Simon Harris

Ensure equal opportunities in entrepreneurship - Improve women-led entrepreneurship by expanding dedicated early-stage finance and creating a single, joined-up access point for enterprise supports.

Support and sustain the early years and school age childcare sector. Put childcare on a more sustainable footing through higher core funding, a multi-annual investment plan, and stronger quality supports for providers.

Strengthen supports for working parents - Reduce barriers to employment for parents by lowering childcare costs, improving inclusion for children with additional needs, and reforming parental leave to support greater equality and flexibility.

Build skills and export capacity for long-term growth - Strengthen trade supports, apprenticeships, lifelong learning and regional skills systems to support resilience and expansion.

Simplify tax, regulation and labour market access by reducing administrative burdens, modernising outdated tax rules and removing barriers to hiring and workforce participation.

Strengthen enterprise competitiveness and investment. In particular, cut business cost pressures, improve access to finance and modernise supports so SMEs can scale and invest.

Strengthen innovation and competitiveness by supporting SME digital adoption, strengthening R&D incentives and investing in future-focused strategic sectors.

To share our recently published paper on Artificial Intelligence, An Empowered Profession: AI and the future of Accountancy to inform the public policy discussions on the impact of AI on the accountancy profession.

Ensure understanding of business position on key labour market issues

Government to progress bilateral tax agreement with UK in order to address cross border worker issues

Greater access to practical training and skills supports for SMEs and measures to strengthen the ability of regional businesses to recruit, develop and retain the workforce required for growth.Utilize National Training Fund more effectively.

Ensure understanding of the business position on migration and labour market competitiveness::Ensure understanding of business position on Energy, Security and Resiliance.

To secure updates that make KEEP a practical, accessible and effective tool for retaining key staff

Introduction of a single International Permit system::To streamline access to specialist skills and strengthen the scaling pipeline across the region.

Government should provide clarity on the long-term pathway for Ukrainians currently living and working in Ireland