Results 3,041-3,060 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Seanad: Companies (Accounting) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I was only nodding as I listened to the Senator.

Seanad: Companies (Accounting) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am not in favour of accepting amendment No. 3. The contribution order remedy is a unique feature of New Zealand and Irish company law. The Irish provision in section 599 echoes the judgment of Mr. Justice Costello in Power Supermarkets Limited v.Crumlin Investments Limited. It is a mechanism that deals with related companies in insolvency and the possibility of unfair behaviour in the...

Seanad: Companies (Accounting) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: While I note that the Senators propose to introduce more prescriptive criteria in terms of the circumstances the court ought to address when considering whether a related company should contribute to the debts of a company being wound up, I am not satisfied the amendment, as drafted, adds to the settled provision.As I already stated, I am not in favour of accepting this amendment. I do not...

Seanad: Companies (Accounting) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Government has taken several actions in response to the closure of Clerys. First, the CLRG was asked to examine legislation with a view to recommending ways the law could be amended to better safeguard companies, employees and unsecured creditors. That work is ongoing. I am awaiting recommendations from an expert group. My Department has looked at the Senator’s amendment and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Support Services Expenditure (13 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: “Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021” was published in September 2015 by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on behalf of Government at that time. The capital plan set out that an indicative amount of €3.01 billion in capital investments would be made through the Department’s Vote primarily through the enterprise...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regional Development Initiatives (13 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: In February 2015, the Government launched a five year strategy aimed at accelerating the jobs recovery in every part of the country. This included the delivery of a €150 million IDA Ireland led regional property programme. Its objective is to help attract foreign direct investment into different parts of Ireland by improving the availability of marketable serviced land...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Ministerial Travel (13 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I can advise the Deputy that as part of the Government’s St Patrick’s Day schedule to foster opportunities for development of Irish businesses and international links, I visited the United States of America (USA) and visited Chicago, St Louis and New York. My trip was for 8 days from 8thMarch to 16thMarch. The cost of the flights from Dublin to Chicago and internal flights...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme (13 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: My Department is engaging directly with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the allocation of public capital investment, for which they have immediate responsibility. In regard to infrastructural investment, the State needs to make clear, strategic and evidence-based choices to support the productive sector in the first instance. In that context, my Department supports the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (13 Apr 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: In Budget 2017, I secured additional monies, both current and capital, to support Enterprise Ireland’s strategic response to Brexit, including 39 targeted posts, both at home and abroad to support its clients across all markets. There are 1,500 Enterprise Ireland (EI) client companies recording exports to the UK.  They employ 100,000 people across the country and have exports of...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Copyright Legislation Review (2 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: In response to Parliamentary Question No. 798 put down by the Deputy on 7 March 2017, I informed the Deputy that Government had approved the General Scheme of a Copyright Bill, the main purpose of which is to respond to certain of the recommendations contained in the Report of the Copyright Review Committee entitled “Modernising Copyright”, which was published in October...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Rural Development Policy (2 May 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. The 31 LEOs are in every county supporting startups and microenterprises. I recently published the LEO annual jobs survey results which highlights three consecutive years of local jobs growth throughout the country. Overall in...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Legislative Process (2 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: My Department is currently consulting with a range of representative groups in the jewellery sector (including the Irish Jewellers Association) on the issue of possible amendments to the Hallmarking (Amendment) Bill 2016: these consultations will consider the issue of weight exemptions. Until that consultation is finalised, no definitive position can be adopted.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Workplace Relations Commission (2 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) is an independent, statutory body established on 1st October 2015 under the Workplace Relations Act 2015. The WRC merges the functions and activities of the former Labour Relations Commission (LRC), the Equality Tribunal, the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA), and the first instance functions of the Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) and the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Portfolio (2 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Since the IDA purchased the Fermoy Business and Technology Park in 2002, the Agency has undertaken a number of initiatives to develop the attractiveness of the lands, including obtaining planning permission for the building of an advanced technology unit.  IDA Ireland regularly engages with both current and prospective clients to encourage further investment in Fermoy and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Retail Sector (2 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: As Chairperson to the Retail Consultation Forum, I am acutely aware of the importance of the sector to the economy and of the challenges facing the sector.  As our largest private industry employer on the island of Ireland, the retail and wholesale sector plays a vital role providing over 275,000 jobs supporting economic growth in every city, town and village in the country. The...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Operations (2 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Funds Industry acts as a specialist outsourcing service to the Global Investment Management Industry.  Within the industry, Ireland is a recognised global centre of excellence employing approximately 16,000 people.  Regulation of the industry under Irish and EU Law is controlled by the Central Bank who determine the type of activities undertaken in Ireland.  The Funds...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Training Fund (2 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: As Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation I am acutely aware of the central importance of the competitiveness of our education and training systems to sustainable job creation, productivity growth and success in international trade. I also recognise that the current funding environment, in addition to the impending demographic bulge, demonstrates that there is a clear need for...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Ireland Expenditure (2 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Enterprise Ireland is the Department's main agency for developing Irish business. As part of a broad suite of programmes the agency is responsible for driving an increase in the innovative capacity of Irish firms as well as support for start-up businesses. In 2016 Enterprise Ireland paid €31.5 million to pre-High Potential Start Ups and High Potential Start Ups (HPSUs).  This...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (2 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: As the Deputy is aware, my Department commissioned a survey, which was carried out by Behaviours and Attitudes in January, seeking the views of SMEs on the impact of Brexit on their businesses. This survey looked at the impact to date of Brexit and forward to the more medium term impacts (over the coming 18 months). My officials have been analysing this data to build a picture of the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (2 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Until it leaves the EU, the United Kingdom remains a full Member of the European Union, subject to all rights and obligations set out in the Treaties and under EU law, including the principle of sincere cooperation.  This means that they continue to participate in all EU meetings including Trade Policy Committees and have access to all EU documents on the same basis as other Member...