Foreword

When the White Paper on Enterprise 2022-2030 was launched, it set Ireland on a clear and ambitious path towards achieving a thriving, sustainable, and resilient economy, which will deliver high-quality employment across the country. This vision builds on the key principles that have served the Irish economy so well, while recognising the changes that are needed to prepare Irish enterprise for the challenges and the opportunities of the future. Since the White Paper’s launch, significant work has been undertaken on a whole-of-Government basis to advance the vision it sets out. This update report, covering the first year in the White Paper’s implementation, shows that significant delivery has occurred against the commitments set-out in the strategy to date. Almost half of the activities outlined in the first implementation plan (43%) have been delivered in the first year. This includes major milestones across all seven of our policy priorities, and represents a major achievement, of which we can be rightly proud. At the same time, my Department recognises that significant challenges remain for business in Ireland, often reflecting changes in the dynamic global economic environment in which Ireland is deeply embedded. 2023 has proven to be a testing year for firms, as they grappled with the effects of inflation and rising interest rates, continued fluctuations in the energy market, and the ongoing aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges only reaffirm Government’s commitment to supporting enterprise in Ireland, and our drive to ensuring that the proper framework conditions are in place to promote Ireland’s competitivity and prosperity over the long run. Ireland’s commitment to achieving our ambitious decarbonisation objectives has been underscored by significant business funding for green investments - such as through the Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme and Green Transition Fund – alongside support for training provision in vital green skills, and the publication of our first National Bioeconomy Action Plan. The recent finalisation and launch of our national strategy for offshore wind, Powering Prosperity, meanwhile, marks a key step towards realising Ireland’s significant renewable energy potential, securing Ireland’s place in green value chains, and enhancing our competitivity. In support of digital technologies and innovative enterprise, we are now seeing 85% of SMEs at basic digital intensity, while four European Digital Innovation Hubs are now fully operational in Ireland. New funds have additionally been launched to enhance disruptive innovation and to accelerate the commercialisation of innovative research, while, in the frontier Irish space sector, more than 100 companies have benefitted from European Space Agency contracts, well ahead of our initial targets set. The completion of all nine regional Building Better Business conferences last year, moreover, reflects Government’s commitment to ensuring that the opportunities generated by Irish enterprise are regionally-balanced and shared. This can also be seen in our maintenance of full employment, and the majority of investment and employment created by IDA

and EI clients, respectively, being concentrated outside of Dublin. The scale of these achievements to date is a credit to the collaborative approach being advanced across the whole of Government, including with our partners in other Departments and the enterprise agencies. Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta continue to work at the front lines of delivering our national policy priorities with enterprise, and in developing our ambitions for expanding domestic exports, attracting world class FDI, and supporting trade. Our Local Enterprise Offices also continue to play a vital role in supporting new and emerging enterprises across the country. We know that the competitiveness of Irelands enterprise environment is determined by a mix of factors including business costs, access to finance, skills, infrastructure, taxation and regulation. Irelands international competitiveness as a country critically depends on strengthening these enabling conditions. We know more needs to be done in this regard, and across Government we will further our efforts in addressing challenges around the cost of doing business, as well as addressing wider capacity constraints including in the areas of housing, infrastructure and energy. While progress in these areas takes time, my colleagues and I are committed to working collaboratively across Government to see change, through the implementation of Housing for All, Impact 2030, and beyond. I look forward to achieving further progress under this strategy during 2024, including the development of the next White Paper on Enterprise Implementation Plan for the period 2025-2026. Government will continue to fulfil its commitment in ensure Ireland remains attractive as a place to live, work and invest.

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Peter Burke TD. Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment