locate in the northern and western region.
Sentiment score: -0.08
3. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to provide an update on the comprehensive review assessing the cost structures for SME and family-owned businesses, which can be found in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13850/26]
Sentiment score: 0.09
The cost of doing business in this State for small and medium-sized enterprises, SMEs; family-owned businesses; and the self-employed is running out of control. In the programme for Government, it is listed that the Government will conduct a comprehensive review to assess the cost structures for SMEs and family-owned businesses to identify areas where costs can be reduced. Will the Minister provide an update on this review? Will he tell businesses the areas he has identified where costs will be cut?
Sentiment score: -0.01
Go raibh maith agat, Minister, for that update. The important thing is that it makes a difference on the ground and makes a difference to businesses because the situation facing SMEs with regard to costs is increasingly more unsustainable. We saw 848 insolvencies last year. I fear for what the number will be in 2026. At the end of 2025, 80% of businesses from across all sectors that participated in the SME business sentiment survey by Chartered Accountants Ireland and GRID Finance reported an increase in their costs, with a special mention for energy costs. It was reported yesterday that Irish business confidence has fallen to just 54%. This is the lowest level since the Covid-19 pandemic, and it is down sharply from 81% at the beginning of the year. In contrast, 74% of SMEs globally remain optimistic about the year ahead with only a slight year-on-year decline, so there is something we need to focus on here.
Sentiment score: 0.08
The question that must be asked is this: what is happening here at home? When we look globally, the Minister has named all of the initiatives he is doing but why are Irish business leaders growing even more pessimistic about the future? Confidence in projected revenue growth dropped dramatically at the end of last year, from 79% to 59% in just three months. When businesses were asked about increasing head count in 2026, the figure dropped from 59% to 46%. These figures are not abstract statistics; they signal the slowing of growth, reduced hiring and growing uncertainty across local economies. We need to look at this and we need more actions. SMEs and family-owned businesses are the backbone of our economy. They sustain communities, provide employment in rural and urban Ireland and drive innovation and local enterprise. The programme for Government recognised the need for a comprehensive review of SME cost structures. Businesses are now urgently waiting for that to make a real difference in their businesses and in keeping their doors open.
Sentiment score: 0.12
4. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment his concerns regarding the high levels of youth unemployment; the initiatives he has in place to tackle it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13849/26]
Sentiment score: -0.14
We wanted a PRSI rebate in the budget to help businesses with their costs, including additional labour costs. We need good, quality jobs. We do not need a race to the bottom but we will have that discussion on another day. I wish to ask the Minister if he is concerned about the levels of youth employment. What initiatives is he putting in place to tackle it? I am deeply concerned with the consistently high level of youth unemployment here. The latest figures for January show that it stands at 12%; it wavers between 12% and 14%.
Sentiment score: 0.11
The Minister of State rightly says that this is not unique to Ireland but I do not think that is a reason for saying that everything is okay. If you look at the EU average, yes, it is 15%. In Britain it is 15.3%. However, there are actions that need to be taken here. For unemployment in general, we have nearly three times that rate for youth unemployment. Young people who complete their education are struggling to find well-paid work. They deserve to have career prospects after completing their studies or training and having invested in obtaining a qualification. Some 44,600 people aged 15 to 24 years are currently unemployed in this country. When we say unemployed, obviously that is not people in education but it is people who are available for and willing to work. I take on board what the Minister of State is saying around the lack of experience and all that but again, I think there is something worrying happening here in youth unemployment. These people are not in any form of education or training and we need to put initiatives in place.
Sentiment score: -0.08
My view of the world is different from that of the Minister of State. When you look at our own county, you see that Youthreach is a really good programme in regard to addressing disadvantage and social exclusion. We have waiting lists to get onto those programmes in Ballina and Kiltimagh. We do not have either the physical space to be able to do the training with them or the personnel. I ask the Minister of State to look at that in particular. We cannot leave so many young people behind. There are real social and economic consequences to leaving so many people behind and with adjustments, things could be done. There needs to be a joining up of further and higher education and the workforce as well, which I do not believe is happening to the extent that it needs to be happening. In regard to investment in career guidance, it needs to start at a much earlier age - I would even say in national school, with regard to people's subject choices when they go into secondary school and taking it on from there. We do not have enough career guidance within the schools to ensure that young people can avail of the opportunities that match their interests and skills.
Sentiment score: 0.08