Digital Business Ireland (DBI) has welcomed the suite of measures announced by government in today’s Budget and Expenditure Report to strengthen Ireland’s AI readiness, support SMEs and promote business investment.
The measures include funding for Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) to support micro and small businesses, funding for new AI Office to promote AI literacy and adoption, €150 million from the National Training Fund for AI skills and workforce upskilling, and a major review of enterprise taxation.
DBI particularly welcomes the increased funding for Enterprise agencies, including continued support for LEOs. DBI wants to see this increased investment being translated into practical supports for businesses. In particular, DBI would like to see funding directed towards an enhanced Grow Digital Voucher to help businesses to upscale their digital commerce capabilities and to adopt and effectively use AI.
This reflects recommendations from DBI’s two-year budget campaign, including its Taking Digital Commerce in Ireland to the Next Level report, which called for stronger supports for digital adoption to improve competitiveness, productivity and innovation.
The €150 million investment in AI skills also directly aligns with the recommendation in DBI’s recent Making AI Work for Ireland report, which called for the use the National Training Fund to fund AI upskilling, As part of the report, a survey found that 68% of businesses cited a lack of skills and training as a key barrier to AI adoption.
Finally, DBI welcomes the review of enterprise taxation and calls for the review to consider measures such as Accelerated Capital Allowances for digital transformation and AI adoption to support business investment which has been a long-standing request from DBI members.
Victor Timon, Chair of Digital Business Ireland, said: “We welcome today’s measures to support SMEs, strengthen AI skills and promote business investment. We have consistently called for greater practical support to help businesses adopt digital technologies, and we would particularly like to see this investment reflected in an enhanced Grow Digital Voucher.
“The €150 million investment in AI skills is also significant, given the skills and training gap identified by our Making AI Work for Ireland report. Alongside the new AI Office and the review of enterprise taxation, these measures can help create the conditions for more businesses to invest, adopt new technologies and improve productivity.”
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