131. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Finance the measures he is planning to support the continuing growth of capital equity markets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38302/24]

132. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Finance the measures he is planning to expand the financing options, such as access to initial public offerings, available to enterprises to help them to scale and grow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38303/24]

136. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Finance to outline the measures he is planning to protect our equity capital market and support the large number of professionals services firms and jobs who are dependent on the presence of a vibrant domestic market. [38350/24]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 131, 132 and 136 together.

Ireland’s equity markets are diverse encompassing both public and private equity market participants and a wider ecosystem which includes a large number of professional services firms. It is clear that public equity markets in Europe, including Ireland, have been facing significant challenges over the last decade due to a variety of overlapping reasons. This includes competition from private equity and from more liquid US capital markets. The increasing importance of large stock market indices linked to the rise in passive investment strategies has also been a pull factor in listings activity gravitating towards the largest stock exchanges. As such EU solutions will need to be found to address the common challenges faced by EU exchanges.

The EU Capital Markets Union (CMU) project seeks to promote companies’ access to public equity markets through various measures, such as the establishment of EU markets infrastructure, reforms to listings rules, measures designed to increase retail investor participation in capital markets and to promote SME investment research. Ireland is a strong supporter of the CMU initiative and is actively involved in its development, including measures specifically designed to promote companies seeking to access funding through Initial Public Offerings (IPOs).

At a national level, I am aware that Euronext Dublin and the Irish Equity Market Forum have, over the course of the summer, submitted proposals to me which they suggest would help address the challenges facing equity capital markets here. These are currently being considered.