Results 3,881-3,900 of 16,746 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (22 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: This comes back to Deputy O'Reilly's point. It is kind of a given but what I will do, and I go back to the commitment I gave in response to her, is look to see whether we can tighten the language in that regard. It is normally not stated in legislation that the Public Appointments Service has the function, but that is now the normal way for filling appointments, and the governance code of...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (22 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: That would contravene the governance structure side of things. I can signal now that we will look at this ahead of Report Stage to see if it reflects other legislation in the context of appointing boards. The code of practice for the governance of public bodies is also very strong on the role of the Public Appointments Service in selecting directors. It is not for a Minister to do so....

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (22 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Chair, the members and the secretariat for their help and support.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (22 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: My Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is taking action on a number of fronts to increase the number of Irish businesses using AI, in line with our National AI Strategy, “AI – Here for Good”. I chair the newly refreshed Enterprise Digital Advisory Forum, with industry and expert representatives, which provides valuable advice and perspectives on how we can...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (22 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: Absolutely. We certainly intend to incorporate its services much more into our promotion and we will use the enterprise hub, which will come online later this year, in that regard. The expansion of the cap from €25,000 to €50,000 gives it a whole new space it was not previously able to enter.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Data (21 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: Ireland's digitalisation goals and actions to achieve them are set out in the National Digital Strategy, Harnessing Digital. Our target is to reach 90% of SMEs at basic digital intensity by 2030. The EU's Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), published as part of the Report on the State of the Digital Decade on 27 September 2023, shows that Ireland holds a leading position in the EU...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Regulation (21 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: There is a responsibility on company directors to ensure that they adhere to the requirements of company law. In this regard, section 142 of the Companies Act 2014 (the 2014 Act) limits the number of directorships that an individual can hold at a particular time to 25. There are exceptions to this general rule and section 142 provides that in reckoning whether an individual has 25...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Legislative Process (21 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: The Companies (Corporate Governance, Enforcement and Regulatory Provisions) Bill 2024 will amend and enhance the Companies Act 2014 (the 2014 Act). The General Scheme of the Bill was developed following extensive consultation and engagement with stakeholders and includes provisions amending the 2014 Act primarily in the areas of corporate governance, company law enforcement and supervision,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Small and Medium Enterprises (8 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: The 2023 Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), published as part of the Report on the State of the Digital Decade on 27 September 2023, showed that 85% of SMEs in Ireland have at least a basic level of digital intensity, which places Ireland 4th in the EU. Ireland's digitalisation goals and actions to achieve them are set out in the National Digital Strategy, Harnessing Digital. Our...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Ports Policy (8 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: Restrictive measures, also referred to as sanctions, are legally binding measures that can be taken against individuals, entities or countries. UN and EU Member States are responsible for the implementation and enforcement of UN and EU sanctions respectively, as well as for identifying breaches and imposing penalties. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is one of three National...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Data (8 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: The EU's Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), published as part of the Report on the State of the Digital Decade on 27 September 2023, shows that Ireland holds a leading position in the EU in terms of SMEs with at least a basic level of digital intensity, at 85% versus a target of 90%. The 2023 DESI also shows that 22.7% of businesses with over 10 employees are using big data (5th in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (8 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: 285. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to outline the details of funding applications from Mayo County Council for voids refurbishments in 2022, 2023 and 2024; the funding applied for and funding received; if his Department directs funding towards specific properties or if Mayo County Council has that discretion; and if he is aware there are 16 vacant local...

Report of the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Motion (2 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: I covered all the main issues in my opening remarks. I thank the Deputies. Deputy Boyd Barrett's remarks are probably outside the scope of the report in terms of the enterprise opportunities. MARA has been established for offshore planning and has responsibilities there. To Deputy Stanton's point on skills, that is something we are focused on. Working with the Minister, Deputy...

Report of the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Motion (2 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: Before he goes, I thank, the chair of the joint committee, Deputy Quinlivan, the clerk, the secretariat and all the members for this comprehensive and forward-thinking report. The report set out recommendations on diverse, but connected, topics. For instance, it recommends: planning and consideration of sites for offshore renewable energy, a more integrated approach to delivering it and...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Prison Service (2 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Deputy for raising the matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Justice. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, had the opportunity to attend the Prison Officers Association conference last week and spent time with the association talking about the important work prison officers do in our prisons. As the Deputy will be aware, prison environments can be very challenging but...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Prison Service (2 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: The Deputy will appreciate we are in very challenging circumstances at the moment and the Irish Prison Service is doing everything it can to manage the prison population in a fair and equitable manner that continues to support the rehabilitation of those in custody. To ensure we have the capacity needed to provide that safe and secure custody, we have modernised the Mountjoy complex,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Business Supports (2 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: I thank Deputy Andrews for raising this issue, which relates to the proposed Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees) Regulations 2024. First, I must state that under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, the Minister with responsibility for planning is specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in respect of any particular planning...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Business Supports (2 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: I can confirm that the power with regard to this fee falls under section 262(4) of the Act, which relates to the fees payable for street furniture, which amount to €125. I would also point out that this was done in 2021, 2022 and 2023, in non-election years. The Minister will sign the regulation at the earliest opportunity. We have just completed a range of supports for small...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (2 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as ceist Scoil Chiaráin a ardú inniu. As the Deputy said, a major building project to provide new accommodation for the students of Scoil Chiaráin is included in the Department of Education’s construction programme being delivered under the National Development Plan, NDP, as part of Project Ireland 2040. The major building project...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (2 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: I did not mention 2026 in my remarks.