15th October 2025
Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, updated the government on the significant progress his department has made in reducing red tape and simplifying processes for small businesses. In a strong call to action, Minister Burke urged all government departments and agencies to follow suit and eliminate unnecessary administrative burdens that hinder enterprise growth.
Minister Burke said,
“Cutting red tape can’t just be a slogan — it’s a necessity for the survival and growth of small businesses. These enterprises are the backbone of our economy, and time spent navigating bureaucracy is time lost to running their businesses, to innovation and to job creation. That’s why we are taking meaningful, measurable steps to simplify processes, reduce duplication, and ensure that targeted grants can have impact. And that’s why we are demanding other departments that engage with small businesses do the same.”
Minister of State with special responsibility for Employment, Small Business and Retail, Alan Dillon said,
“In taking these steps we have placed Irish SMEs front and centre in the policy making process. We have expanded the use of the SME test, ensuring that SMEs are considered in all major government decisions. By simplifying grant application processes, we have enabled SMEs to access the full range of supports on offer from Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Office network. Finally, through the Retail, Enterprise and Cost of Business Advisory forums, we have provided SMEs an opportunity to directly voice their concerns to policymakers and government”.
Minister of State with special responsibility for Trade Promotion, AI and Digital Transformation, Niamh Smyth said,
“Reducing administrative and regulatory burden is essential if our SMEs are to effectively compete in the European Single Market. This will greatly aid Ireland’s competitiveness position by enabling a broader number of firms to export goods and services. In digitising the Company Registrations Office and automating the complaint handling process of the Workplace Relations Commission, we have also taken meaningful steps to optimise the regulatory ecosystem in which Irish firms operate”.
Minister Burke continued,
“The Government’s Action Plan for Competitiveness and Productivity rightly places a strong focus on Better Regulation. My department will continue to simplify regulations, schemes, and supports, and promote consistency and, above all, proportionality. Every step we deliver toward reducing duplication and streamlining processes is a step toward a more competitive, innovative Ireland.”
Key progress highlights delivered by Minister Burke include;
- Grant Simplification: The newly established Small Business Unit has reviewed all Local Enterprise Office (LEO) grant schemes, resulting in a reduction of application questions, down 47% for Business Expansion Grants, 30% for the Green for Business Grant and 28% for the Feasibility Grant with further reductions targeted.
- “Once Only” Principle: Work is underway to merge application processes across different grants, ensuring businesses only need to provide their data once.
- Faster Approvals: Enterprise Ireland has been tasked with achieving a 24-hour turnaround time for grant application approvals.
- EU Regulatory Relief: Minister Burke was among the first in Europe to sign regulations exempting 80% of small businesses from the scope of the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), with a two-year delay granted to others pending further EU negotiations.
- SME Test Expansion: In 2024, 26 SME Tests were applied across 8 Government Departments, 10 of which were conducted by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. These tests assess the impact of new legislation on small businesses and propose mitigation measures. This figure is expected to increase with all departments mandated to apply SME Tests for new policies.
- Listening to Businesses: The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment is actively engaging with stakeholders through the Enterprise and Retail Forums and the Cost of Business Advisory Forum to identify high-impact burdens and opportunities for reform
Broader reform initiatives include;
- Digital Transformation: 95% of filings with the Companies Registration Office are now online and the Workplace Relations Commission has implemented Robotic Process Automation to streamline complaint handling.
- Business Support Access: The National Enterprise Hub has handled over 7,500 enquiries, simplifying access to over 250 supports from 29 departments and agencies.
- Regulatory Modernisation: Updates to the Companies Act, the introduction of SCARP (Small Companies Administrative Rescue Process), and reforms to co-operative legislation are making compliance more flexible and accessible.
- EU Engagement: The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment continues to shape EU policy through active participation in working groups, supporting simplification efforts such as the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy and the forthcoming Digital Simplification Package.
ENDS
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