976. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the efficiency and reform proposals that his Department has submitted to the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation in response to their request for such proposals with a deadline of the 17 July 2026; the impact that these spending cuts will have on public services within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55534/26]

My Department received correspondence on 23 April 2026 from the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (DPENDR) regarding the application of an Expenditure Levy. An amount of €8 million has been applied to the Department's 2027 Vote in respect of the Government's Expenditure Levy and the identification of efficiencies and reforms.

My Department continuously pursues opportunities to improve efficiency and deliver reforms across its operations, including through business process improvements and the use of digital technologies. While opportunities for further efficiencies are being examined, the Department considers that savings of this scale cannot be achieved through efficiency measures alone.

My Department has submitted proposals to DPENDR on how the levy may be accommodated. These proposals are under discussion with DPENDR at present and comprise a combination of reform and efficiency measures together with targeted expenditure reductions. The full impact of the levy on the Department and its agencies will not be known until the Estimates process is concluded and final budgetary allocations for 2027 have been determined. However, given the scale of the levy, it is expected that its implementation will have implications for expenditure across the Vote. The final package of measures will be agreed through the Estimates process.