Results 9,481-9,500 of 15,682 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Other Questions: Research and Development Supports (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: 11. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to encourage greater levels of research and development here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6096/15]

Other Questions: Research and Development Supports (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: This is merely to discuss with the Minister the area of research and development and where we are in attaining the Horizon 2020 targets. There is some superb work under way. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation visited UCD and UCC. Where is the work with SMEs and how are SMEs being encouraged to get involved in the research and development agenda?

Other Questions: Research and Development Supports (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: I endorse the Minister of State's remarks about SFI. It is doing a superb job and its research centres are excellent. To drill down into those statistics the Minister of State quoted, foreign-owned enterprises are responsible for 70% of research and development expenditure in the country. That means Irish indigenous companies are far behind the curve when it comes to research and...

Other Questions: Research and Development Supports (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: Combilift is a fantastic company. There are a range of companies in the north east - they seem to be an innovative lot up there - but we should be looking for the next Combilift or McHale Engineering. This is the chance, with the extra resources allocated to Horizon 2020. I would urge the Minister of State to push the LEOs harder in this space because these offices have the business...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: One area where zero-hour contracts are used is retail. Will the Minister of State express his views, if he wishes to, on the position of the largest retail company in the country writing to all of its workers, distancing itself from a Labour Court recommendation? The Labour Court has been the foundation of our industrial relations policy since its establishment. While its recommendations...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: 4. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to raise the take-home pay and working conditions of low-income workers; if this will include changes to the existing protection for persons on zero hours contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6271/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: Could the Minister of State confirm the time line for the low pay commission? I know he has asked the Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to begin pre-legislative scrutiny on the minimum wage Bill. I want to focus our discussion zero-hours contracts. Will they be the subject of separate action on the part of the Minister of State and will they come under the remit of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: In respect of the UL group, will there be public consultation or will it focus primarily on research and data? Will the group have the chance to speak to workers? Zero-hours contracts are not completely bad if there are some companies that need them, but some companies are abusing them and treating workers like the navvies in England - wait on a corner and see whether a man comes along and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Credit Availability (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: 1. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the reason there are no specific actions in the Action Plan for Jobs to deal with the high corporate debt burden which the action plan identifies as a drag on growth and employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6098/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Credit Availability (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: The Action Plan for Jobs has identified high corporate debt burden as a significant risk to economic growth and, in consequence, to job creation. There are no specific actions outlined in the action plan and I want to pursue the Minister's thoughts on this area.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Credit Availability (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: The last item the Minister mentioned sounds like a worthy scheme. In cases of which I have been made aware, one of the main banks - not a pillar bank - is actively exiting the SME market and trying to sell loans off to various venture or vulture funds. The pillar banks have put facilities in place, but the bank that is exiting the SME market will not accept them. Will the Minister's...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Credit Availability (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: The credit guarantee scheme and its revision have been announced as often as I have had hot breakfasts. Will it be done this session? Will it be done before Easter? The scheme was identified as flawed in October 2013, when the Department reviewed it. The new element the Minister has introduced this morning is absolutely vital and urgent because the bank I am referring to, which is one of...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Competitiveness (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: 34. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the way in which the Action Plan for Jobs will assist in improving competitiveness in the retails sector in view of an European Central Bank study, which indicated that Irish grocery prices, excluding valued added tax, were considerably above the European Union average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6097/15]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Youth Unemployment Measures (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: 35. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his views on trends in the unemployment figures for persons under 25 years of age; the specific measures that will be taken under the Action Plan for Jobs to improve employment opportunities for young persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6095/15]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Global Economic Forum (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: 38. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his Department’s role in the Global Irish Economic Forum; his views that the forum is realising its full potential in terms of supporting employment growth in the economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6099/15]

Order of Business (11 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: No. 49, the Amendment to the Constitution Bill, is to amend Article 29 in order to recognise the international agreement on the Patent Court. We will have a raft of referendums this year, so is it possible to include it? We were promised that there would be a referendum on this last year. It is not in any way contentious, but if we do not ratify the agreement on the unified Patent Court,...

Order of Business (11 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: Turn it up.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Local Authority Funding (11 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: 56. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount of money allocated in 2013 and in 2014 to Mayo County Council for the purposes of coastal defences and addressing coastal erosion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6294/15]

Child Care: Motion [Private Members] (10 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Acting Chairman for keeping an eye on my time. I thank Deputy Troy for giving the House the opportunity to discuss the issue of child care and early childhood care in particular. I refer to the hype that came with the formation of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in 2011. The energy in the sector at that time was the result of the work of our late colleague...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Female Entrepreneurship, Women in Tech Industries, Skills Needs and Balanced Regional Development: (Resumed) ISME, Startup Ireland, Cork Innovates and IDA Ireland (10 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: I thank the witnesses. How much would the social welfare changes proposed by ISME and measures relating to entrepreneurship in general and female entrepreneurship in particular cost in a given year? What kind of budget would be needed for that?