Results 20,041-20,060 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy might write to me about those two initiatives. I would be happy to raise them with Enterprise Ireland and consider them within my Department to determine whether we can progress them. I would encourage small businesses to use another somewhat underused scheme, namely, the innovation voucher. The budget has allocated €4 million for it. It promotes a transfer of...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy wants it to be answered.

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

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes.

Other Questions: Departmental Functions (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: In moving the employment rights and minimum wage agenda to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, we are effectively aligning employee-based rights with the welfare to work agenda and focusing on ensuring that our policies encourage people into the workforce with fair terms and conditions. That Department has responsibility for Intreo, the national contact point for...

Other Questions: Departmental Functions (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The areas that transferred from my Department to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection included the Low Pay Commission and the national minimum wage as well as lead responsibilities for EU policies around employment, social policy and engagement with the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. If one thinks about employment policy, it...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I said in reply to one of the Deputy's colleagues earlier, I am very conscious of the threat of Brexit, particularly in the Border region and Northern counties. We have free trade at present both sides of the Border. As Deputy Smith said earlier, we really want to see that situation continue unchanged. The North East-North West action plan for jobs is the key policy response for...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have constant engagement with Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland on job creation across the country. Both agencies are very conscious of the need to attract regional investment and, importantly, to support jobs that are already here. If one looks at the figures, 70% of all new FDI comes from existing IDA Ireland client companies. Site visit activity does not necessarily reflect...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: More can be done and it should and will be done but there is no complacency, especially in the face of the Brexit challenge. It is important to recognise the improvements that have been made. I am simply pointing that out. There have been recent investment announcements which the Deputy seems to be disregarding such as the opening of the new SITA premises in Letterkenny, Optibelt Urethane...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: Many enterprise supports are already available. Grants and supports are available to a wide variety of businesses at different stages ranging from establishment to growth and beyond. The co-operative model is one of a number of legal options that are available to those considering establishing themselves in business, and the different models have their own distinct characteristics. It...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I know the Deputy has spoken about this previously. His point is that he would like to see more networking and development between the existing co-operatives. I agree with him that co-ordination of the work done by co-operatives would be worthwhile to examine common issues and the kinds of supports that might be needed. My Department will have no difficulty in responding to any particular...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I did not get the last part of the Deputy's question.

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

Frances Fitzgerald: There are a range of initiatives to support job creation. If the co-operative firms, as with any other firms, are in need of particular support, particularly in the Brexit context, those supports are available to co-operatives in the same way that they are available to enterprises. It a question of ensuring that they realise that supports are available to them, as they are to other...

Other Questions: Job Creation (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is important to examine precisely what has been happening in recent times. It suggests that the initiatives that are under way are having an impact. There has been a substantial increase in job creation in the region since the commencement of the national Action Plan for Jobs in 2012, with an additional 33,600 in employment in the second quarter of 2017. As the Deputy knows, the...

Other Questions: Job Creation (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Obviously work needs to be done on an ongoing basis, but more than 13,000 people have returned to work in the south-east region since the launch of the regional action plans initiative in the first quarter of 2015. That is a central pillar. We need a continued focus on the situation the Deputy has described through the regional action plans. The initiatives which are in place have shown...

Leaders' Questions (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: In his comments yesterday, the Minister was referring to the marriage bar and the impact it had. It is almost impossible to believe that was in place up until the 1970s. I am acutely conscious of the problems women are experiencing in accessing adequate pension provision. We had extensive discussion on this as we formulated the National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2020, which I...

Leaders' Questions (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have said to the Deputy that any gender-based discrimination is unacceptable in terms of any of our policies and approaches. This is a serious issue for women who took time out. Some women are suffering every year in their pensions because of this. We are all very familiar with the individual cases. What I am pointing out is that to resolve this anomaly, I am informed that an overall...

Leaders' Questions (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have outlined the actions that have been taken already. We recognise that women who have taken time out are at risk in terms of pension rates. It is expected that the total contribution approach will replace the yearly average approach for new pensioners from 2020. The aim of this approach is to make the rate of contributory pension more closely matched to contributions made by a person....

Leaders' Questions (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: In the timeframe I outlined, I stated the Minister would make some recommendations later this year. The 2020 date related to the implementation of the total contribution action, TCA, to replace the yearly average approach. The Minister is working with her Department on the detailed development of that with a view to making proposals for consideration later in the year. It is worth...

Leaders' Questions (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Many other budgetary decisions were taken this year which were important in increasing income for working families, reducing taxes for those in work and supporting families in a whole range of other ways. This is a particularly challenging issue. I have already accepted that we do not want discriminatory elements in pension provision.

Leaders' Questions (12 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Women have to deal with the impact of this on an ongoing basis. The Government is examining the issues and, in particular, the Minister in the context of the total contribution approach. She is conscious of this particular issue for women who have gaps in their contribution record which impacts on their current pension.