Results 2,961-2,980 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (4 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: On the 15th February 2017, the European Parliament voted in favour of the provisional application of EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).  Provisional application is a standard part of trade agreements and allows those parts of the agreement for which the EU has competence to come into force.  The provisions relating to investment protection and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Intellectual Property Protocol (4 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Knowledge Transfer Ireland (KTI), established by Enterprise Ireland in partnership with the Irish Universities Association, is the custodian of the national IP Protocol on behalf of my Department. The Protocol is implemented in partnership with research funding Departments and agencies and other stakeholders. The Protocol describes the ways in which enterprise can expect to work...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Defence Forces Contracts (4 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Section 6 (2) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 (2005 Act) allows for an exemption from relevant statutory provisions for members of the Defence Forces in the context of certain specific criteria. The criteria cover when a member of the Defence Forces is on active service within the meaning of section 5 of the Defence Act 1954 or deemed to be on active service within the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (4 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Arising from its obligations under the Protection of Employment Act 1977, the company making the redundancies wrote to the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on 7th February 2017 to give notice of proposed collective redundancies and the opening of the consultation process required under that Act. I am informed that consultations with employees are ongoing. The...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Contracts Data (4 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Payments made to the private investigation firms listed in my response were in relation to the contracting of these firms by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement to serve summonses, in instances where there were difficulties in locating the individuals to whom summonses were to be served. Public spending rules were adhered to when engaging these firms. Resolve Ireland,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (4 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I engage on an ongoing basis with overseas companies - including those with operations in the UK - regarding the possibility of new or expanded investments in Ireland. IDA Ireland also continues to identify new potential sources of foreign direct investment (FDI) for the country, whether Brexit-related or not. Overseas businesses are attracted to Ireland on account of...

Seanad: Knowledge Development Box (Certification of Inventions) Bill 2016: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (4 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I welcome the opportunity to report to the Seanad on amendments made in the Dáil to the Knowledge Development Box (Certification of Inventions) Bill 2016 on Report and Final Stages on 29 March when three amendments were passed to amend the version of the Bill passed by this House. I take the opportunity to outline for Senators the purpose of the three amendments passed by the Dáil....

Seanad: Companies (Accounting) Bill 2016: Second Stage (4 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: My speech is being circulated along with an information pack of supplementary documentation, which I hope will be of interest to Senators. I am pleased to bring the Companies (Accounting) Bill 2016 before the House. It marks a significant milestone in the development of Irish law on financial reporting for companies. It is a milestone because it is a wide-ranging overhaul of this important...

Seanad: Companies (Accounting) Bill 2016: Second Stage (4 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I will try to pick up on most of the points that have been made. Senator Morris or Senator Norris - I beg his pardon-----

Seanad: Companies (Accounting) Bill 2016: Second Stage (4 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am not laughing.

Seanad: Companies (Accounting) Bill 2016: Second Stage (4 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Senator mentioned the concerns of some companies with respect to the exemptions that were granted under section 1237(5) of the Companies Act. First, I would like to confirm that any of those exemptions that were granted remain in operation and they will continue to be in place until late 2021. Senators may remember that the purpose of section 1237(5) is to allow companies some...

Seanad: Companies (Accounting) Bill 2016: Second Stage (4 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I will come back to the other question Senator Norris asked. On the issue Senator Mac Lochlainn raised in respect of fewer note disclosures, we have gone as far as the directive allows regarding what we require from small companies. I agree that balance is needed and I believe the Bill achieves that. I thank the Senator for his comments on the annual reports on forestry and mining....

Seanad: Companies (Accounting) Bill 2016: Second Stage (4 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Bill does not change that rule. A company has nine months from the end of the financial year to prepare and file annual returns. That should be sufficient time. One must bear in mind that the Bill makes strides in reducing the financial reporting obligations of small and very small companies.

Seanad: Companies (Accounting) Bill 2016: Second Stage (4 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Furthermore, the introduction of the withdrawal of the audit exemption has resulted in a dramatic increase in the rate of compliance with filing deadlines. Since the establishment of the rule, compliance has increased from 13% to 90%. For those reasons, I am in favour of keeping the audit exemption as it stands.

Brexit: Statements (Resumed) (5 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am pleased to have the opportunity to make a statement on Brexit. A whole-of-government approach to Brexit issues is in place. My Department and its agencies are to the forefront of that effort. The UK's decision to leave the EU will impact on all policy fields of my Department and agencies. I have tasked my departmental officials with making Brexit their No. 1 priority. In advance...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (5 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I propose to take Questions Nos. 334 and 335 together. Brexit has been on our radar for a number of years and we have been planning accordingly. In order for me, as Minister with responsibility for supporting business across all sectors, to develop initiatives to support businesses that are impacted by Brexit, I need to fully understand business needs and to understand the various...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation (5 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: At the strategic level, Enterprise 2025 sets out the roadmap for enterprise development, and details the actions required and being taken to support the manufacturing and service sectors.  Our new trade and investment strategy, Ireland Connected, will be backed up by increasing our agency resources both at home and overseas and an intensified...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation (5 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I propose to take Questions Nos. 337 to 339, inclusive, together. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) remains a key contributor to Ireland’s continuing economic development and growth. The role it plays in sustaining employment here is well-documented, with approximately one out of every five private sector jobs here directly or indirectly resulting from FDI.  Last...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation (5 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: My Department, through Enterprise Ireland (EI) and the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) provide a range of supports to help Irish companies start, grow and export.  There are now over 201,000 people employed by EI supported companies across the country. The fact that over 130,000 of those 201,000 jobs are outside of Dublin is significant.  Enterprise Ireland client companies support...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation (5 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) and Enterprise Ireland (EI) are the main Agencies under the auspices of my Department that offer advice and support to the small business sector. The LEOs are the ‘first-stop-shop’ State support service for micro and small businesses in each local area. The LEOs provide advice and direction, covering all government supports and requirements,...