Peter Burke
Longford-Westmeath · Fine Gael · Ireland
“I thank Deputy Ó Broin for raising this important matter. I cannot imagine the trauma many families are going through right now as a result of the conclusion of An Coimisiún Pleanála on this file. This was a dark time in our past.”
“I thank Deputy Nash for his question on this very important issue. I will say clearly and unambiguously that I share his concerns in relation to ensuring that no product produced in Ireland ends up in the Russian military complex. We are very firm in that belief.”
“I have heard suggestions in some outlets that the Irish Government was in that company's corner at key European forums. That is not true. The European Commission has brought forward 20 sanctions packages and Ireland has supported them all 100%. It is very important to put that on the record.”
“I thank Deputy Wall for his very important intervention. I heard part of the interview this morning, which was exceptional and very courageous, showing leadership in an area which affects so many people in our society. I know the Minister for Health is supportive of the Deputy's initiative and remains so.”
“We have enacted the Family Courts Bill, establishing a dedicated family court to look at very sensitive items for victims. We have introduced an offence for non-fatal strangulation, reflecting the seriousness of the abuse and the stress and harm it causes.”
“I thank Deputy Murphy for being proactive and bringing forward a solution to try to operationalise a group of the Oireachtas and showing leadership to do that for Tipperary. I will absolutely bring that to the attention of the Minister for justice, particularly considering the cross-party aspect.”
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“The Cost of Business Advisory Forum's purpose is to critically examine issues that can lead to higher costs for business in Ireland and review associated regulatory and infrastructural issues that merit a changed approach. At present, there are 25 member organisations, representing a broad section of Ireland's enterprise sector, including SMEs, that regularly contribute to the work of the forum, alongside active engagement and dialogue with a variety of State agencies, regulators and Departments. Forum members adopted a comprehensive thematic work plan in June 2025 and since then have met a considerable number of times. Areas, such as energy and security of supply, increased insurance costs, planning and infrastructural delivery and water services form part of their deliberations.”
“A second round of ICOB payments was targeted specifically in retail, hospitality and beauty sectors. The successor to ICOB, the power up grant, was aimed at these same sectors at a total cost of €159 million. My Department has taken action to address fiscal and regulatory issues, including the establishment of the Cost of Business Advisory Forum in June 2025, and the accelerated publication of the Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity in September 2025. Both of these actions deliver on the programme for Government commitments to our small business, enterprise and industries and to develop Government policy which focuses on the economic areas that fall within our domestic sphere of influence.”
“I thank the Deputy for her question. The Government recognises that the cost of doing business has been an issue for firms in recent years, in particular, on foot of external inflationary pressures. It should also be acknowledged that the Government has been proactive in tackling the issue of rising costs and is pleased to note that the costs for firms, as measured through the CSO's wholesale price index, are declining. The latter are down 5.3% in the 12 months to November 2025. In addition, the Government has provided significant financial support to the SME sector through the increased cost of business, ICOB, scheme and the power up scheme. Over recent years, in excess of €400 million has been distributed nationwide. This includes the €244 million under ICOB which was provided to more than 75,000 businesses.”
“I know it can be frustrating to lose high-value jobs like that but we will work so hard to get them replaced. We will work closely with the Deputy. I met and briefed him after our meeting and he has been centrally involved in trying to ensure that we get more services and high-valued jobs and, critically, look out for the futures of those 132 families who are really dependent on the Government getting a response here.”
“I thank Deputy Aird for raising Leprino Foods and the 132 jobs there, which are valued. I know it is working under a timeline at the moment. We are working so hard with Enterprise Ireland and the IDA, looking at a prospectus for a site, because it is a highly valued building. It is highly regulated and utility-rich. It provides a significant offering for a company. We are working really hard to get another buyer and a company into it because it provides a unique location. It has the infrastructure, the connectivity and the talent, and I know it is important to those 132 families who rely on those jobs in Leprino that we get a future for the site. I know Deputy Aird is very much engaged in it. I met the management there. I went through all the options regarding how we got to this stage.”
