Results 2,501-2,520 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Action Plan for Jobs (8 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Action Plan for Jobs, one of the Government’s chief instruments to support job creation, is a whole of Government, national level initiative aimed at creating the optimum conditions for private sector and export led job creation. The Plan does not deal with actions on a county by county basis but does contain a strong focus on developing the regions. Its objectives include the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation (8 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am informed by IDA Ireland that the Agency has had frequent engagement with Monaghan County Council and District Council with regard to the site in question and continues to bring the facility to the attention of prospective investors.   In mid-December, together with the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, I met with representatives...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation (8 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: In mid-December, together with the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, I met with representatives from Monaghan County Council and IDA Ireland.  We also met a further delegation of Monaghan elected representatives in January.  Following these meetings, I asked IDA Ireland to work together with Enterprise Ireland to progress the development...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Data (8 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I propose to take Questions Nos. 288 to 290, inclusive, together. IDA Ireland has a 24 hectare business park in Arklow, with 14 hectares available. The Agency also has a 25.58 hectare strategic site in Greystones, with 18 hectares available.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (8 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Agrifood sector is of critical importance to the Irish economy, and its regional spread means it underpins the socio-economic development of rural areas in particular. Enterprise Ireland works closely with Irish Food and Drink companies to support innovation and build scale and resilience in order for them to be positioned to compete on world markets. I have secured additional funding...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Youth Employment Initiative (8 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Youth unemployment is primarily a policy matter for my colleague, Minister Varadkar. Government policy to reduce unemployment is two-fold. First, through policies set out in the national Action Plan for Jobs, to create an environment in which business can succeed and create jobs and second, through Pathways to work to ensure that as many of the new jobs and other vacancies that arise in...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Staff (8 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The total number of employees in IDA Ireland for the period in question is set out in the table. The figures are representative of all IDA Ireland staff, including contract staff.  The increase in staff in 2013 was due to the dissolution of Forfás and Shannon Development and the absorption of their staff back into the Department and its other agencies, including IDA Ireland. IDA...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Ireland Staff (8 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: In recent years, Enterprise Ireland has implemented an ambitious reform agenda to ensure more effective delivery of services to Enterprise Ireland clients. As part of the organisation’s resource plan, Enterprise Ireland launched a Voluntary Leaving Programme in November 2014, which closed in January 2015. Fifty one staff availed of the Voluntary Leaving Programme in 2015 and 2016....

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Commissions of Inquiry (8 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am interpreting the Deputy’s question to relate to ongoing statutory enquiries or investigations. No such enquiries or investigations are currently being conducted in my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (8 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: CETA was adopted by Council of the European Union and signed by Canada, the EU and its Member States at the EU-Canada Summit on 30 October. The European Parliament vote on CETA is provisionally scheduled for 15 February 2017.   Should the Parliament give its consent, the agreement will be provisionally applied. The provisions in CETA relating to investment protection and...

Questions on Promised Legislation (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am not sure whether the Deputy is asking about legislation. Yesterday's events were terrible for the people who are employed at the facility in question and their families. I assure the Deputy that since yesterday, IDA Ireland has been out securing another investor or buyer for the plant. We have directed Enterprise Ireland to go into the site. The elected representatives from County...

Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The question tabled by the Deputy was slightly different so I will answer that one. Brexit will impact on all policy fields of the Department and agencies and I have tasked my Department officials with making Brexit their number one priority. I am satisfied that all efforts are being made to understand and respond to the challenges and opportunities. This is reflected in the recently...

Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Senior officials in the Department have explored the stabilisation fund and have discussed it in Brussels with the Commission. That will be difficult. We are conducting a targeted survey and we and EI are finding there are different requests from companies. Some are looking for more credit, some for cheaper loans, some want lean programmes to be initiated, some want to make sure there is...

Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Senior officials in the Department are exploring that. It is quite confidential at the moment. We give grants with EI in accordance with state aid rules. That is not all of what the companies want. We are engaging with them. EI has 1,500 clients on its books and is engaging one-to-one with the companies and the sectors. The answer is not to throw money at them. It is to have a targeted...

Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: There will be opportunities and the opportunities we are seeing are in financial services and my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, is responding to that. There have been approximately 100 queries to IDA Ireland and we are working our way through them. I will ensure that we avail of whatever opportunities arise. Is this Question No. 2?

Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I would like that the questions being asked are what I have in front of me.

Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The agrifood sector is of critical importance to the Irish economy. Its regional spread means it underpins the socioeconomic development of rural areas in particular. Ambitious plans under the Food Wise 2025 strategy could see the creation of 23,000 jobs and a growth in the value of exports by 85% over the next decade. Enterprise Ireland works closely with Irish food and drink companies to...

Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: We are also concerned about Brexit. I remind the Deputy that extra staff have gone in from Enterprise Ireland. Further supports for these sectors were provided for in budget 2017, including the €150 million low-cost loan scheme that was launched on 31 January last, agri-taxation measures and the increase in funding under the rural development and seafood development programmes. A...

Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I reject the Deputy's suggestion that we have not invested in infrastructure. When I was first elected to this House in 2011, the Government was having to cut budgets and the IMF and the EU were in here, having loaned us money. I am not sure whether the Deputy remembers that. It was a short time ago. I absolutely acknowledge that we need to improve infrastructure like roads, housing and...

Priority Questions: Job Creation (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Succeed in Ireland initiative has operated on the basis of a contract with IDA Ireland that was originally agreed in March 2012. The contract, which was extended by 12 months early last year, is now set to conclude on 26 March. When the board of IDA Ireland considered the long-term future of the initiative at its meeting last November, it decided that the agency would not re-tender...