Results 21-40 of 12,854 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Child Protection (2 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: I do not have that information to hand. Rather than giving the Senator misinformation or wrong information, I will ask the Minister to revert to her directly with a response to those questions.

Seanad: Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Senator for his amendment. I genuinely appreciate its rationale. However, as the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, said to the Senator's colleague, Deputy O'Reilly, during the Bill's passage through the Dáil, we do not accept this amendment. It appears to require the employer or responsible person to initiate consultations with a European Works Council, where...

Seanad: Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: I cannot accept this amendment. With regard to the proposed new section 621A, section 608 of the Companies Act 2014 already provides that where it can be established that the effect of a transfer of assets has been to defraud creditors of the company or its members, a court can order the return of those assets that have been improperly transferred. This would apply in some of the...

Seanad: Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: I thank Senators Sherlock and Gavan. I acknowledge the very important role of trade unions. The Government has really put trade unions at the heart of government and has been very involved in social partnership. We have initiated a series of changes to strengthen worker protections and rights since we entered office. These are being rolled out. The plan of action on collective...

Seanad: Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Senators for their engagement this morning, which was quick for quality. In particular, I would like to thank all the officials in our own Department. They have worked very hard on this Bill, along with members Company Law Review Group and our social partners in ICTU, who fed into this. We already have robust legislative protections and safeguards in place for workers under...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Artificial Intelligence (30 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: To support the implementation of the National AI Strategy, an AI Advisory Council has been established. The Council’s role is to provide independent expert advice to Government on artificial intelligence policy, with a specific focus on building public trust and promoting the development of trustworthy, person-centred AI. Its first role is providing expert guidance, insights, and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: EU Directives (24 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45, 46, 47 and 48 together. Ireland has consistently been supportive of the objectives of the proposed Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (CSDD). I have been seeking to ensure that the proposal has ambition while striking the right balance of providing effective protections for stakeholders and ensuring that the measures to be implemented by...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: EU Directives (24 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49, 50, 51 and 52 together. Ireland has consistently been supportive of the objectives of the proposed Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (CSDD). I have been seeking to ensure that the proposal has ambition while striking the right balance of providing effective protections for stakeholders and ensuring that the measures to be implemented by...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Corporate Governance (23 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: The functions of the Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA) include investigating suspected breaches of the Companies Act 2014 (the Act) and, where necessary, to enforcing the Act arising from non-compliance with it. Owner Management Companies (OMCs) incorporated under the Companies Act 2014, come within the remit of the CEA. The CEA investigates all complaints received regarding alleged...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Personal Injuries Assessment Board (23 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: The Injuries Resolution Board (formerly PIAB) is an independent statutory body. Section 53(3) of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003 sets down that the Board shall ‘be independent in the performance of its functions’. As such it is not appropriate for me to interfere in individual claims or in the day-to-day operations and functions of the agency. The Board are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Enterprise Support Services (18 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: We see that. The Department commissioned that report so we could get a full understanding of the impact and that is why we are bringing forward a number of measures. The Ministers, Deputies Burke and Humphreys, are finalising an option paper on employer's PRSI. As I said, we are in the process of paying out €250 million of supports to the smallest of businesses. We are looking at a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Enterprise Support Services (18 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Deputies. An enterprise hub will be launched in the coming weeks. It will be a one-stop shop so people can identify which specific support is relevant to them without having to go through a myriad of different forms. I keep coming back to this, but we have made the increased cost of business grant as easy to access as possible. I have given Deputy Moynihan the figures for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Business Supports (18 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: The Minister has asked me to thank his colleague, Deputy Troy, for the good wishes. We will bring forward further supports in addition to the €250 million. We are looking at the PRSI issue for action in the coming weeks. Other issues are budgetary matters and will be considered in the context of budget discussions. I refer to our track record as a Government and the incredible...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Export Controls (18 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: Gabhaim buíochas don Teachta as an ceist. Our 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, which...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Export Controls (18 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: I absolutely share the Deputy's views on this space and can assure him that applications for dual-use licences in respect of exports to Israel are assessed pretty rigorously on a case-by-case basis in line with the assessment criteria I outlined. There are eight criteria, but the two specific criteria to which I referred are important in this context. We also seek real-time geopolitical...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Export Controls (18 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: If there is any issue in terms of a licence not being followed through and the conditions of a licence being breached, we will bring those to the attention of the authorities within the export licensing section of the Department. If there is any question of the conditions of a licence being breached, that will be investigated.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Enterprise Support Services (18 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. The Government recognises those challenges referred to that are being faced by SMEs. That is why we have, since our inception as a government, put a range of supports in place to deal with Covid-19, supply change disruption, rising energy costs and Brexit. The Government's White Paper on Enterprise, which we published in 2022, outlines how we...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Priorities (18 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: I am aware of that report. We also need to acknowledge that there has been progress. We have not seen the level of progress we want. One of the benefits of the stakeholder forum is that we can engage all those parties around a table to directly reflect on that level of progress. There are many businesses that are utilising the United Nations guiding principles and OECD guidelines on...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Priorities (18 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: I have given the Deputy reasons. It is because we are engaging with stakeholders to try to get proper terms of reference that can be delivered on and measured. It is important that we have that engagement. On the specific instances the Deputy referred to, that is why it is so important that we have the Department of Foreign Affairs, which has a global outlook and reach, working with us....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Priorities (18 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: Déanaim comhghairdeas le mo chomhghleacaí nua freisin. Cuirim fáilte roimhe chuig an Roinn. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an gceist agus as suim a léiriú san issue seo. We recognise the importance of businesses having due regard to issues of human rights. There is a strong expectation in Irish society that our values are reflected in the way we do...