47. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the measures being taken to encourage employers to recruit and retain younger workers in the retail sector; and whether targeted incentives are under consideration as part of Budget 2027. [67453/26]

The Government acknowledges the contribution of the retail sector to the economy of every city, town and village in Ireland. The sector provides highly important employment with over 220,000 people directly employed in retail.

Attracting and retaining staff can be a challenge for any business large or small. People increasingly want to work for organisations that share their values and contribute positively to the local and global community.

Promoting ‘retail as a career of choice’ is an important priority for the sector, both to attract new talent and to support the development and progression of its existing workforce. This is supported by investment in training and education through organisations such as Retail Ireland Skillnet, which offers a range of programmes, including the Apprenticeship in Retail Supervision.

The Programme for Government is clear on the intention to support small businesses. The broad range of supports for the retail sector, including training programmes and funding to help retailers adapt to new challenges and opportunities in retail, can be found on the National Enterprise Hub website.

The Government’s approach to enterprise policy will be informed by the Programme for Government, the Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity, and the recent published Cost of Business Advisory Forum report, among other considerations.

My officials and I regularly engage with other Government Departments and Ministerial colleagues on matters of Budgetary policy and will continue to do so as we approach Budget 2027.