Results 101-120 of 40,856 for speaker:Simon Coveney

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Feb 2024)

Simon Coveney: First, I want to be associated with the statements which were made in expressing condolences with the family of Michael O'Regan. I have been in this House for nearly 26 years and he has been a feature of political commentary all of that time and longer. He was a great storyteller, someone with a great sense of humour, someone who loved an argument but who also listened to other people's...

Recent Developments in Northern Ireland: Statements (14 Feb 2024)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy is more disciplined than we are anyway.

Recent Developments in Northern Ireland: Statements (14 Feb 2024)

Simon Coveney: I am very pleased to have an opportunity to speak on recent developments in Northern Ireland and the opportunities that now arise for more collaboration, cross-Border trade and political co-operation on many levels. The restoration of the assembly and the executive is an extremely welcome development for Northern Ireland but also for the island as a whole and for British-Irish relations. We...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 Feb 2024)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I am very aware of the pressures that some small and medium-sized businesses are under, in particular in food hospitality and in certain types of retail. That is why we insisted at budget time that we would set aside more than €250 million to support 143,000 businesses across the country. That is 95% of all rate-paying businesses. They...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Data (14 Feb 2024)

Simon Coveney: IDA Ireland has over 1,800 client companies within its portfolio employing 300,583 as at the end of 2023, with employment levels above 300,000 for the second consecutive year. 248 investments were won in 2023, 83 of which were new name investments. Balanced regional development remains a priority for IDA Ireland. There were 132 investments secured across regional locations during 2023,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (14 Feb 2024)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 123 to 125, inclusive, together. I recognise the issues faced by all sectors of the economy due to rising costs, including SMEs operating in the hospitality sector. A variety of supports have been made available to businesses in recent years, including through the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS), the Business Users Support Scheme for...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Referendum Campaigns (14 Feb 2024)

Simon Coveney: The judgment in McKennastated that the Government has a duty to give information to the electorate as well as to clarify issues which may arise in the course of a campaign and must do so without advocating a particular position. Information must be fair, equal, impartial and neutral. It is the role of the Electoral Commission, as Ireland’s independent electoral commission, to prepare...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Export Controls (14 Feb 2024)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 120 together. My Department is the National Competent Authority with responsibility for Export Controls, including Controls on defence-related exports and exports of Dual-Use goods. Controls on the export of Dual-use items are administered by my Department, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/821 of the European Parliament and of the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Export Controls (14 Feb 2024)

Simon Coveney: My Department is the National Competent Authority with responsibility for Export Controls, including Controls on defence-related exports and exports of Dual-Use goods. Controls on the export of Dual-use items are administered by my Department, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/821 of the European Parliament and of the Council setting up a Union regime for the control of exports,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Export Controls (14 Feb 2024)

Simon Coveney: My Department is the National Competent Authority with responsibility for Export Controls, including Controls on defence-related exports and exports of Dual-Use goods. Controls on the export of Dual-use items are administered by my Department, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/821 of the European Parliament and of the Council setting up a Union regime for the control of exports,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Job Losses (13 Feb 2024)

Simon Coveney: Activision Blizzard Inc., a subsidiary of Microsoft Corp, develops and publishes interactive software products, entertainment content, and services for mobile devices, video game consoles, and personal computers. The company also develops film and television content and operates "esports" leagues and events. In 2007, Blizzard established its European games support centre in Cork. In...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Schemes (13 Feb 2024)

Simon Coveney: The Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) grant was announced as part of the Budget 2024 package and will be particularly targeted at Small and Medium sized businesses who operate from a rateable premises. The grant is intended to aid firms who have been most affected by increases in business costs but is not intended to directly compensate for all increases in wages, or other costs, for every...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (13 Feb 2024)

Simon Coveney: Launched in December 2022, the White Paper on Enterprise sets out Government’s approach to enterprise strategy for the medium to long-term, which will work to enable Irish-based enterprise to succeed through competitive advantage founded on sustainability, innovation and productivity, delivering rewarding jobs and livelihoods. In order to achieve this vision, Government has set out...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Waste Management (13 Feb 2024)

Simon Coveney: Waste collection and the structure of the waste collection market is under the remit of the Department of Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. However, under consumer protection law, before a consumer signs up to a contract with a waste operator they must be provided with certain information. This includes the total price of the service or the method of calculating the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (13 Feb 2024)

Simon Coveney: For 2024, I secured an increase of €5m in Exchequer Funding on the 2023 level of €60m in capital spending for the IDA in respect of the agency’s property programme. In this regard, the IDA Regional Property Programme is designed to ensure the supply of land, buildings and infrastructure in regional locations as required by current and prospective clients of the IDA...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Corporate Governance (8 Feb 2024)

Simon Coveney: We have started laying the foundations for completing a public consultation and we held the first stakeholder forum meeting in December last year. These important steps are helping to create a viable pathway forward to create a second plan, which I accept is necessary. The last plan is now out of date. While there is still a lot of good stuff in it we do need to update that plan. We need...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Relief Schemes (8 Feb 2024)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy and I have met businesses that have been particularly badly impacted in Midleton together. If there are other individual schemes we can learn lessons from or if people feel they have been unfairly treated, I would like to hear about them because I would like to talk to the Red Cross about that. The Red Cross has done a great job on the whole. We are very reliant on it. Some...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Corporate Governance (8 Feb 2024)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I am aware of the recently published report and its findings. Indeed, I had hoped to provide an opening address at the launch of the report but, unfortunately, I was not able to be there on the day. At the launch of the 2020 benchmarking report, I said that the report was a valuable baseline for many Irish companies and that still holds true...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (8 Feb 2024)

Simon Coveney: I would like to dispel any concerns that we are not looking at this with a sense of urgency. We are. I fought hard around budget time, as did the Ministers of State, Deputies Calleary and Richmond, to make sure we could get as much money as possible for the ICOB scheme. I do not think any Opposition parties called for a fund to help compensate businesses for increased pressures in costs....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Relief Schemes (8 Feb 2024)

Simon Coveney: I have two different answers. My explanatory note is better than my speaking notes. I will give the Deputy some of the data because I know that is what he wants. When the initial allocation was approved in October last year, it was impossible to estimate the full extent of the damage caused and the number of businesses impacted by the exceptional weather events in the period around 17...