Policy
Business, Enterprise and Innovation
Published at: 10 January 2020
The focus of the government’s enterprise policies is to make Ireland the best place to succeed in business, delivering sustainable full employment and higher standards of living across all regions of the country.
The government develops, promotes and co-ordinates innovation, research and development policy.
This involves:
- influencing the European and International research agenda to allow research and enterprise in Ireland avail of opportunities arising through research programmes
- funding Enterprise Ireland, SFI and the Programme for Research in Third Level Institution
- developing intellectual property policy, preparing legislation and providing an intellectual property regime which reflects the international law environment and best practice
[Read more about innovation, research and development. ]
The government drives the development and delivery of the enterprise development programmes of IDA Ireland, which is charged with attracting foreign direct investment and promoting Ireland as the best small country in the world to do business.
The government also promotes the development of Ireland’s exports to world markets and works with Enterprise Ireland to help Irish companies achieve global success.
[Read more about trade and investment.]
The government provides a range of tailored supports for enterprise of all sizes in Ireland, including support for businesses to prepare for Brexit.
Supports include:
- access to finance
- management development
- mentoring supports
- business development programmes
- market supports
- trade promotion
The government holds structured dialogue with key stakeholders and ensures the needs of SMEs are taken into account in the execution of national policy.
[Read more about supports for SMEs. ]
The government engages with key stakeholders to address issues that arise on a sectoral basis across all areas of enterprise activity.
These business and sectoral initiatives are across a wide range of areas covering internationally traded goods and services as well as the domestically traded sector.
The key focus is to develop and implement policy to enhance the enterprise environment leading to the start-up and growth of competitive firms in Ireland and sustainable development for enterprises of all sizes.
[Read more about business and sectoral initiatives.]
The government is responsible for ensuring that:
- workplaces are safe
- employment rights are respected
- harmonious industrial relations are promoted
- any disputes or breaches are handled efficiently and effectively
- skills needs are identified and met through alignment of education and training provision and, as required, through targeted and efficient economic migration
[Read more about workplace and skills.]
The government has a leadership and co-ordination role in respect of the EU Competitiveness Council and on the Single Market and generally in driving the EU Agenda. of the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation. This involves proactively engaging at EU institutional level and with our EU partners.
Ministers are supported in their pursuit of achieving domestic and EU Policy outcomes that are supportive, in particular, of the enterprise, competitiveness, single market and innovation agendas.
In relation to Brexit, the government ensures a co-ordinated and coherent approach to Brexit across all enterprise policy areas.
[Read more about the EU and internal market.]
Company law provides the legislative framework for the structure and operation of companies registered in Ireland, whether domestic or foreign.
It seeks to ensure a balance between:
- simplifying the day-to-day running of a business
- maintaining necessary protections for those dealing with companies, such as creditors and investors
- putting in place an effective corporate governance regime to ensure compliance
This law is contained in the Companies Act 2014 and related statutory instruments.
Some company law derives from EU legislation. A similar regime applies to industrial and provident and friendly societies.
[Read more about company and corporate law]
To help make markets work effectively for consumers and for the economy as a whole, the government's work falls under two main headings:
- national policy and EU policy on current competition and consumer matters
- supporting as well as liaising with and monitoring the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission
[Read more about consumer and competition. ]
