Results 4,901-4,920 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (7 Feb 2018)

Heather Humphreys: As I indicated earlier, I am not familiar with the details of this dispute but I encourage the employees to bring it to the attention of the WRC in the first instance. I ask them to make contact with the WRC because they have rights. This type of behaviour should not be happening and the WRC is there to deal with those kind of issues because we do not want to see any employee victimised or...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (7 Feb 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I agree with the Deputy that the exploitation of workers is wrong and should not be happening. I can only say that there is a very strong and robust system in place through the WRC. I strongly urge the workers to make contact with the commission.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Startup Funding (7 Feb 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The co-operative model is one of a number of legal options available to those considering establishing themselves in business. The different models have their own distinct characteristics. It is, of course, up to each individual operation to choose the model that best suits the nature of the business and the desired ethos of the entity. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Startup Funding (7 Feb 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I am a huge advocate for the co-operative movement, as the Deputy knows. I worked in the credit union movement, which is one of the greatest co-operative movements across the country. Responsibility for that lies with the Department of Finance. I am responsible for the legislation but we support co-operative movements as businesses through LEOs and through Enterprise Ireland. Supports do...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Startup Funding (7 Feb 2018)

Heather Humphreys: The credit unions, which I am very familiar with, are regulated by the Central Bank. That proposal can go to the Minister for Finance. There is a need for a full root and branch review of the existing legislative framework that has evolved in a piecemeal fashion over the last century. That is the Friendly Societies and Industrial and Provident Societies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014,...

Other Questions: Regional Development Initiatives (7 Feb 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The Enterprise Ireland regional enterprise development fund, REDF, launched in May 2017, is a €60 million competitive fund aimed at supporting significant regional initiatives that will build on sectoral strengths and improve enterprise capability across the regions. The REDF is intended to support the ambition, goals and implementation of...

Other Questions: Regional Development Initiatives (7 Feb 2018)

Heather Humphreys: There were two successful applications in the mid-west region. Emerald Aero Cluster Group was the successful applicant under call one of stream four. Stream four is to support significant industry clustering initiatives with grants of €50,000 to €250,000 per project. Emerald Aero Cluster Group is a cluster of 14 indigenous manufacturing companies brought together with the...

Other Questions: Regional Development Initiatives (7 Feb 2018)

Heather Humphreys: Some applications were not successful. It is a competitive process but there are some who did not receive funding. There are other initiatives and ideas that have yet to come forward for the second tranche of the funding. I encourage applicants to consider coming forward under the second call which I will launch in the springtime. All successful applicants under the first call can receive...

Other Questions: IDA Ireland Supports (7 Feb 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for her question and for her good wishes. As Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation and as a Deputy from Cavan-Monaghan, this topic is very close to my heart. Regional development is a key priority of mine and I am focused on increasing investment in every county in Ireland. IDA Ireland shares this objective and I am pleased that its results for 2017 show that...

Other Questions: IDA Ireland Supports (7 Feb 2018)

Heather Humphreys: IDA Ireland has a dedicated regional manager for the north-east-north-west region and has an office in the Cavan Innovation and Technology Centre. As part of its strategy to encourage investment to the area, the agency is focusing on sectors including agrifood, manufacturing, tourism, internationally traded services and clean tech. IDA Ireland also regularly engages with key stakeholders on...

Other Questions: IDA Ireland Supports (7 Feb 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I agree with the Deputy about the number of visits to Cavan and Monaghan. I want to support Cavan and Monaghan, but I also want to support the Border region in every way I can. There will certainly be a strong focus on job creation in the region. Last week, I met the CEs of Monaghan, Cavan, Louth and Meath county councils along with senior officials from IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and...

Other Questions: IDA Ireland Site Visits (7 Feb 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. IDA Ireland is leading our efforts to attract even more foreign direct investment to regional areas. The agency continues to work towards key development targets set out in its 2015-19 strategy, including increasing investment by 30% to 40% in every region. Since the launch of that strategy, half of all jobs created by its client companies have...

Other Questions: IDA Ireland Site Visits (7 Feb 2018)

Heather Humphreys: IDA Ireland cannot direct companies to go to a particular place. It competes in a very competitive global market. To get some of those companies to come to Ireland is quite an achievement. IDA Ireland is focused on the regions and is doing its utmost to increase regional investment. The goal is to increase investment in every region by 2019 by 30% to 40%. For example, Northern Trust...

Other Questions: IDA Ireland Site Visits (7 Feb 2018)

Heather Humphreys: Most of the companies seeking to locate in this country carry out their own assessments first. That is why sometimes people may be talking down regions, which is not a good idea because that negativity can influence companies' decisions. IDA Ireland is committed to the regions. It has informed me that it is doing everything it can to increase investment across the regions. The Deputy can...

Other Questions: Workplace Relations Commission (7 Feb 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 39 together. I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which I am addressing on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Breen, who is out of the country. Lead policy responsibility for the fishing sector rests with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. While the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, and the Health and Safety...

Other Questions: Workplace Relations Commission (7 Feb 2018)

Heather Humphreys: Of the fleet, 95% - 165 vessels - has been inspected. This entailed 239 inspections. There are 181 whitefish vessels of over 15 m in length, but only 174 of these are operational. On this basis, 95% of the target fleet had been inspected by the end of 2017. The objective of WRC inspections is to determine compliance with a range of employment rights, entitlements and obligations,...

Other Questions: Workplace Relations Commission (7 Feb 2018)

Heather Humphreys: To reiterate, 95% of the fleet has been inspected and good work has been done. The WRC acts independently of my office. There are processes for employees to report situations to the WRC, which will be followed up on and checked.

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (7 Feb 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Deputy McConalogue for raising this issue. He is right, in that I am conscious of the challenges that Brexit will present in the Border region. I appreciate the importance of ensuring that Irish businesses, including those located in Donegal, are best able to withstand the pressures that Brexit may exert. That is why additional financial resources have been secured to support the...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (7 Feb 2018)

Heather Humphreys: It is important to remember that site visit activity does not necessarily reflect investment potential. At least 70% of all new foreign direct investment comes from existing IDA Ireland client companies. Donegal is now home to 12 IDA Ireland companies, employing 3,389 people. If one comes from Cavan and Monaghan, like Deputy Brendan Smith and me, one would be very envious. The figure for...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (7 Feb 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I said earlier that many companies looking at Ireland for potential investment do much of the research themselves. They have looked at the different areas and they want to see what suits them best. I assure the Deputy that IDA Ireland is doing everything it can to get investors into the regions. It has a target of between 30% and 40% of all investment being in the regions. I am very...