Results 7,501-7,520 of 12,701 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Fáilte Ireland: Fáilte Ireland (5 May 2011)

Willie O'Dea: Question 104: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in view of the fact that Fáilte Ireland has ceased to provide training in the hospitality industry for unemployed persons at its four permanent training centres throughout the country; and his plans to resume this training in view of the potential for employment creation within the hospitality industry. [10099/11]

National Wage Agreements (5 May 2011)

Willie O'Dea: The Minister has said on a number of occasions that he will protect those at the lower end of the scale by increasing the national minimum wage. He, therefore, regards the two issues as inextricably linked. The programme for Government states independent chairpersons will be appointed to these committees. Does the Minister not regard the current chairpersons to be acting independently?...

National Wage Agreements (5 May 2011)

Willie O'Dea: What about the question on the independent chairperson?

Research and Development (5 May 2011)

Willie O'Dea: That is quite clear, a Cheann Comhairle. I did not get an opportunity earlier to compliment the Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock, on his promotion as he was not in the Chamber when I complimented his colleagues. The promotion is, again, well deserved. I tabled a question to the Taoiseach and it was transferred to the Department. Could the Minister please clarify what plans he has to go...

Foreign Direct Investment (5 May 2011)

Willie O'Dea: I am glad the Minister intends to be proactive in this regard. On the question of selling Ireland abroad, is the Minister aware of a document produced by a number of business leaders, entitled Blueprint for Recovery? This document contains a number of suggestions the Government could pursue to sell Ireland abroad. Also, the Twitter organisation is currently considering a substantial...

County Enterprise Boards (5 May 2011)

Willie O'Dea: On a point of order, I did not-----

County Enterprise Boards (5 May 2011)

Willie O'Dea: I want to correct the record of the House. I did not caution the Minister about reducing the amount of money going to county enterprise boards. I will not be misrepresented in the House.

Employment Rights (5 May 2011)

Willie O'Dea: Question 1: To ask the Minister for Enterprise; Trade and Innovation his plans to reform employment regulation orders, registered employment agreements and the joint labour committees. [10087/11]

Employment Rights (5 May 2011)

Willie O'Dea: I congratulate Deputy Bruton on his appointment, and his sidekick Deputy John Perry. Their appointments are well deserved and I did not have the opportunity before now to congratulate them. A number of questions arise from the Minister's reply. When will the changes the Government decides to make be in place? There was a great deal of urgency expressed by both Government parties in the...

Employment Rights (5 May 2011)

Willie O'Dea: The Minister has confirmed that this will not be confined to new interests. I urge him to fast-track the legislation in view of the fact that this will be hanging over people, so to speak. Also, can the Minister confirm at this stage that, inevitably, this will result in some diminution in pay for at least some of those workers?

Departmental Funding (5 May 2011)

Willie O'Dea: Question 4: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the extra funding he will make available to the Industrial Development Agency, Enterprise Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland and the county and city enterprise boards between 2011 and 2015 to enable these agencies to expand their activities. [10088/11]

Departmental Funding (5 May 2011)

Willie O'Dea: I thank the Minister for his response. He seems to be saying that these agencies will not be exempt from the general spending review, which I accept. However, that would indicate that the rate of spending on those agencies is not going to increase, indeed it is possibly going to decrease. How does the Government hope to achieve its optimistic job-creation plans if it is possibly reducing...

Departmental Funding (5 May 2011)

Willie O'Dea: I accept and understand that.

Departmental Funding (5 May 2011)

Willie O'Dea: Will the Minister accept that there has been a substantial improvement in competitiveness in recent times, as well as a substantial improvement in our export performance, as a direct result of the policies of the previous Government? Does the Minister definitely intend to transfer the functions of county and city enterprise boards to local authorities?

Departmental Funding (5 May 2011)

Willie O'Dea: It is a fair question.

Departmental Funding (5 May 2011)

Willie O'Dea: Is it the case that there has been no final decision to transfer the county enterprise boards to local authorities?

Order of Business (5 May 2011)

Willie O'Dea: Is legislation necessary to accompany the jobs initiative? If so, when can we expect it?

EU-IMF Programme: Statements (4 May 2011)

Willie O'Dea: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on this important matter. The kindest remark I can make about the document with which we have been presented is that it constitutes a gigantic anti-climax, particularly in the context of the boasting, pose-striking and breast-beating we witnessed and the grandiloquent phrases such as "Labour's way or Frankfurt's way" and "Not a red cent"...

EU-IMF Programme: Statements (4 May 2011)

Willie O'Dea: This will be a very dog-eared document in about 12 months' time. I have one final question for the Minister. The programme for Government states that it is "committed to maintain the current rates of income tax, together with bands and credits". Yet page 32 of this agreement states that the Government is committed to a lowering of personal income tax bands and credits. In his reply, I...

EU-IMF Programme: Statements (4 May 2011)

Willie O'Dea: I meant €8.65.