Results 5,581-5,600 of 11,899 for speaker:Niall Collins

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Local Enterprise Offices Data (28 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: 593. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of local enterprise office and previously county enterprise board supported jobs, by county, and in the case of Dublin, a breakdown between Dublin city, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal and south Dublin for 2014, 2015 and 2016, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15478/17]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Credit Guarantee Scheme (28 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: 594. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her views on the current drawdown levels issued under the credit guarantee scheme; the value of approvals in 2014, 2015 and 2016 by county of each drawdown and approval; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15479/17]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: State Aid (28 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: 595. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the exact procedural and legislative process at EU level between Council and Commission to make changes to the current de minimum State aid rules (details supplied). [15480/17]

Other Questions: Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (23 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: I have a quick comment on this. The Minister might be able to clarify this today but she can get back to me if not. Fianna Fáil is clear on where it stands on CETA. We support it and think the upside to the trade deal will be very beneficial to our country in the main. People and groups are voicing concern and opposition to CETA and to aspects of the agreement. We had a briefing...

Other Questions: Economic Competitiveness (23 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: 9. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps being taken to reverse the continual fall in Irish business competitiveness levels and Ireland's attractiveness as a location for businesses, particularly Ireland's competitiveness standing with the UK; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14451/17]

Other Questions: Economic Competitiveness (23 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: In her reply, will the Minister address the concerns we have expressed previously, and which I will express again, on Irish competitiveness with regard to the UK, and the competitiveness gap which exists and which seems to be widening? This is particularly concerning in the context and backdrop of Brexit.

Other Questions: Economic Competitiveness (23 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: I have mentioned this to the Minister on a number of occasions and, unfortunately, I hate to have to report that we have not seen any progress on the closing of the competitiveness gap which exists. The Minister quoted the world rankings to me, but she will know we dropped to 18th place out of 189 economies in the Ease of Doing Business report. We have now fallen behind Georgia, Latvia,...

Other Questions: IDA Site Visits (23 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: I am well aware of that. As spokesperson, my role extends to the whole of Ireland, as does the role of the Minister.

Other Questions: IDA Site Visits (23 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: 6. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the detail of regional IDA Ireland site visits and vacant properties in 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14452/17]

Other Questions: IDA Site Visits (23 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: As the Minister will be aware, I have submitted this question on every relevant occasion because we are concerned about the lack of IDA Ireland site visits to many parts of Ireland, in particular, Roscommon - Deputy Eugene Murphy is here beside me. Other such places include Kerry and, as Deputy Mattie McGrath mentioned, Tipperary. Can the Minister address in her answer the uneven spread and...

Other Questions: IDA Site Visits (23 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: One.

Other Questions: IDA Site Visits (23 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: Everybody understands how the corporate world works in terms of decision-making. Companies make the decisions that are best suited to them but it is a fact, and despite everything the Minister says there is no disputing it, that IDA Ireland is failing the regions of the country outside of the greater Dublin area in terms of site visits. In 2016, there was one site visit to Roscommon in 2016...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (23 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: All that is against a backdrop of a dedicated Department in the UK to deal with Brexit while we have a three-person unit within the Department.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (23 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: That speaks volumes. State aid rules are also relevant to this question. I am concerned that the 2017 Action Plan for Jobs, a 105 page document which the Minister published recently, made no mention whatsoever of a requirement for a review of the state aid rules. On this side of the House we consider a review of the EU state aid rules is required. The current cap on state aid at...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (23 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: None of them is as exposed as we are to Brexit. That is the important point.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (23 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: We are the most exposed European member state to Brexit.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (23 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: No. It is not a new point.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Job Creation (23 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: No one disputes the fact that there will be a review. In fact, ConnectIreland welcomes the review because it has a good story to tell and all of its outcomes have been positive. Some 80,000 members of the diaspora in more than 147 countries are connected and almost 80 new businesses have grown in Ireland, creating in excess of 2,000 jobs. It has been a positive story, but the problem is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Job Creation (23 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: It is simply not the case that the figures cited by the IDA are the programme's outcome. As the Minister knows, the Oireachtas committee held a full session on this matter on Tuesday, and it was disrespectful to the Houses of the Oireachtas that the IDA failed to appear. It did not give an adequate reason for that. There is a dispute, but there is no litigation and the matter is not sub...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Job Creation (23 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: We know that.