“It is absolutely an area that needs to be enhanced and have further growth of employment opportunities. We need to put in the infrastructure, reduce the timelines and reduce uncertainty, as we are planning to do with our advanced permit. I look forward to working with the Deputy in those areas.”
“I am happy to work with Deputy Aird in Laois to ensure that Laois continues to grow. We have our advanced planning permit, which we are now working with IDA Ireland and Laois County Council on for our advanced building solution. It is important that we can reduce lead times and give certainty in that regard. We had a great day at Midland Steel, where we have 70 jobs. It is a good example of where Laois is at the cutting edge of innovation in areas that are critical to the supply chain of our economy. There will be significantly more opportunities. About 145 people are employed by IDA companies in Laois, which I know Deputy Aird is a strong supporter of. I am happy to work with the Deputy in the future to ensure that we grow our footprint of foreign direct investment. I am clear that Laois needs to get more.”
“The next generation initiative will sit alongside the IDA's regional property programme, which, during the 2025 to 2029 lifetime of its current strategy, will deliver 23 projects across 21 locations in eight regions, primarily focusing on manufacturing buildings. The IDA will also plan to continue to invest in its existing property portfolio, including land banks, business parks and industrial parks.”
“At a local level, Irish-owned enterprises will benefit from site development opportunities as well as ongoing subsupply to and spin-outs from the large-scale FDI envisaged, as has been confirmed in many studies of past FDI gains, including through the recent mapping of semiconductor sites in our next-generation strategy. Next generation sites will demonstrate that Ireland is a suitable location for establishing new large-scale operations as well as for winning future large-scale foreign direct investment. We are clear that we will not continue investments on yesterday's terms. We need more ambition and to get that next wave of investment.”
“Each next generation site development will be undertaken in consultation with local authorities with sites of either 1,000 acres or 500 to 600 acres for tier 2 proposals, in line with the programme for Government and our semiconductor strategy commitment. The IDA will engage with relevant local authorities throughout the process. The sectors targeted by next generation sites will provide quality, skilled employment that pays high salaries, thereby contributing to our corporation tax, PAYE and PRSI receipts. Additionally, further returns on investment will come from site rental or sale.”
“Developing next generation sites is essential for Ireland to remain competitive if we wish to attract further large-scale, high-value manufacturing opportunities such as major semiconductor and biopharma investments. The next generation site approach will be plan-led, streamlining development and reducing planning risks, and provide pre-permitted, utility-intensive sites, enabling swift development and certainty for investors. Each site will be developed in stages over a number of years to facilitate incremental investment in the necessary infrastructure. Funding for land acquisition for the first two sites, planned for the west and east of the country, is coming from my Department's capital allocation under the revised national development plan. A third site is planned for the south in future years.”
“I spoke to the chief executive of Cork County Council subsequent to Deputy Burke's meeting. It is important we progress things in some areas where there have been blockages. We need to ensure we value employment and the risk takers. The businesses that are coming forward are key and the Deputy is a firm supporter of them in Cork.”
“I am happy to work with the Deputy on all those areas. He has been a firm advocate for business competitiveness, which is key. In the new infrastructure proposals the Government will be bringing forward in February, it will be key to look at our ports and such authorities to ensure we are quickly able to get the key infrastructure enhancements into those areas. On the national planning framework for businesses expanding, it is key to ensuring they can do so, because there have been impediments to that in the past. Some exciting companies are expanding in the Cork area. I saw it first hand in Mallow with the Deputy recently. We met many good business owners and the chambers of commerce. We have subsequently done our best to resolve the issues they have.”
“A lot of negotiations are going on about acquisition of land in that area and we will be happy to work with the Deputy and his office to try to ensure there is space for opportunity. Lead times are critical and if we can have large sites for bigger corporations, the lead times will be shorter. The sites should be utility rich so the companies can get working quickly. That will be important. Cork will be earmarked for one of those in the south.”
“I thank Deputy Burke for all his work in this area. I was with him recently in Cork. We had a great meeting looking at all the opportunities there and met many people from the community. I will say three quick things. First, the Department is working on a scheme for small manufacturing sites for businesses. There is huge demand, particularly for manufacturing and engineering businesses, for small units. Second, Cork will be key in looking at our next-generation site. We will have a next-generation site in the south of Ireland and Cork would be a fantastic location. It will be over 1,000 acres. That will be where the next-generation Intel, semiconductor company or life science company is. It will be important for Cork. Third, working with IDA Ireland, we are happy to work on the options.”
