Results 40,581-40,600 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: European Council (17 Jan 2024)

Simon Coveney: The next meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council (Trade Formation) will take place in Brussels on 22 and 23 January 2024. I will attend this meeting as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The event is hosted by the Belgian Presidency who will be represented by Ms. Hadja Lahbib, Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Affairs, Foreign Trade and Federal Cultural Institutions. The...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (17 Jan 2024)

Simon Coveney: Section 4A of the Credit Guarantee Act 2012, provides me with the power to give guarantees in accordance with the COVID-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme. As guarantor of the Covid-19 Credit Guarantee scheme (CCGS) my Department bears 80% of the risk should a loan under this scheme default; with the financial provider bearing the remaining 20%. I have signed legal guarantee agreements to this...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Export Controls (17 Jan 2024)

Simon Coveney: I, like all my colleagues in the government are extremely concerned with the destruction evident in the Israel-Hamas conflict. Ireland has a robust export control system in place. An authorisation is required to export dual use items to a third country and for transfers of military equipment within the EU, as a well as for export to a third country. Exports of dual use and military goods to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Economic Sanctions (17 Jan 2024)

Simon Coveney: The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is responsible for implementing trade related restrictive measures or “sanctions”. Trade sanctions are increasingly used by the international community as a means of exerting influence on various issues of international concern. Ireland fully subscribes to its international obligations in this regard. Ireland does not impose...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Data (17 Jan 2024)

Simon Coveney: IDA Ireland's 2023 results announced on 15thDecember last, showed 248 investments were won, with just under 19,000 associated jobs. 83 of these were new name investments from companies investing in Ireland for the very first time and 67 were expansions by companies already established here. Total employment in IDA clients in 2023 remains over the 300,000 mark, although the 2023 figure of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Mining Industry (23 Jan 2024)

Simon Coveney: I met with the trade unions that represent Tara Mines workers on the 17th January and discussed the Government's commitment to doing everything it can to assist in reopening the mine on a sustainable basis. This includes making available the industrial relations machinery of the State and in this respect discussions are ongoing between the management and unions facilitated by the Workplace...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (23 Jan 2024)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 and 242 together. I understand that the support scheme that the Deputy is referring to is the Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) grant. The ICOB grant was announced as part of the Budget 2024 package and will be particularly targeted at Small and Medium sized businesses who operate from a rateable premises. Firms who do not have a rateable premises are not...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Export Controls (23 Jan 2024)

Simon Coveney: Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/1922 was an instrument to amend Council Regulation (EC) No 428/2009 setting up a Community regime for the control of exports, transfer, brokering and transit of dual-use items. To take account of changes to the list of goods that are classed as dual-use, the Regulation is amended periodically, by way of updates to the Annexes. Regulation 2018/1922...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (23 Jan 2024)

Simon Coveney: Publication of the World Bank’s (WB) indicators, in the Doing Business report, has now been suspended indefinitely, while the WB formulates a new approach to assessing the business and investment climate in economies worldwide. It is expected that a new set of indicators, to be published as the ‘Business Ready’ (B-Ready), will not be available in the near term. However,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Funding (23 Jan 2024)

Simon Coveney: Over the next decade the transition to a low carbon economy will substantially alter the business environment. My Department is actively promoting and financially supporting decarbonisation across our enterprise base. We have integrated climate action into all aspects of the Department remit and our enterprise agencies’ activities. 'Integrating Decarbonisation and Net Zero Commitments'...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Data (23 Jan 2024)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 255 and 256 together. Attracting foreign direct Investment (FDI) and the pursuit of balanced regional development remain key priorities for my Department and for IDA Ireland. 248 investments were won in 2023, 83 of which were new name investments from companies investing in Ireland for the first time and 67 were expansions by companies already established...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Data (23 Jan 2024)

Simon Coveney: IDA is now in the final year of its current strategy Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth Strategy for 2021-2024and is focused on delivering on its targets of800 investments with 50% outside Dublin,50,000 additional jobs and increased economic activity,170 RD&I investments,130 training investments60 sustainability investments, anda 20% increase in client expenditure in Ireland to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Data (23 Jan 2024)

Simon Coveney: The answer to this PQ is deferred to allow for clarification with agencies under the remit of the Department. My Department will supply the information requested once it has been collated.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Data (23 Jan 2024)

Simon Coveney: There are currently 63 WRC Inspectors, comprising 55 EO Inspectors and 8 Inspector Team Managers (ITM) at the HEO level. Additionally, there are 6 vacancies at the EO Inspector level and 1 ITM Workforce planning has identified a requirement for an additional 10 Inspectors, bringing the total number of WRC Inspectors to 80. My Department continually plans recruitment campaigns to fill...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Data (23 Jan 2024)

Simon Coveney: Further to the information provided to the Deputy last week, I wish to clarify that both aggregated data and person-specific data sets are transferred by my Department to other departments, State bodies and local authorities. These transfers only occur where validation of data sets is required in order to deliver my Department's official functions. For example, a weekly transfer of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Staff (24 Jan 2024)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 105 together. The information required by the Deputy is outlined hereunder in tabular form with respect to my Department. In respect of the agencies that come within my remit, they are statutorily independent in their functions and this is an operational matter for them. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to the agencies for direct...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Brexit Issues (24 Jan 2024)

Simon Coveney: On 31st January 2024, the UK Government will introduce the first phase of its much-delayed post-Brexit import controls on goods from the EU, including Ireland. Following Brexit, all EU Member States, including Ireland, introduced full third-country customs and Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary (SPS) checks on imports from Great Britain as per the Union Customs Code and Officials Controls Regulation...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Irish Sign Language (24 Jan 2024)

Simon Coveney: I can confirm that 100% of my department’s social media video content included captions during 2023. None of the video content included Irish Sign Language translations in 2023.Please note that the social media activity of the Agencies and Public Bodies under my Department’s remit is an operational matter for those agencies, and I do not have any direct function in these matters.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Human Rights (25 Jan 2024)

Simon Coveney: I recognise the importance of businesses having a focus on human rights. It is now expected by society that businesses consider how their operations can impact on human rights. Businesses have reacted well since Ireland launched its first National Plan on Business and Human Rights (2017 -2020) towards the end of 2017. Ireland became the 19th state in the world to develop a National Plan....

Services for those Seeking Protection in Ireland: Statements (30 Jan 2024)

Simon Coveney: That was an example of remarkable co-operation. I am very pleased to have the opportunity to make a short contribution to this debate in the context of the challenging discussions and arguments we have in this House regarding migration. As Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, I think we should keep in mind just how important inward migration is for Ireland's economy. Two out...