Sharon Keogan: Calls NED a Farce Excluding SMEs from Dialogue
Sharon Keogan criticised the National Economic Dialogue (NED), calling it a total farce and an affront to democracy that excludes the private sector. She argued the forum lacks meaningful SME representation and favours big business, NGOs and publicly funded bodies.
Main criticism of the NED
She spoke as a member of the industrial and commercial panel and said the country is trapped in a state of policy inertia. Using the image of a car rolling down a hill with the brakes off and no driver, she said the NED captures that inertia and fails to represent the broad public it purports to consult.
Evidence on participation
She cited the 2024 participation list, noting only nine of 101 organisations represented the private sector. While 2025 showed increased private sector presence, those organisations still represented a fraction of SMEs and the forum remained dominated by large businesses and multinationals.
SMEs and their economic role
She emphasised that SMEs make up 90 per cent of businesses, employ up to two-thirds of citizens and likely contribute as much as 30 per cent of tax revenues. She said the vast majority of these businesses are left out without a say, an invite or even notification.
Who dominates the dialogue
She criticised the composition of the forum, saying NGOs, university academics, government bodies and public sector organisations - all paid by taxpayers - make up the lion's share of voices. She argued their advice tends to recommend "more of the same or worse," reinforcing existing policy inertia.
Call to action and parliamentary next steps
She called for action to "smash this policy makers cartel" and end what she described as the government's practice of consulting with the cronies it pays. She said she looks forward to a private member's motion bill being brought forward that evening.
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I wish to speak as a member of the industrial and commercial panel about a total farce and affront to democracy and to our business community that took place earlier this week. I am speaking about the National Economic Dialogue or the NED. Members of the House, I do not need to remind anyone that our country is currently trapped in a state of total policy inertia. But this is not the inertia of a broken down car stuck on the road. This is the inertia of a car rolling down a hill with the brakes off and no driver at the wheel. And if there is anybody that captures this, it is the NED. This forum, which is purported to be a consultation with our public, has virtually no representation of our private sector. Looking at the 2024 participation list, only nine out of the 101 organisations represented the private sector. While 2025 has more private sector representation, the organisations still only represent a fraction of our SMEs. Those present still overwhelmingly represented big businesses and multinationals. The vast majority of SMEs, which constitutes 90 per cent of our businesses, employs up to two-thirds of our citizens and likely contribute as much as 30 per cent of our tax revenues, are left out in the cold without so much as a say, an invite or even a notification. But who makes up the real lion's share of voices at this forum? NGOs, paid by the taxpayers' money. University academics, subsidised by the taxpayers' money. And then government bodies and public sector bodies, paid for, you guessed it, by the taxpayers' money. We must put a total stop to our government's practice of having the brass neck to claim that they are engaging with the so-called public, when in reality they are consulting with the cronies who they pay and whose advice is always inevitably to do more of the same or worse. Members of the House, it is time to use for us to smash this policy makers cartel if Ireland is to progress. I look forward to our private member's motion bill this evening.
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