“To support regional opportunities, IDA Ireland also offers eight regional locations, providing local support to clients, working closely with local stakeholders, including councils, to attract new and maintain existing investment.”
“Published last year, the LEO policy statement outlines how the LEOs work to foster a strong entrepreneurial culture and promote enterprise nationally, through a mix of programmes, supports and campaigns. Foreign direct investment has a significant impact in realising balanced regional growth and IDA Ireland has continued its strong commitment to regional development as one of four key strategic objectives of its 2025 to 2029 strategy, Adapt Intelligently. Published in February this year, this ambitious strategy aims to secure 550 FDI projects outside Dublin, amounting to 55% of all planned investments. The overarching goal is to create 75,000 new jobs nationwide and generate a projected €250 billion in economic impact. IDA Ireland has also set an ambitious target for regional Ireland.”
“Enterprise Ireland’s new strategy, Delivering for Ireland, Leading Globally, published earlier this year, sets out a comprehensive roadmap to support Irish businesses to grow and thrive at home and abroad. This will help to drive economic growth and regional development right around the country. In addition, Enterprise Ireland supports businesses directly through its regional offices and in collaboration with the 31 LEOs around the country. As the first-stop shop for any Irish business seeking development support, the LEOs play a key role in supporting the growth and development of businesses across every town and community in the country.”
“I thank Deputy Burke for his very important question. Balanced regional development is a Government priority and a central component of the White Paper on Enterprise 2022-2030 is to support balanced regional enterprise development. My Department and its agencies work to support this agenda in several ways, including through the work of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, local enterprise offices, LEOs and nine regional enterprise plans. Enterprise Ireland supports over 4,000 Irish companies across every region in our country and during 2024, these businesses created more than 15,000 new jobs bringing employment at Enterprise Ireland-supported companies to 234,454, with 66% of those jobs outside Dublin.”
“So many workers going up through the system get their first job in hospitality. They learn what it is like to be in society, to work and contribute as they go through. It is very important that we stand by all of those areas.”
“What is the sector going to do for us as a country to grow as a sector, to create jobs and to grow the value proposition and ensure we can absorb the opportunities presented by tourism? We will be working very closely with the sector. As I said, we will have a new culinary strategy. We are growing the season, growing capacity and ensuring that we develop businesses in this country. This is the key issue. We have a unique opportunity now to really develop the model that businesses operate in, to make them more sustainable and ensure they are in a position to take advantage of the huge opportunity. We are in a very exciting time, particularly for tourism and hospitality. We have a lot of work to do in making businesses viable and this is a viability measure to ensure jobs can be retained.”
“I note the Deputy's concerns but I have not seen any workable framework under the European VAT directive that allows for differentiation on turnover. I have not seen it yet. I have not seen any workable proposal in relation to that. My point is very clear. There are 228,000 jobs supported in our hospitality sector. Many of them are in regional parts of our country and the vast majority of them, well over 90%, are small businesses. That is why as a Government we have taken a view that we are supporting them very robustly. We are going to have a new tourism plan next month. That is going to look at numerous issues. The Government is giving the sector a big incentive in taxation now.”
“We are also working on an additional loan scheme to provide low-cost finance right into the heart of our SMEs. We have brought forward a change to our research and development regime which benefits small businesses. We also have our SME test which is very much about thinking small first in the context of how changes to statutory instruments and primary legislation affect the smallest businesses in our economy. Those are the areas we want to continue working on as well as on a heap of digitalisation grants supporting businesses to grow more revenue. The Government is very much focused on all of our SMEs and the reflection of that is the growth in our job numbers in our economy.”
