Results 3,521-3,540 of 4,720 for speaker:Neale Richmond

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Energy Prices (8 Mar 2023)

Neale Richmond: The €200 million Ukraine Enterprise Crisis Fund, which was launched in October 2022, provides liquidity support to viable but vulnerable manufacturing and internationally traded services companies experiencing trading difficulties, as well as targeted supports for eligible energy intensive companies experiencing severe increases in energy costs. The Temporary Business Energy...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (8 Mar 2023)

Neale Richmond: On 3 August 2022, the former Minister of State for Employment Affairs, Business and Retail announced an intention to issue an Order to give effect to a statutory recommendation of the Labour Court concerning minimum rates of remuneration and other terms and conditions in the Security Sector. The Order was to apply from 29 August 2022. On 24 August 2022, my Department was informed that...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Redundancy Payments (8 Mar 2023)

Neale Richmond: I extend my sympathies to the former workers who have been made redundant. I fully appreciate how difficult the situation is for those involved and for their families. At the time of the job losses concerned, dedicated staff in the Department of Social Protection worked directly with the employees to ensure they received their entitlements and other supports swiftly in order to avoid any...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (9 Mar 2023)

Neale Richmond: The Employment Permits Section of the Department informs me that on 2nd March 2023 a General Employment Permit application was submitted in respect of the person named in the details supplied. On 6th March 2023 the application was formally accepted and placed in the processing queue. New applications accepted in the processing queue are currently being processed within 7-8 business days.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (9 Mar 2023)

Neale Richmond: The Employment Permits legislation provides for a refund of 90% to be paid where an application is either withdrawn or refused. There is no provision in the legislation to provide for a refund once an employment permit has issued. Employers are advised to check that prospective employees meet all of the permit and visa criteria prior to submitting an application. Employment permits are...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Schemes (22 Mar 2023)

Neale Richmond: The Regional Enterprise Innovation Scoping Scheme 2022 (REISS) Scheme was funded through capital funding allocation of €5m in 2022. A request for REISS proposals was advertised on 4th April 2022 with a deadline for submissions by 18thMay. Full review of the proposals was completed, and 47 successful applicants were announced on 14th July 2022. Email confirmation was provided to all...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Schemes (22 Mar 2023)

Neale Richmond: The Pre-Seed Start Fund is being funded through a capital funding allocation of €8m in 2023. The purpose of the Pre-Seed Start Fund is to accelerate the growth of early-stage start-up companies that have the capacity and ambition to succeed in global markets. The fund is designed to enable companies cover operational costs to undertake key tasks including the development of a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Antisocial Behaviour (23 Mar 2023)

Neale Richmond: I thank the Senator sincerely for raising this timely and pertinent issue. It is an issue I am extremely interested in as the Minister of State responsible for retail and one about which I have serious concerns that affect all our communities. It is important to put a statistic out there. There are more than 225,000 retail workers in the State. It is the largest private sector employer in...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Antisocial Behaviour (23 Mar 2023)

Neale Richmond: I will conclude briefly by thanking the Senator once again for raising this point and underlining the fact that I absolutely fundamentally agree with him, both in terms of his comments in relation to additional Garda resources but crucially, additional resources for the Courts Service. That is why I welcome the announcement by the Minister, Deputy Harris, of the recruitment of more judges....

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Relations (21 Mar 2023)

Neale Richmond: The European Communities (Protection of Employees on Transfer of Undertakings) Regulations 2003(S.I. No. 131 of 2003) safeguards the rights of employees in the event of any transfer of an undertaking, business or part of a business from one employer to another employer as a result of a legal transfer (including the assignment or forfeiture of a lease) or merger. The main provisions of the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (21 Mar 2023)

Neale Richmond: The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are the ‘first-stop-shop’ for advice and guidance, financial assistance and other supports for anyone, including people with disabilities, intending to start or grow a business. In that regard, the LEOs provide a ‘signposting’ service in relation to all relevant State supports available through agencies such as the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (21 Mar 2023)

Neale Richmond: I know it is a very difficult time for businesses that is why the Government has put in place financial supports to assist businesses with their increasing energy costs. The Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS) is a government grant designed to help businesses with increasing energy costs. The Scheme has been designed by the Department of Finance and is being administered by...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (21 Mar 2023)

Neale Richmond: Over the last five years there have been 132 trade sales of Enterprise Ireland Client companies where Enterprise Ireland has held a shareholding investment. The sale of these companies generates a return to Enterprise Ireland on an annual basis. Over the last five years the income generated by Enterprise Ireland through these 132 trade sales has been €153.2 million. The original cost...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (21 Mar 2023)

Neale Richmond: Over the past ten years, the Irish Government, through Enterprise Ireland, has invested €479 million into 32 venture capital funds to stimulate job creation and support the funding requirements of early-stage innovative Irish companies with global ambitions. To date €361 million of this investment has been drawn down from Enterprise Ireland. On an annual basis these investments...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Small and Medium Enterprises (21 Mar 2023)

Neale Richmond: In the recently published White Paper on Enterprise the Government has set a target of an additional 2,000 exporters. This target arose from the 2019 OECD report: SME and Entrepreneurship Policy in Ireland which found that 6.3% of firms in Ireland were exporters and was substantially lower than some other member states. Ireland’s position as a small economy, means that Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Relations (21 Mar 2023)

Neale Richmond: Ireland has a robust suite of employment rights legislation in place to protect and support workers. Statutory and contractual employment terms apply in relation to the payment of wages. Failure to pay all or part of the wages due to an employee is considered an unlawful deduction and a complaint can be made under the Payment of Wages Act, 1991. The Payment of Wages Act 1991...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Referendum Campaigns (21 Mar 2023)

Neale Richmond: In June 2022, the Government reaffirmed its commitment to participate in the European Unitary Patent System and the Unified Patent Court. The new system will enable uniform patent protection across all participating EU Member States by way of a single patent application and provide a centralised platform for Europe-wide patent litigation before the Unified Patent Court. The Unitary...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (21 Mar 2023)

Neale Richmond: The matter of supports for the retention of seasonal staff comes under the remit of the Department of Social Protection. The supports available to such businesses come in the form of supports for employees. Short-Time Work Support is available to assist employees in cases where their working days are reduced by their employer on a temporary basis. This provision is available under...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (21 Mar 2023)

Neale Richmond: The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that, on 27thFebruary 2023, a General Employment Permit application for the person concerned (in the details supplied) was formally accepted. On 9thMarch 2023 the General Employment Permit application was refused. The application was refused for the following reasons: the foreign national was residing in the State without current...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Human Trafficking (21 Mar 2023)

Neale Richmond: Inspection and Enforcement Services within the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) undertake inspection of employment records to ensure employers’ compliance with employment law in the State. The objective is to verify employer compliance with the relevant employment law and if necessary, to enforce compliance with the law. While the WRC has no statutory functions or...