FOREWORD

TÁ NA IS TE A ND MINIS TER FO R ENTERP RIS E, TRA DE A ND EMP LO Y MENT LEO VA RA DKA R, T. D

My Department’s Annual Report for 2020 sets out the actions and initiatives undertaken by the Department in 2020 in fulfilling its mandate and its commitments under the Programme for Government. This Report highlights the extensive programme of work undertaken during the most challenging of times, facing the twin crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and preparations for Brexit. In doing so, we never lost focus on the twin transition; digital and green.

With the onset of the pandemic, the Department immediately responded to ensure businesses and service delivery were impacted to the least possible extent. We played a major role in helping businesses during the crisis, by sustaining viable enterprises and jobs and giving companies extra assistance to reopen and stay open.

We continued to provide and to enhance grants and loan guarantee schemes to help with cashflow and business planning. We provided more and affordable loan finance and funding, and helped businesses get ready for Brexit. We focussed on building resilience across enterprise as we strive to ensure the economy and society fully recovers after the pandemic, and as we prepared for Brexit.

We provided the foundation and guidance for businesses to operate and re-open in a safe manner. The Return to Work Safely Protocol provided an assurance to employers and workers in relation to the ability of businesses to stay open and reopen during the period of the pandemic. We changed our company regulation to facilitate companies in their governance responsibilities. In publishing the national Remote Working Strategy and the Right to Disconnect Policy, we will build on the positives experienced from remote working during the pandemic and manage associated risks to make it work for employees and employers.

During 2020, innovation continued to feature strongly for my Department and for the third year in a row, Ireland is top in the European Innovation Scoreboard for both the employment impacts and sales impacts of innovation. The Department’s Disruptive Technology Innovation Fund projects continued to deliver, with SMEs collaborating with multinational companies and research institutions on large-scale industrial research projects that are at the forefront of technological change.

Climate Action is a core element of the Department’s enterprise and innovation policies and in our Agencies’ programmes and activities. We actively engaged with the Government’s

Climate Action Planand provided input into the development of the economy-wide Long Term Strategy outlining Ireland’s net-zero 2050 target.

Improving terms and conditions for all workers is a major aspect of the Department’s mission. Work is well underway to introducing a statutory sick pay scheme to bring Ireland in line with other European countries, with a full public consultation taking place last year. I intend to bring forward legislation on the scheme in 2021 with a view to having the scheme in place by the end of the year. Work has also been initiated on the move to a Living Wage for Ireland.

In 2020, the Department worked closely with the European Union Commission and Member States to bring several trade agreements to a successful conclusion. Promotion of our companies abroad continued through the work of our State Agencies and their internationally located offices.

During 2020, the Department built on work previously done on the successful development of a stable, transparent and modernised company law framework in Ireland and continued to develop and shape responses to new and emerging challenges in company law, competition and consumer policy at EU and at national level, in particular on Brexit and COVID-19.

Since my appointment to this Department in June 2020, I have been significantly impressed by the calibre, commitment and dedication of the staff from across the Department, its Offices and Agencies. I would like to acknowledge the work of my predecessor Minister Heather Humphreys, T.D., and Ministers of State Pat Breen, T.D., and John Halligan, T.D., who contributed greatly to the achievements of the Department in 2020. I would also like to thank my colleagues, Ministers of State Damien English T.D., and Robert Troy T.D., for their continuing work and commitment.