Results 32,101-32,120 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (22 May 2024)

Richard Bruton: It is a very positive body and at the time it was certainly needed. I just wonder where, in the evolution of the financial services sector, the Minister of State foresees it in the longer term. Credit unions are getting additional capability to serve the changing needs of microenterprise. Will the body need to evolve in any way or are its products sufficiently flexible for the sector it is...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (22 May 2024)

Richard Bruton: Another feature of the landscape when I was involved was the Credit Review Office. At the time, there were high levels of bank refusals and it was vital in trying to establish a more even playing pitch for people trying to get access to finance. I do not hear so much about it of late. Is it still in place and having the same impact?

Written Answers — Department of Finance: EU Regulations (21 May 2024)

Richard Bruton: 95. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will indicate the plans for Ireland to adopt the European taxonomy in investment. [22784/24]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Banking Sector (21 May 2024)

Richard Bruton: 99. To ask the Minister for Finance to review the recovery of funds invested in the rescue of the pillar banks during the financial crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22783/24]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (21 May 2024)

Richard Bruton: 181. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on his efforts to resolve the access problems at Clongriffin DART station whereby the access stairs and lift remain a source of huge frustration for local residents. [22408/24]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Policy (21 May 2024)

Richard Bruton: 182. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will outline the latest design thinking on mobility hubs; if a series of pilots could be quickly deployed ahead of the wider roll-out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22409/24]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (21 May 2024)

Richard Bruton: 376. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she would consider establishing a review of the possibility of including more fresh fruit and vegetables in the school meals programme; and to develop measures to minimise waste from uneaten food or containers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22405/24]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (21 May 2024)

Richard Bruton: 408. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection whether a person in receipt of disability allowance, who receives a bequest, can have a trust established, which would be administered on their behalf to provide for long-term secure accommodation, instead of being immediately assessed under a means test; and if she will outline the conditions if any which would have to be...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (21 May 2024)

Richard Bruton: 416. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a foster carer of more than 20 years, but with less than 520 contributions, can access the new long-term carer's pension route to allow them access to a State pension in their own right and name; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22959/24]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (22 May 2024)

Richard Bruton: 105. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if there are any regulations which require that a multi-unit residential building should have adaptations made to make access more convenient for a resident with a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23240/24]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (22 May 2024)

Richard Bruton: 114. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he plans changes to the pension provision for people who because of the nature of their work have earlier retirement dates, in order that they do not have large fall in living standards when they step down from those roles. [23259/24]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (22 May 2024)

Richard Bruton: 137. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will outline the plans to develop new residential places for persons with a severe disability; and if, in particular, new developments will occur in a body (details supplied). [23265/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Artificial Intelligence (23 May 2024)

Richard Bruton: 8. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has assessed the potential impact of artificial intelligence on the content of the jobs of those currently in the workforce, and the reskilling that may be necessary to ensure the capacity of workers to adapt; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23310/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Artificial Intelligence (23 May 2024)

Richard Bruton: As the Minister well knows, artificial intelligence will rapidly disrupt established ways of doing things as it integrates into our world. It will disrupt education and its delivery, but it will also disrupt many workplaces and create skill needs. To what extent is this now anticipated? What planning and strategies are being put in place?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Artificial Intelligence (23 May 2024)

Richard Bruton: I appreciate that there is a strategy in place but that strategy is four years old and, with the pace of this, changes occur within months. The enterprise committee, of which Deputy Stanton is also a member, heard this week that only 5% of companies are engaged in any sort of reskilling for the onset of artificial intelligence. We need an accelerated programme in areas such as Skillnet...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Artificial Intelligence (23 May 2024)

Richard Bruton: To give the Minister an example, we had the major consultancy firms in before the committee. They have every staff member now going through a process of understanding and equipping themselves to deal with the disruption, and opportunity, indeed, of artificial intelligence. Will the Minister of State consider putting some of his senior staff through a programme such as that in order to build...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Artificial Intelligence (23 May 2024)

Richard Bruton: I will make one comment. To paraphrase the OECD, the leaving certificate is preparing young people to be second-class robots. Now that we have this new pace of change crashing upon us, we really have to take it very seriously.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (23 May 2024)

Richard Bruton: First, I welcome the 52,500 new housing starts in the past 12 months, acknowledge the progress the Minister is making and welcome his openness to new ideas. In that context, I ask him to seriously consider a housing trust dedicated solely to promoting right-sizing for people who want to do so. Ireland is a country where 90% of people in my age bracket are overprovided with homes and would...

Business Support Package: Statements (Resumed) (23 May 2024)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak during this debate. First, I congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, and wish her well. Business and, indeed, all of enterprise is going through a period of rapid transition. Just looking out the back window, there was the financial crisis, followed by the Covid closures, the Ukraine crisis and the impact that has had...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (23 May 2024)

Richard Bruton: 21. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to indicate the growth of take-up by the public service and by the multinational sector of the new model of apprenticeships; if he considers that new initiatives are necessary to promote them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23314/24]