Results 3,201-3,220 of 4,491 for speaker:John Perry
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Job Protection (22 Nov 2012)
John Perry: We have stated clearly what we are doing. We have brought in the loan guarantee and the microfinance schemes that the Fianna Fáil Party could not bring in. We have established the advisory group to Government and there are clear actions for job creation outlined in the action plan for jobs.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Job Protection (22 Nov 2012)
John Perry: The Deputy must recognise the role of banks in retailing; it is all about viability. The policy of the last Government left 13,000 unoccupied square feet per head of population. That was Fianna Fáil's ideology.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Job Protection (22 Nov 2012)
John Perry: The last Government talked about the microfinance loan fund for two years and we have introduced it.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Job Protection (22 Nov 2012)
John Perry: It is now in place with the partial loan guarantee. We cut the lower rate of VAT, halved the lower rate of employers' PRSI and increased the employers' PRSI exemption. We introduced numerous initiatives and I can go through the action plan for jobs outlining each measure. One of the first things we did was reform the wage setting mechanism. We extended employers' PRSI, encouraged all...
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (22 Nov 2012)
John Perry: The Deputy will be aware that as part of the action plan for jobs, the Government announced a plan for a major reform of the existing support structure for micro and small enterprises in February this year. The aim is to create a centre of excellence within Enterprise Ireland for small business support; to establish a first stop-shop at local level for the support of small and micro...
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (22 Nov 2012)
John Perry: It is not possible to consult in a vacuum. We are consulting with people to best define the needs of small businesses. If the Deputy has read the consultation paper in depth, he has been very quick in stating that it is a climb down by the Government to engage in consultation. It is very difficult to go out and discuss an issue without a major document on which we have worked tirelessly in...
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (22 Nov 2012)
John Perry: It must be just the Deputy, because they are not saying it to me.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (22 Nov 2012)
John Perry: I have met representatives of ISME several times and the Deputy should look at the statement it issued yesterday. The county enterprise boards have been very effective. Our job at the moment is the consultation process. We are bringing businesspeople into the heart of decision making locally involving representatives of business and local government. The Deputy will know from his county...
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (22 Nov 2012)
John Perry: There is no inertia with enterprise boards. An additional €3.5 million was allocated to enterprise boards last week. They are working actively at the moment. We are not changing Government policy - we are listening in order to refine the policy. We are setting up centres of excellence and a one-stop shop for business in every county. Our job is to integrate the best of Enterprise...
- Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (22 Nov 2012)
John Perry: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 21 together. My Department has introduced two targeted initiatives to support an additional flow of credit into the economy by filling gaps where specific market failures exist – the credit guarantee scheme and the microfinance loan fund. The guarantee scheme has been live since 24 October and is expected to provide an additional €150...
- Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (22 Nov 2012)
John Perry: On the level of funding, the Deputy has not been correctly advised because the Government is investing €50 million over three years.
- Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (22 Nov 2012)
John Perry: Yes. The loan guarantee is €450 million, the innovation funding is €200 million, there is also NPRF funding and €150 million is being put in from the innovation fund. Therefore, considerable funding is being provided. With regard to the difficulty in terms of opportunities for business, the microfinance fund is a good start-up fund. It was very successful in Dublin...
- Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (22 Nov 2012)
John Perry: A review of the Credit Review Office is being undertaken and when we receive the report, we will examine our options for enhancing it. With regard to Deputy Tóibín's point on the 55% figure, I will not defend the banks because it is clear they must do better. The fact the Credit Review Office has overturned 55% of decisions shows how effective it has been.
- Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (22 Nov 2012)
John Perry: We are working with the banks. With regard to AIB and the €600 million for new lending, we must also take into account the fact that people are opting out of existing loans from other banks. With regard to Deputy Tóibín's point about Greece, the report in question was from the Central Bank which included all banks not giving money.
- Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (22 Nov 2012)
John Perry: The report included all banks. We must remember the main players for small and medium-sized enterprises are Bank of Ireland, AIB and Ulster Bank. The report included all banks, including those which do not fund small and medium-sized enterprises. Deputy Wallace made a point on an investment bank. Years ago the ICC bank was very effective and had a niche market for business. The State...
- Other Questions: Retail Sector (22 Nov 2012)
John Perry: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 14 together. As I outlined in response to an earlier question from Deputy Calleary, the Government recognises the importance of the retail sector to the economy. It is employment intensive and covers every community in the country. Combined with wholesale, the sector employs 258,000 people in Ireland, which is almost 15% of our total workforce. The...
- Other Questions: Retail Sector (22 Nov 2012)
John Perry: To take the last point, very effective soft supports exist for small businesses, such as educational and mentoring supports. With regard to electricity, people do not realise commercial electricity charges here are cheaper than in Northern Ireland and Britain. People do not fully recognise that VAT is reclaimable and this reduces the unit cost to a very competitive rate. Business people do...
- Other Questions: Retail Sector (22 Nov 2012)
John Perry: There was much known that was clarified by the Attorney General when we came into government and there was much more information we found out afterwards that we did not know about the disaster of the previous Government.
- Other Questions: Retail Sector (22 Nov 2012)
John Perry: When it comes to the reality of business in the retail trade at present, if one takes small business, while retail is under considerable pressure, it is about confidence and credit. There are many spheres in the economy affecting small business, while Deputy Calleary gets hung up on the retail trade. The previous Administration fuelled shopping centres in every village and town, far beyond...
- Other Questions: Retail Sector (22 Nov 2012)
John Perry: Deputy Calleary did nothing for them.