“First, I would robustly challenge the premise that big businesses in the economy are not good. They employ people. Many franchises provide huge employment in many rural parts of our economy. Let us focus on what we are doing as a Government in the sector the Deputy referenced. First, we increased the PRSI threshold for those on the living wage. We brought forward moderations to the living wage and additional sick pay. We introduced an energy efficiency grant under which businesses get a 75% rebate. We have also extended the 9% VAT rate for gas and electricity to support those businesses the Deputy referenced. We have doubled the innovation voucher to €10,000, again supporting small businesses. We have increased the microfinance liquidity loan threshold to €50,000 for small businesses which will be very important for them.”
“Budget 2026 has provided an overall package of €9.4 billion, with €8.1 billion provided for public spending and €1.3 billion for new taxation measures. The latter measures will benefit SMEs.”
“The first meeting of the forum took place on 11 June with representatives in attendance from across Ireland’s enterprise sector, including SMEs, joined by officials from a variety of State agencies, regulators, and Government Departments. The forum is a tripartite collaboration bringing together a broad selection of representative bodies spanning multiple sectors as well as multinational corporations. The purpose is to jointly consider those issues that can lead to higher costs for businesses in Ireland, any associated regulatory or infrastructural issues that merit a changed approach and those steps that could be taken to mitigate these issues. The forum is scheduled to report to Government in the first quarter of 2026.”
“The focus of the action plan is on actions that can be taken to strengthen Ireland’s competitiveness and productivity which, in turn, will lead to improvements in our economic performance. A core theme of the plan is regulating for growth and controlling costs, with 18 actions, including five priority actions, focused on addressing this issue. Key action areas include better regulation, which will decrease the regulatory burden for business, addressing Ireland’s high legal costs, and improving competition in our markets. The establishment of the cost of business advisory forum delivers on the commitment regarding supports for small business, enterprise and industries.”
“I thank Deputy Ward for this very important question. The Government recognises that the cost of doing business has been an issue for firms in recent years arising from both the wider inflationary trends and Government-mandated changes in the form of improvements to working conditions across a range of areas. It is important to note that costs for firms, as measured through the CSO's wholesale price index, are declining and are down 2.6% in the 12 months to September 2025. Most recently the Government has taken action to address business costs through the publication of the action plan on competitiveness and productivity and the convening of the cost of business advisory forum, which are both commitments in the programme for Government.”
“There is a huge amount of opportunity in those areas. We will have a very exciting culinary strategy looking at food and beverages. I am going to do that on an all-island basis, which is important, working in co-operation with our colleagues in Northern Ireland. That is a huge opportunity, particularly for markets, like in Europe, which are under pressure in terms of how they view the authentic offering from artisan food producers and distilleries right around the country. We have a lot of opportunity there. I will raise the other issue of rail with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien.”
“Last year was a bumper year for tourism and it is a big challenge to replicate that. However, we have to look at the evidence and the facts. Some 12% fewer seats came into our country because of the airport cap. That was a very significant challenge for the tourism sector. That will not be the case for the winter ahead. I think there will be approximately 9% more seats in the winter ahead, which will provide capacity for well over 1 million people to come into our country. This will provide a huge amount of additional opportunity. The plan that we will hopefully launch in early December will show how we are going to grow revenue sustainably and grow the number of visitors coming in, which is critically important. We will also outline career pathways as well as looking at extending the season from St. Brigid's Day right out to Halloween.”
“There are so many SMEs right around our country that depend on that authentic offering that is really valued all over the world. We will be doing a huge amount to develop business models on our SME side to support the opportunity that there is in the market. I believe we have very bright days ahead. We will hopefully launch our new tourism policy in early December. It will be a big opportunity to show the vision we have as a Government to enhance the product and brand as well as to grow revenues and jobs sustainably. It is also critical that we develop career pathways that are important for people working in the sector.”
“We are working closely with our partners in Northern Ireland to expand our brands, particularly Ireland's Hidden Heartlands. There is ground for expansion there. I met with Minister Archibald in London last week. We were doing an expo together. It is great to see everyone together trying to push Ireland as a destination. We have discussed a number of areas which we will be supporting through the shared island initiative but also through Tourism Ireland, the all-island body. There is a huge amount of opportunity. We currently have approximately 46,000 SMEs in the tourism sector. One in every ten jobs is supported in that sector. It is key that we grow its value proposition. I also want to reflect that tourism is now at the heart of the Department of enterprise.”
