Results 2,581-2,600 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Action Plan for Jobs is the Government’s key instrument to support job creation. Almost 190,000 more people are at work today than in 2012 when the first Plan was launched. Over the past year employment has grown in all regions. 72% of all jobs created in the past year were created outside Dublin. The success of the Regional Action Plans for Jobs is crucial to the Government...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Agri-food 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: Living Wage (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Living Wage concept is grounded in the idea that a person’s wage should be sufficient to maintain a safe, decent standard of living. At an individual level the resources required to achieve a minimum essential standard of living is very dependent on family circumstances and thus the interaction of individual earnings with household income and State-provided supports such as Child...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Public Relations Contracts Data (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: In the time available, it has not been possible for my officials to compile all of the information requested by the Deputy.  Once the available information is collated, I will arrange for it to be forwarded to the Deputy.

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The issue of resources in my Department is regularly reviewed under our framework for workforce planning.  I have already established a new Brexit unit in my Department, and resources in that unit will be kept under review particularly as they apply to Brexit and the EU's trade negotiation agenda.

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The importance of diversifying global markets for Irish goods and services to reduce Ireland's dependence on particular markets has been a key aspect of Ireland's approach to trade in recent years.  The UK's decision to leave the EU underscores the prudence of this approach.    The strategy document Trading and Investing in a Smart...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Vacancies on State Boards (9 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The term of office of 8 of the 12 members of the Board of the Health and Safety Authority expired on the 19thDecember 2016. In accordance with section 37 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, these positions were comprised of the following: 1 Chairperson 3 Ordinary Members nominated by such organisations representative of employers as the Minister considers appropriate. 3...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I propose to take Questions Nos. 254 and 257 together. Regulation of public safety as regards fairgrounds and theme parks is subject to the provisions of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 which requires the owners of fairground equipment to have a valid certificate of safety under the aegis of the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. The Minister for...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I propose to take Questions Nos. 255 and 256 together. The statutory remit of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) in relation to fairgrounds is exclusively concerned with the protection of persons at work and the protection of others where a work activity is taking place or is imminent. The HSA does not have a statutory responsibility for ensuring the health and safety of users of...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is the national statutory body with responsibility for ensuring that the provisions on workplace health and safety in the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005 are implemented so that those affected by work activity are protected from work-related injury and ill health. The 2005 Act places a range of duties on undertakings and individuals to...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I propose to take Questions Nos. 259, 264 and 265 together. Since the first Action Plan for Jobs was launched in 2012, almost 190,000 more people are now at work across the country. 72% of all jobs created in the past year were created outside Dublin, with employment growing in all regions over the past year. The success of the Regional Action Plans for Jobs is crucial to supporting the...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: There is a whole of Government approach in place focusing on Brexit issues and my Department and its agencies are to the forefront of this effort. Over the past number of months, I have tasked my Department officials with making Brexit their number one priority. In advance of the Referendum my Department conducted a contingency risk assessment of the potential impacts of Brexit across policy...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I propose to take Questions Nos. 261 and 262 together. The State has a long track record – built up over 67 years by the work of IDA Ireland – in winning foreign direct investment (FDI) for the Irish people. Over that period, the world economy has changed shape many times, yet Ireland has remained an attractive destination for FDI. As the global investment climate...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The UK’s exit negotiations from the EU will not commence until Article 50 has been triggered, which the UK Government have indicated they intend to do no later than the end of March 2017. These negotiations could take the maximum allowed period of two years to complete. Ultimately any deal on Article 50 will require the agreement of the EU Commission, Council and Parliament. ...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am well aware of the shifting and evolving global challenges which may affect trade and investment in the future. Understanding the needs of business in their drive to succeed is fundamental to Ireland’s economic success and especially in these times of global turbulence. This will continue to be a central feature of our enterprise and trade policies. No open economy like ours...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: There have been 15 rounds to date in the EU-US partnership agreement negotiations.  Following the recent US Presidential election and the change of administration there is expected to be a pause in the negotiation for quite some time.  On the 17thJanuary 2017, the Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström and United States Trade Representative Michael Froman published a joint...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The State's general policy is to promote the sourcing of labour and skills needs from within the workforce of the EU and other EEA states. The employment permits system is intended to offer an interim solution where specific skills prove difficult to source within the EEA; it offers a conduit into the Irish labour market for non-EEA nationals with in-demand skills and is operated as a...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Action Plan for Jobs is having a positive impact on employment in the economy, since the first Plan was launched in early 2012. As of Q3 2016, there were an additional 190,000 at work in the economy since the launch of the first Action Plan for Jobs, which achieved and exceeded the Government’s target of 100,000 extra at work by 2016. The services sector made the largest...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The ongoing changes in the geopolitical landscape heighten the importance of maintaining Ireland’s world class business environment.  Ireland will continue to provide a competitive offering, including tax offering, to attract foreign direct investment and to ensure that our innovative entrepreneurs establish and scale in Ireland which provides jobs for our citizens and contributes...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Legislative Process (14 Feb 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Companies (Accounting) Bill 2016 completed Committee Stage in the Dáil on 22 November 2016. Enactment of the Bill remains a legislative priority for the Government. Accordingly, I hope Dáil Report Stage will be scheduled as soon as possible. Clearly, the timing of enactment thereafter will depend on the availability of parliamentary time. The Bill will introduce...