The organisation is also seeking for the reform and expansion of the Grow Digital Voucher, which has had only 13 applications and 6 approvals since its launch 

Digital Business Ireland (DBI), the national representative body for the e-commerce, digital and tech sectors in Ireland, has today published its pre-Budget submission for 2026.  

The submission sets out four proposals aimed at accelerating the digital transition and the adoption of AI in Ireland: 

• The introduction of an Accelerated Capital Allowance (ACA) for Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. 

• Reform the Grown Digital Voucher schemes by introducing a tiered system of grant support for digital transition and adoption of AI by Irish SMEs. 

• Increase investment in skills and training courses. 

• Allocate funding for enhanced advisory and support services for businesses to ensure compliance with digital regulation. 

DBI’s proposed new Accelerated Capital Allowance (ACA) for AI technologies would cover 100% of costs in the first year of deployment of AI technologies, and the scheme could mirror the existing ACA for green technology. The organisation contends this would incentivise Irish businesses to adopt new AI technologies to drive greater efficiencies, while facilitating the exploration of new international markets for their products, goods and services, in line with the current government focus on market diversification. 

To support AI development further, DBI is also calling for a minimum of 500 places to be designated specifically for AI training courses such as Springboard+, which only had 55 places on offer for AI courses last year. 

Digital Business Ireland also asserts the current digital grant scheme for SMEs is insufficient, with the GrowDigital Voucher only offering grant support up to €5,000. In a recent Parliamentary Question, the Department of Enterprise confirmed that the voucher had only 13 applications and 6 approvals since its launch in September 2024, which meant that €28,296.50 was given out from a budget of over €5 million allocated at the inception of the scheme.  

This poor performance comes as the recently published ESRI SME Investment Report 2024 found that the share of SMEs investing in digital activities fell from 41% to 36%. While Central Statistics Office figures (February 2025) have shown that more than 15% of all enterprises used AI in 2024, compared with 8% in 2023. In addition, both the Draghi and Letta reports at EU level have stressed the importance of Europe not missing out on the next wave of digital technology and has cautioned against falling further behind the United States and China. 

However, DBI’s submission warns that the EU regulatory environment in the digital space can be a ‘minefield for businesses’ and urges Government to invest in advisory supports to help businesses achieve compliance, noting the commitment in the Programme for Government to invest in the Data Protection Commission.  

DBI national spokesperson DP Fitzgerald stated: “Digital Business Ireland believes the Government can do much more to help Irish businesses accelerate their digital transition and adoption of AI. However, existing supports simply do not go far enough.’  

“Our pre-budget submission proposes tangible and constructive measures to support Government’s ambition to realise the full benefits of digitalisation, including AI. This in turn will increase the productivity of Irish businesses, and ensure their strategic focus is where it needs to be. Our proposals are aimed at turbo-charging digital transition and adoption of AI among SMEs – businesses that are the backbone of the Irish economy.”