Guiding Principles

In a dynamic environment, globally and domestically, we will be guided by five over-arching principles to steer delivery of our Strategy.

Strengthen Ireland’s economic position

In line with the ambitions of the White Paper on Enterprise 2022- 2030, we will prioritise actions that enable strong, resilient growth and maintain full employment. We will build on enterprise strengths and opportunities through clustering, Smart Specialisation and Regional Enterprise Plans, strengthening our exporting sectors by building the pipeline of new exporters and enabling our locally trading sectors to thrive. We will strive to ensure an attractive quality of life in all parts of Ireland with high productivity and wellpaid jobs.

Future-proof enterprise for sustainable growth

Sustainable growth can only be realised though delivery of responsive policies, guidance and supportive programmes to help businesses to meet the challenges of the climate crisis mitigation and adaption, accelerating digital transformation, and developing the resilience and agility required to respond to the shocks and uncertainty which are increasingly becoming a feature of the global economy.

Advance responsible trade and enterprise

Our success in strengthening enterprise driven research, development and innovation will directly impact on Ireland’s ability to create and maintain a thriving and prosperous economy, to sustain full employment, to develop the products and services that can deliver a low carbon economy and society, and to maximise the opportunities of digital transformation for all.

Values based trade is a key tenet of our national Trade and Investment Strategy 2022-26 ‘Value for Ireland, Values for the World’. We will retain our strong commitment to open and inclusive trade with the WTO at the core of a rules based multilateral system, while promoting our values in relation to human rights, environment and climate, social and labour rights, sustainable development and gender equality.

Protect consumers and safeguard workers

In a time of economic uncertainty and rising costs it becomes increasingly important to give consumers more choice, information and protection and to ensure that markets work fairly and effectively. We will maintain an agile, efficient regulatory regime that promotes fair competition for both businesses and consumers; and we will safeguard strong, transparent consumer rights to ensure value for money, quality customer care and protection from unsafe products.

At home, we will continue to build a regulatory environment to reinforce positive and responsible business behaviours. We will work to deliver strong accountability and transparency frameworks, including through corporate sustainability reporting.

Deepen and extend our international relationships

Ireland’s openness to trade, investment, people and ideas has long been integral to our national prosperity. Sustaining our valuable international connectivity is an increasing priority in a time of global relationship challenges.

At the outset of this strategy, we have more people employed in the country than at any other point in the history of the state. Our aim is to continue to create the conditions for good quality, high productivity jobs and to make sure work pays. We will build on our progress to date to improve terms and conditions for workers, and to strengthen collective bargaining. We will lead by example, supporting our staff to develop their potential in a changing workplace. We will maintain a company law framework that facilitates enterprise and safeguards stakeholders such as employees, creditors and the State.

Foreign direct investment and trade will remain central to our growth model and economic strategy. Our response to changing globalisation patterns and a fracturing trading landscape will be flexible and agile, while providing continuity and stability as an investment destination of choice. We will encourage Irish businesses to take full advantage of the EU Single Market and to strike out for global markets by fully utilising the extensive network of EU Free Trade Agreements.

We will strive to build the alliances necessary to advance our interests and defend our positions in the EU, in particular by leveraging our Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2026. We will continue to develop our deep and positive relationship with the UK.

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