“In May, Tourism Ireland launched a new campaign called Coast to Coast: The Scenic Route, which was supported by the shared island tourism brand collaboration project. The campaign reached almost 15 million people across Britain.”
“The all-island strategic tourism group, which is co-chaired by officials in my Department and the Northern Ireland Department for the Economy, with representatives from the three tourism agencies, provides a strategic approach, aligned to policy priorities, to the development and implementation of all-island initiatives. The aim of the group is aligned with the measure in the programme for Government to support Tourism Ireland to further integrate tourism offerings on an all-island basis. Tourism is also a central pillar of the shared island initiative. The brand collaboration project to connect the Wild Atlantic Way and the Causeway Coastal Route in the north-west region has made significant progress this year with the roll-out of the small grants scheme for destinations on both sides of the Border.”
“The Government is also committed to completing construction of the Narrow Water Bridge and to supporting the local authorities on both sides of the bridge in developing the new tourism opportunities it will bring and to collaborating with partners North and South of the Border. At the North South Ministerial Council tourism sectoral in June 2024, Ministers signed a joint ministerial statement supporting sustainable tourism and agreed to the establishment of a joint strategic co-ordination group for the sustainable growth of the tourism sector across both jurisdictions.”
“I thank the Deputy for this important question. Enhancing cross-Border co-operation and connections is a key ambition of this Government and tourism is an important asset we have to realise together. Tourism Ireland is responsible for marketing the island of Ireland overseas as a leading holiday destination and works closely with colleagues in Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland. In addition to a commitment to work with Fáilte Ireland to develop a balanced regional spread of tourism throughout the country, further advancing the experience brands, the programme for Government also includes a commitment to support Tourism Ireland to further integrate tourism offerings on an all-island basis.”
“That is why it is very important - and I do not say this lightly in terms of that distributive model - we have the expertise built in in those key areas that have public trust. Many of them, in terms of the areas they manage, have a very strong track record. I am happy to work with the Deputy on the areas she referenced. This is a collective approach. There are huge opportunities but there are risks and we should be open to that risk and manage it appropriately to ensure we are building public trust as well.”
“Absolutely. We will consider them as part of our deliberative process. The enterprise committee will be key in our approach. The private sector has done a lot of good things with AI. Insight is the largest research centre in Europe. It is based in Trinity College and shows us how we can commercialise research based in tertiary education. We do have a lot to do from a public service point of view and in Departments. That is where a huge amount of Government work needs to be carried out. Public trust is important because general purpose technology comes with so many challenges as well as opportunities. We have to ensure we are managing those challenges and maintaining public trust.”
“The AI office will draw all of that together and will look at areas where we can enhance AI and areas where we can work in a safe manner. Obviously, we have our regulatory sandbox as well, which will be brought up. That will provide a key opportunity as will some of the tertiary partnerships. It is an exciting space but the Deputy is right that we do have to be careful and ensure our independence and public trust which is key in the opportunities that will be there in the future.”
“The Deputy makes valid points on this. The Government has not made a decision yet. We are going through a lot of the issues and seeking advice on them. Hopefully, in the coming months, we will be able to go to Government with a memorandum on the final structure. Enforcement and independence are key. It is important we have public trust in artificial intelligence. Some of the areas the Deputy referenced will be looked at in detail. I also note the distributive model we have taken. For example, we have the Health Products Regulatory Authority looking after drugs and products like that, and the Irish Aviation Authority looking after aviation. That model will stand to us because it really goes to the expertise that has been built up in the State and people know the areas they have been regulating in the past.”
“In the intervening period, the committee has brought the designated market surveillance authorities, MSAs, together to work on agreeing an approach to prepare for the new enforcement role. Since they were designated in July, additional MSAs have joined the committee.”
“There are provisions within it which will ensure that the transition from interim arrangements to a permanent statutory structure will be legally and operationally seamless. The general scheme will provide powers to decide on the date on which this will happen post the enactment of the legislation. The distributed model agreed by the Government means that existing sectoral regulators will supervise and enforce the AI Act, supported centrally by the new AI office of Ireland. The national AI Act implementation committee, which is chaired by the Minister of State, Deputy Niamh Smyth, which has responsibility for AI and on which officials from my Department sit, was established in February.”
