Results 341-360 of 5,844 for speaker:Alan Dillon

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Contracts (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank the Deputy. I am not fully familiar with the Veolia situation. The current approach is comprehensive, adequate and proportionate and aligns with the EU principles of openness, fairness and transparency. With all State contracts, each bidder in the procurement process must sign a statement confirming that if it is awarded any service contract, it will in the performance of that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Contracts (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: We have a really strong track record in respect of our Office of Government Procurement and contract obligations. I am not aware of the situation the Deputy has raised with the company in question. There is a cohort of mechanisms in place within the employment law framework here in Ireland in conjunction with the Labour Court and the WRC, and also within the Departments of enterprise and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Low Pay (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: Go raibh maith agat. It is an issue I have raised with the Department in preparation for today's Oral Questions. We do want this economic impact assessment to be provided, evaluated and reviewed. As I said, we have made substantial increases in the national minimum wage. The current system for youth rates is a percentage of the full minimum wage. They have also seen an increase in recent...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Low Pay (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank Deputy Murphy for raising this really important matter. As he will be aware, the Low Pay Commission recommended the abolition of the subminimum rates in March 2024. The Low Pay Commission highlighted in its report that this is a complex issue. It stated that the Government will need to give the findings and recommendations detailed consideration and deliberation, and highlighted...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Low Pay (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Certainly, it is a more nuanced issue than he is suggesting. It is really important that our Department compiles the economic impact assessment which will provide more up-to-date data. The previous Low Pay Commission and ESRI reports on the use of subminimum rates were back in 2022. We want to independently evaluate the economic impact. We also want...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Regional Airports (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank Deputy Conway-Walsh for raising this important matter. I look forward to working with her in delivering the SDZ at Ireland West Airport Knock. Balanced regional development is a key focus of this Government. My Department contributes to this objective through the work of its enterprise development agencies, Enterprise Ireland and the IDA as well as through the network of 31 LEOs...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Regional Airports (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: I think we are all in agreement that this is a critical piece of enterprise-enabling infrastructure for the west and north west. We have support from the Minister, Deputy Burke, and the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, who also have regional responsibilities. The development requires focus and commitment. I welcome the appointment of Dominick Healy in August last year. He is a very...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Regional Airports (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: This Government has been steadfast in its support for Ireland West Airport Knock through the regional airports programme. More than €20 million has been invested in key infrastructure, safety and security projects at the airport. There were record passenger numbers again. The trajectory for that airport is important. Work is being done with the board of Ireland West Airport Knock...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: As I said in my earlier contribution, Ireland has a robust suite of employment rights legislation to protect and support workers in redundancy situations. In the first instance, responsibility for the resolution of industrial disputes between employers and workers rests with the employer and the workers and their representatives. The programme for Government supports the critical role of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: I am not familiar with the detail of this specific case, but Ireland's system of industrial relations is essentially voluntary in nature. It has been a consistent policy of consecutive governments to support the development of the institutional framework within the WRC and the Labour Court. In this instance, we did receive advance notice of collective redundancies from the company which...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. As he will be aware, Ireland has a comprehensive body of employment, equality and industrial relations legislation. Ireland’s system of industrial relations is essentially voluntary in nature. It has been the consistent policy of successive governments to support the industrial relations institutional framework. Indeed, the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: Family reunification policy for non-EEA nationals falls within the remit of the Department of Justice. Consequently, I can confirm that my Department does not apply conditions to family reunification through the employment permit system. I do, however, acknowledge that the minimum salaries for which an employment permit can be issued are an important factor in family reunification. ...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: The right to request a remote working arrangement has been available to all employees under the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 since 6 March 2024. The Act includes obligations for the employee and the employer with regard to requests for remote working arrangements, including details on how the request shall be made by the employee and details on how the employer...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: European Union (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Unified Patent Court (UPC) is an International court set up by participating EU Member States to deal with the infringement and validity of Unitary Patents. The international Agreement on a Unified Patent Court was signed by many EU Member States during Ireland’s EU Presidency in 2013, with a view to establishing the Unified Patent Court. The UPC and the Unitary Patent entered...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Policies (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: My Department does not operate a scheme of the type referred to by the Deputy (i.e. road closures or diversions caused by state-funded construction that reduces footfall or prevents access to businesses). However, I would of course hope that businesses and contractors would have a constructive dialogue about issues of the kind raised by the question.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: I am aware of the Respect at Work Campaign which is seeking new protections for workers seeking to organise in their workplaces. Our Programme for Government commits to the development of an Action Plan to promote collective bargaining as required by the EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages. Article 4 of the Directive, Promotion of Collective Bargaining on Wage Setting , aims to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: Balanced regional development remains a key focus for me and this Government. My Department and its agencies contribute to this agenda in several ways, including through nine Regional Enterprise Plans (REPs). These are bottom-up plans developed and led by regional stakeholders, which focus on collaborative initiatives to strengthen the enterprise ecosystem in each region. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Policies (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: While I have not had the opportunity to engage with this group and have not received correspondence from them, I am very conscious that the Night Time Economy brings social and economic benefits to towns and villages across Ireland. It is an important driver of tourism, contributes to our economy, our culture and creative sectors.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Small and Medium Enterprises (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 44 together. The SME sector in Ireland is one of the most productive job creators in our society and they are also one of the most vital sectors to the success of the Irish economy. The Programme of Government is committed to bring forward measures to support SMEs including: develop an all-island innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem support...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Small and Medium Enterprises (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Programme for Government is clear in setting out the importance of SMEs to our highly competitive economy. Through the lens of the SME Test, we are driving home the importance of the “think small first” principle and scrutinising new legislation and regulation to ensure that SMEs are not disproportionately impacted. Officials from my Department, and the Department of the...