Results 20,021-20,040 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Financial Resolutions 2018 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (11 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will share time with colleagues. This budget helps build the republic of opportunity we are working towards. It is a fair budget, one that rewards work through tax reductions and breaks down barriers through targeted investment in public services, as well as charting a course over the next few years to provide certainty to families and businesses. The choices the Government has set...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Standards Authority of Ireland (11 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) is the National Type Approval Authority for motor vehicles appointed under regulations made by my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. The relevant regulation is EU Regulation 678/2011, which establishes a framework for the approval of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (11 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Since the Brexit vote outcome, my Department has had extensive engagement with businesses to understand what they need to help them adapt to the challenges posed by Brexit, not least of which the pronounced currency fluctuations that have been felt in recent months.   Given that the border counties are particularly exposed to these challenges, InterTrade Ireland, the cross-border...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Foreign Direct Investment (11 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 76 together. Earlier this year, IDA Ireland sought submissions from suitable consultants to undertake a study to identify potential strategic land banks in Ireland that would be particularly suitable to accommodate the sustainable development of large scale Data Centre projects. Following this process Jacobs Engineering, supporting by AOS Planning,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The first thing the Department has been doing is engaging extensively with business and working cross-departmentally to deal with the challenges posed by Brexit, as well as continuing to provide support for diversification, development and innovation. We have been working with the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, SBCI, to develop tailored and targeted supports to address the needs...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is a loan guarantee scheme for SMEs that need extra liquidity to cope with working capital challenges brought about by Brexit. Obviously, we want to support businesses that would be viable if they had access to that capital. It will give affordable working capital financing to Irish businesses that can demonstrate they are currently impacted by Brexit or will be in the future. It will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I and my officials in the Department are very alert to these issues, and we have to be in the context of Brexit. This is an enormous challenge for business and one of the greatest challenges Irish businesses have ever faced. We want businesses to get involved with supports that are there at present. As I have already said, we have filed a rescue and restructure scheme under the state aid...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement Legal Cases (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can confirm to the Deputy that I received a report under section 955(1)(a) of the Companies Act 2014 from the Director of Corporate Enforcement on 23 June. This report addresses the issues highlighted by Judge Aylmer in his ruling in the case of DPP v .Seán FitzPatrick. The report sets out the facts relating to the case and does not purport to be an investigation or an inquiry. It...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement Legal Cases (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: This trial and the various issues it has thrown up is a complex situation. Some of the issues have been examined in the report. It was a very complex trial, as the Deputy is aware, in terms of the issues that were dealt with and it was one of the longest in the history of the State. I would certainly like to publish the report but when I publish any report I have to be conscious - the time...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement Legal Cases (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The ODCE budget in 2017 is €4.895 million. This comprises pay of €2.834 million and non-pay of €2.057 million. The spend up to 31 August 2017 is €1.844 million. We are supporting the ODCE. The Deputy referred to staff and recruitment. The people the ODCE wishes to recruit, such as forensic accountants, have been recruited. There was an issue around making...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Motor Insurance (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: On 27 June 2017 the Government gave its approval to the drafting of the personal injuries board amendment Bill 2017 along the lines of the general scheme. The purpose of the personal injuries board amendment Bill 2017 is to amend the existing legislation, to strengthen PIAB in terms of operational issues, to ensure greater compliance with the PIAB process and to encourage more claims to be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Motor Insurance (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The PIAB was established to remove unnecessary personal injuries cases from litigation. Estimates indicate that 70% of cases are now either resolved through the PIAB or settled directly between the parties. In accordance with the Acts, all personal injuries claims must be submitted to the PIAB. In some situations, however, the parties are happy to settle a claim at an early stage and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Regional Development (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department published Enterprise 2025 in 2015. It sets out the strategic framework for coherence across Departments to focus our resources to foster a better future and to deliver sustainable enterprise growth and jobs. As a small open economy, we rely on external demand and international markets for growth. Since its publication, there has been continued global economic uncertainty,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Regional Development (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have given the Deputy the figures on the improvements in job creation, including the reduction in the unemployment rate. It is good progress. However, I accept that more needs to be done and that the unemployment rate is higher than the overall national rate. It was more than 1% higher in the second quarter of 2017 than the national average of 6.4%. The building blocks are in place,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Regional Development (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The establishment of the proposed technological university for the south east clearly will be important in supporting advanced education and the skills enterprise and industry need. A great deal of good work has been undertaken by the two institutes of technology and we are keen to move ahead with the planned amendments to the Technological Universities Bill 2015. They have given a momentum...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 20 together. I recognise the particular challenges that Brexit can pose for some of the sectors the Deputy mentioned. One of our core ways of dealing with the challenges in different areas is the action plans for jobs. The north east-north west regional action plan is a key response to try to deal with the challenges and to support employment...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy makes a strong case on the importance of cross-Border trade and companies which operate North and South. Ensuring this trade continues is an absolute priority. I agree with Deputy on the importance of having an executive in place in order that the needs of the North, including the points made by the Deputy, can be articulated at an international level. Brexit is the most...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I assure the Deputy that attracting foreign direct investment to the regions is very much a priority in the work IDA Ireland is doing, which includes having suitable properties available. IDA Ireland is progressing a property plan for next year that takes in many parts of the country. This issue is also a priority in my discussions with companies. I and all the representatives discuss...

Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises Supports (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Deputy Lawless for his remarks on Ireland's decision to become a member of the European Southern Observatory. In December 2015, the Department published Innovation 2020, Ireland's five-year strategy on research and development, science and technology, which sets out the roadmap for continuing progress towards the goal of making Ireland a global innovation leader. Funding has been...

Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises Supports (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: 11 o’clock I take the Deputy's point about companies taking the risk of putting time and money into innovation. We have an important role to play in supporting companies in that regard. Many companies tell me they get so caught up in their challenging day-to-day work that it is difficult to take any time out to innovate. Sometimes, companies do not use the available range of...