Results 39,681-39,700 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

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

Simon Coveney: The Parliamentary Questions previously answered (Nos. 155 and 157 of 7 March 2023) were more appropriate to the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) as his Department is responsible for publishing the R&D Budget Survey, However, as the R&D Budget Survey does not collect data on research and development (R&D) funded outside the...

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

Simon Coveney: I met with senior officials at Google in January of this year and our discussions covered a number of topics including the announcement that the company would seek to reduce its global headcount by 12,000. At that meeting the company expressed its commitment to having detailed consultations with their staff in Ireland on the job reductions, as well as restating its commitment to Ireland,...

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

Simon Coveney: The Sick Leave Act 2022 came into effect on 1st of January 2023 providing up to 3 days of employer-paid sick leave in a year, paid at 70% of gross salary up to a cap of €110 per day. I cannot provide legal advice in relation to a specific case, but I would draw your attention to section 9(1) and (2) of the Act, which state : 1. The obligations under this Act shall not apply to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: National Standards Authority of Ireland (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: I understand the matter raised relates to an application by the person concerned for certification under the Agrément scheme operated by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI). Agrément certification is a process for certifying innovative construction products where no standard exists. As such, it is a voluntary certification that provides manufacturers with a method...

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

Simon Coveney: Earlier this year, I travelled to the US West Coast for a series of high-level meetings with a range of existing IDA Ireland client companies, including the company referred to. This meeting involved high-level discussions on the technology sector and Ireland’s FDI value proposition. My Department received a notification of proposed collective redundancies from the referenced company...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Social Media (23 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: My Department has a social media policy.  It has two purposes.  Firstly, it is aimed at external stakeholders of my Department, to explain how the Department uses social media to convey its messages, and what those stakeholders can expect if they interact with the Department’s social media accounts.  Secondly, it is intended to provide guidance to Departmental staff to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (23 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: IDA Ireland has today announced the appointment of Michael Lohan to the role of CEO. Mr Lohan is currently IDA Global Head of Life Sciences and Talent Transformation and Innovation and is a member of the organisation’s Executive Leadership team. He will take up his new role on 17th April 2023. In that regard, I look forward to working with the new CEO, and the IDA Board, as we work...

Confidence in Government: Motion (29 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: I think we hit a nerve there.

Confidence in Government: Motion (29 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: More came home last year than left.

Confidence in Government: Motion (29 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: More came home last year than left.

Confidence in Government: Motion (29 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: That is misrepresentative.

Confidence in Government: Motion (29 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: I am happy to speak in support of the motion of confidence in the Government. I respect that Opposition parties have a job to do to hold the Government to account. In truth, however, the putting down of a motion of no confidence in the Government by the Labour Party seems to me to be far more out about competition and headlines among Opposition parties than anything else. It comes in the...

Confidence in Government: Motion (29 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: Rubbish.

Confidence in Government: Motion (29 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: More Irish people came home than left last year. The Deputy should stick to the facts.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Public Procurement Contracts (28 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has not entered into any contracts with the companies specified from 2016 to date.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Official Travel (28 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: This year’s St Patrick’s Day 2023 programme saw the widest yet engagement by Ireland with Ministers reaching out to partner governments and Irish communities on every continent. In all, 36 representatives of the State brought Ireland’s message to 74 cities in 44 countries. St Patrick’s Day offers an unmatched opportunity to promote Ireland abroad. It is an...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Oireachtas Committees (28 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy will be aware, like many public representatives I receive text messages and phone calls from phone numbers I do not know, this is often people reaching out to ask for assistance or simply make contact. On December 29th 2021 I was informed that a twitter account was publishing screen grabs of unsolicited text messages being sent to my phone along with commentary on the social...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Apr 2023)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of housing again, as she does most weeks. The Government is more than aware of the pressures on many families across the country. We made a decision that extending the ban on evictions would make the problem worse, not better, and I believe that was the right decision to make. We are putting billions of euro into ensuring we provide the housing...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Apr 2023)

Simon Coveney: She could also be a bit more honest in respect of her party’s performance when it has been in government and held housing ministries. In Northern Ireland, the figure of less than 900 social houses for last year is a decrease on the previous year of 36%. The number of building starts last year was just over 1,700, a decrease of 29%. Northern Ireland, where Sinn Féin has some...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Apr 2023)

Simon Coveney: -----is the British Government.