“This will provide the implementation and enforcement of the AI Act at national level in domestic legislation, including: the establishment of a new national AI office as an independent statutory entity which will act as the central co-ordinating authority for the Act; the empowerment of designated competent authorities with market surveillance regulation powers in accordance with the AI Act; provisions for co-operation among and the sharing of information across the national competent authorities; and the laying down of rules for penalties and other enforcement measures for non-compliance. It is my intention to bring the general scheme to the Government over the coming weeks.”
“I thank the Deputy. The establishment of the AI office of Ireland is a strategic initiative of this Government. I am delighted to have secured start-up funding of €1.4 million as part of budget 2026 for the office's establishment. The AI office will act as a central co-ordinating body for the implementation of the AI Act in Ireland and will also provide a focal point for the promotion and adoption of transparent and safe AI in Ireland to ensure that we fully capture the strategic opportunity that AI presents. My officials, in collaboration with Departments across a range of sectors, are developing the general scheme of the regulation of artificial intelligence.”
“This is a particularly important period for families. It can be very challenging. We will be there to support them with urgent payments. I am aware of the challenges many families face because I meet them at my clinics every week. The Government will not be found wanting in the context of supporting them at this difficult time. I assure those involved that training will be provided as well and that they are living in an economy of opportunity. There are opportunities, so they should not lose hope.”
“There are huge challenges in our economy in respect of the turnover of jobs, which I, as Minister, can see. There is huge opportunity, but there is also a turnover of jobs every week. The Government is acutely aware of this and is supporting employees through it. It is clear that the Corporate Enforcement Authority is responsible for policing company law. If there are any issues, they should be reported. We have a very strong statutory context that underpins the operation of companies in this State. An Garda Síochána has responsibility in respect of other matters that have been raised and that should be reported. There have been reports in the media about this issue as well. Critically, we are here to support the workers, the contractors and franchisees. We will do everything we can to ensure that they are paid.”
“A number of companies have taken some workers on, which is very important. It is key for workers and self-employed people to know that once they do not resign, their entitlement to redundancy, accrued wages and accrued holiday pay - this is important in the context of the consultation period - will not be affected.”
“I am fully aware of the gravity of the situation, particularly for franchisees and small self-employed contractors. The delivery of parcels is a matter of contract law. Delivery timelines relating to orders and the position regarding refunds are very much set out in consumer legislation and, from the point of view of the businesses involved, contract law. I have mentioned this matter to my colleague the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, from a transport perspective. An Post has absorbed some of the capacity, but there are also other providers in the marketplace. This is a challenge, but, critically, the matter is governed by contract law. There are a number of other opportunities with existing providers for self-employed people and those who are involved in the franchise part of the business.”
“If a person is self-employed as a franchise holder or contractor, they may qualify for the self-employed jobseeker’s benefit if they satisfy PRSI contribution conditions. They can also apply for basic supplementary welfare allowance as an interim payment while their application is being processed, subject to normal eligibility criteria. An employee of a franchise holder or a self-employed contractor who is impacted by the receivership, for example, by being put on temporary lay-off, may apply for jobseeker’s pay-related benefit or jobseeker’s allowance, depending on their PRSI record and means. Neither I nor my Department have any responsibility in the treatment of packages held by the Nuvion group. Such transactions are a matter between the parties under contract law.”
“Creditors, including other businesses and self-employed contractors impacted by the receivership, should contact the receivers to submit proof of debt and file a claim regarding unpaid moneys and invoices. Revenue has confirmed that it will work with individual couriers and businesses and will be pragmatic in its approach where businesses experience cash-flow difficulties as a result of the loss of business or payments. Businesses experiencing cash-flow issues as a result of these developments may wish to also contact the national enterprise hub in our Department, which provides a wide range of supports and is a central, all-of-government service to assist businesses. The Department of Social Protection provides a number of welfare supports and is also on hand to assist.”