Results 2,221-2,240 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: We are increasing the budget as we indicated at the previous meeting. It will increase from €18.5 million to €22 million, and I believe this money will be really well spent.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Local Enterprise Offices Data (7 Dec 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Given the wide range of the Local Enterprise Offices remit, their engagement with their clients takes many forms: from drop-in visits; telephone calls; emails and meetings; to social media contacts via platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, among others. Data on the volume of all such client engagement is not currently available across the 31 individual LEOs. However, in respect...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Youth Enterprise Initiatives (7 Dec 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Details of the number of completed applications received for the Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) competitions in 2014, 2015 and 2016 are set out in the table: Year No. of Completed Applications Received 2014 1,018 2015 1,398 2016 1,843 I am very pleased with the strong level of interest around the Country by young people who wish to start their own business, thanks to...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permits Applications (7 Dec 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Where an employment permit application is refused, it is open to an applicant to submit a request for a review to be conducted. Under the provisions of the legislation, a decision made under review is final and cannot be revisited. If the conditions that gave rise to the refusal in the first instance change thereafter, it is open to an applicant to submit a new employment permit...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: State Investments (7 Dec 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: My Department, and the agencies under its remit, do not have any direct or indirect investments through pension or other investment funds in tobacco companies.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (7 Dec 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: There are potential FDI opportunities for Ireland in the context of BREXIT but these are not limited to the UK market. I have directed IDA Ireland to explore all potential FDI opportunities arising and work is already underway in this regard. To support the IDA in their efforts they will be provided with additional Capital supports for 2017 which will be used to provide grant...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (7 Dec 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Following the recent US Presidential election and the change of administration there will now be a natural pause in the EU-US partnership agreement negotiation rounds until the new US administration is appointed in 2017. At a meeting on the 11thNovember 2016, the Foreign Affairs Council discussed the recent developments and state of play in the negotiations. The next steps in these...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Third Level Funding (7 Dec 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The PRTLI supports the provision of research infrastructure as well as trained researchers, through Structured PhD programmes, across Ireland’s Higher Education Institutes (HEIs). Total investment in the five Cycles of PRTLI to date has amounted to €1.2 billion from both Exchequer and private investment. With respect to the current Cycle (Cycle 5), the Exchequer...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (7 Dec 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The legal advice received by my Department confirms that the Investment Court System model contained in the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which will effectively be a dispute resolution process, would not necessitate a referendum in order for Ireland to ratify. The agreement will however come before this House for ratification.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Jobs Protection (8 Dec 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: My Department and the agencies under its remit provide supports at a policy and operational level to safeguard Irish jobs and exports, including in the context of Brexit. These include: the development of the annual action plan for jobs and regional action plans; contributing to EU policy development advocating for further strengthening of the Single Market, with access to 450 million...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Jobs Protection (8 Dec 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Deputy Collins is correct. Market diversification is hugely important. I assure him that Enterprise Ireland is working with indigenous companies to ensure they have advice on diversification. Things such as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA, are important. We will ensure that we exploit whatever trades we can. This is one of the reasons we currently have trade missions...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Jobs Protection (8 Dec 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: We have detailed a good and targeted response in the Action Plan for Jobs and particularly in the regional action plans for jobs. There are eight regions and I have met with representatives of seven of them. We have gone through the implementation of those plans. They are on target and some of them are ahead of target. Four of them are doing really well and four are average. However, we...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Planning Framework (8 Dec 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Perhaps he could speak a little louder.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Planning Framework (8 Dec 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government is currently preparing the National Planning Framework, NPF, which is a 20 year strategy for the spatial development of Ireland. My Department, at official level, is a member of the interdepartmental national planning framework steering committee and the NPF’s econometric and demographics working group. The NPF has...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Planning Framework (8 Dec 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Last month I stressed that we got an extra €50 million in the budget, so we now have €550 million for capital expenditure. We also got an extra €3 million for current expenditure. I assure the Deputy that I am fighting good and hard to ensure that we have a really good response to Brexit. I have mentioned the enterprise agencies already. 3 o’clock Enterprise...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Planning Framework (8 Dec 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: We will publish the 2016 report on the Action Plan for Jobs and regional action plans for jobs. As I indicated, I have travelled around the country and we are hearing good news in respect of the Action Plan for Jobs. The Deputy referred to skills and indicated he had never heard me speak about them. Having often visited Limerick, I believe he will have heard me speak about skills because...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Economic Competitiveness (8 Dec 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Ireland’s competitiveness performance has been central to the recovery in employment. Since 2011, Ireland's competitiveness as measured by a range of international indices has improved. Ireland moved from 16th to seventh in 2016 in the IMD’s world competitiveness yearbook, which benchmarks the general environment for business. We moved from 24th to 23rd in the World Economic...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Economic Competitiveness (8 Dec 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: We are working with the enterprise agencies to ensure Irish companies are competitive. As I indicated in a previous reply, Enterprise Ireland has contacted its 1,400 companies and is offering them advice on how to become leaner. Competitiveness is very important. The Deputy referred to a number of statistics. I must take on board what the IMD’s world competitiveness yearbook...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Economic Competitiveness (8 Dec 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Budget 2017 included capital gains tax measures. It also included measures in regard to the foreign earnings deduction which will help Irish exporters to diversify their markets. We have extended the special assignee relief programme to assist businesses to relocate key staff to Ireland and have increased the earned income tax credit for self-employed taxpayers to encourage...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (8 Dec 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: My Department is aware of the particular case referred to by the Deputy in which a division of the Employment Tribunal in the United Kingdom found that the drivers who did not hold a taxi licence were employees of the enterprise in question. I understand this decision is under appeal to the superior courts in the United Kingdom. In Ireland there is a mechanism for the determination of...