Results 2,561-2,580 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Action Plan for Jobs (9 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: Departmental Agencies Funding (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: As part of 2017 Budget negotiations, I secured a €100 million increase in funding for my Department by year end 2016 and for 2017. For 2017, I have secured a 10% increase in Capital funding to bring it to  €555 million. This is the Department’s largest ever capital allocation. This increase will, amongst other things, help the Enterprise Agencies to proactively...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am strongly aware of the importance of equipping IDA Ireland with the resources it needs to compete for and win new Brexit-related foreign direct investment (FDI). That is why, since the result of the referendum on 23 June, I have engaged extensively with the Agency to assess and determine its additional funding requirements. This process has led to further financial support being...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Data (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: As a result of a focused collaborative approach and a range of reforms delivered in the region over recent years, the unemployment rate in the South East has fallen from a peak of 20.1% in 2012 to the current rate of 10.4%. There are 215,000 people now at work in the South East. The source of the employment data referred to in the Deputy’s question is the Quarterly National...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Enterprise Ireland (EI), the Local Enterprise Offices and IDA Ireland are engaging on an ongoing basis with all client companies regarding the impacts being felt as a result of Brexit. They have clear plans in place to mitigate challenges and maximise opportunities arising from the UK decision. In Budget 2017, I secured additional monies, both current and capital, to support the enterprise...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Growth Initiatives (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Ireland moved from 16th to 7th in 2016 in the IMD’s World Competitiveness Yearbook, and from 24th to 23rd in the 2016 WEF Global Competitiveness Report. The World Bank’s “Ease of Doing Business” report shows Ireland is ranked 18th. The World Bank report shows Ireland is ahead of the UK in terms of ease of starting a business and paying tax but behind in the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Initiatives (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The ‘Manufacturing 2020’ strategy highlighted the need to establish a facility that provides shared, subscription-based, access to high end, rapid prototyping equipment, software and expertise, to facilitate development of new products and solutions.  TechShop is the recognised international provider of such ‘maker spaces’ and DCU has been working with the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Site Visits (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: As I have previously stated, IDA Ireland collates and releases data concerning its site visits on a county and regional basis only. Information on visits to specific locations within counties - whether in Tipperary or anywhere else -  can unfortunately not be disclosed in order to safeguard the confidentiality of the client concerned. This has long been...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The United Kingdom’s decision to leave Brexit will have a profound impact on our economy and preparing for its impact is the main priority in my Department.  Central to this is a thorough understanding of its impacts, positive and negative, on enterprise – both in general and on a sectoral level. The impact of Brexit was a foremost consideration in the production...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Foreign Direct Investment (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Government fully recognises that financial services is an area where Ireland could see increased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on account of Brexit. That is why there has already been extensive engagement at home and abroad – across both Ministerial and Agency levels – with the industry about new investment in Ireland. The European Financial Forum, which was held in...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Company Closures (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I very much regret the decision by the company in question to close its facility in Mullingar. I understand the need to find new employment for the Midlands and I have directed IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland (EI) to explore what potential opportunities there may be for new investment there. IDA Ireland is already engaging with both current and prospective clients to invest...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regional Development Initiatives (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The South East Action Plan for Jobs is the key policy response for supporting employment growth in the South East region, including Wexford, with public and private stakeholders actively engaged in delivering a range of innovative and practical actions set out in the Plan. The core objective of the Plan is to see a further 25,000 at work in the region, including Wexford, by 2020 and to...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Mental Health Policy (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: My Department’s HR Unit promotes a positive working environment and provides advice and support to staff members dealing with health and wellbeing issues. The Civil Service Employee Assistance Service (CSEAS) is available to all staff and provides extensive advice and support on issues regarding mental health and wellbeing.  The CSEAS website contains guidance and advice...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Meetings (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I, and officials from my Department, routinely meet with a wide range of stakeholders from different sectors of the economy, with indigenous and multinational companies, and with employer and employee representative bodies. These meetings cover a wide range of issues across the broad remit of my Department, as we lead Government efforts to create and maintain...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: EU Funding (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Government has been preparing to respond to the UK decision to leave the EU for well over a year. Ministerial and official level engagement is intensifying with the other 26 Member States. To ensure a coordinated DJEI policy response and approach to the negotiations: - I chair a regular coordination meeting with the enterprise agencies CEOs and relevant DJEI policy officers; - The...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Agencies Funding (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: IntertradeIreland (ITI) continues to undertake important work connected to cross-border trade.  Most notably, it operates a range of programmes to assist SMEs in developing their business both North and South. This includes assisting businesses to become first time exporters, developing innovation capacity and in pursuing procurement opportunities. The work of ITI has now...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Bodies Data (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: New EU transparency rules for state aid became effective from 1 July 2016.  These require the publication of grants approved in excess of €500,000 on the EU State Aid Competition Transparency Public Search database. IDA Ireland is in full compliance with the Directive and all relevant information will be published as per its provisions. Due to commercial sensitivity,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Portfolio (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I understand from the IDA that there are a small number of foreign direct investment (FDI) companies located in Ireland whose commercial focus lies mainly on the British market. Depending on the nature of the still-to-be-negotiated arrangements that will govern the UK's future relationship with the European Union, some of these particular businesses may decide to reconfigure their existing...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Support Services Provision (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Government is acutely conscious of the uncertainty created by the result of the 2016 UK Referendum and the need to consider the types of supports that Irish businesses may require to address any adverse trading conditions arising as a result of Brexit. Clearly, volatility in exchange rates has been challenging for exporters who are reliant on the UK market, operate with low margins and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Exports Growth (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Action Plan for Jobs 2017 sets out a full suite of initiatives to support enterprise growth and the actions that will be taken to mitigate against the likely impact of Brexit. In terms of Irish manufacturing and services, Enterprise Ireland’s supports are focused on the following two key priorities; (1) intensifying its work with clients to maintain and grow UK exports and extend...