Results 5,481-5,500 of 5,688 for speaker:Alan Dillon

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Policy (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: Certainly, the potential is enormous. I talked to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and officials about this really important matter yesterday. Work has commenced on the implementation of the strategy in parallel with the delivery of many of the 21 actions currently in place that I outlined earlier. The delivery and commencement programme this year will be an important step forward in that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Policy (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: This is something that the Department is engaging with the industry on, including with many of the key stakeholders in the industry who are working in the area of hydrogen itself, along with the Health and Safety Authority, HSA. We are working on this from a safety point of view, as well as in terms of best practice to ensure that we have the best and safest practices going forward. As...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank Deputy Moynihan for raising this important issue. The national broadband plan, NBP, is the Government's initiative to deliver high-speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland. National Broadband Ireland is connecting more than 4,000 homes each month. In the Deputy’s own county of Cork, more than 36,490 premises are passed with a high-speed broadband network and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Deputy raised an important point. NBI has done a tremendous job on the roll-out. It is an all-of-Ireland contract across each of the Twenty-six Counties and significant progress has been made, as I said. More than 65,000 homes, farms and businesses are being moved to early completion dates in 2025, nine months earlier than had been originally scheduled, so NBI has made significant...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: I understand the Deputy's frustration and the passion he has for the delivery of this in the areas he represents. However, there has been significant progress in the priority areas such as deployment to schools and enterprise hubs and in ensuring that they have the right manpower in each of the areas to cover each of the regions. We have seen the success in many communities in terms of what...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (18 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: Textile banks located around the country are provided and managed by local authorities, the charity sector and a number of private operators. In relation to local authority textile banks, I understand that local authorities have contracts or arrangements in place with commercial operators managing the banks and there can be servicing issues, due to high volumes of material being deposited...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (18 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: My department operates the employment permits system in accordance with the Employment Permits Act 2024. The 2024 Act represents the biggest reform of employment permits legislation in over a decade, allowing for a more modern, flexible employment permits system as well as ensuring employee rights are maintained. The employment permits legislation sets out various criteria that must be...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Weather Events (18 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: Since my appointment as Minister of State with responsibility for Small Business and Retail, I have been closely monitoring the situation in relation to Storm Éowyn and its impacts on the business community through regular updates from the National Emergency Coordination Group and updates from Local Enterprise Offices in the counties with the most significant and prolonged impacts. In...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (19 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: The right to request a remote working arrangement for all employees was commenced through the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 on 6 March 2024. The right to a request flexible working arrangement, such as adjusted working patterns or reduced hours, is available to parents and carers under the Act. Employers are obliged to have regard to the Code of Practice...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (19 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: Trading online is an important route for retail businesses to grow and improve. Developing digital capability with a strong online presence will assist retailers to become sustainable, increase their customer base and reduce their costs. The online Retail Scheme was introduced by my Department in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland as part of the ongoing work of the Retail Forum. From...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: Family reunification policy for non-EEA nationals falls within the remit of the Department of Justice. Consequently, I can confirm that my Department does not apply conditions to family reunification through the employment permit system. I do, however, acknowledge that the minimum salaries for which an employment permit can be issued are an important factor in family reunification. ...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: The right to request a remote working arrangement has been available to all employees under the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 since 6 March 2024. The Act includes obligations for the employee and the employer with regard to requests for remote working arrangements, including details on how the request shall be made by the employee and details on how the employer...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: European Union (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Unified Patent Court (UPC) is an International court set up by participating EU Member States to deal with the infringement and validity of Unitary Patents. The international Agreement on a Unified Patent Court was signed by many EU Member States during Ireland’s EU Presidency in 2013, with a view to establishing the Unified Patent Court. The UPC and the Unitary Patent entered...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Policies (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: My Department does not operate a scheme of the type referred to by the Deputy (i.e. road closures or diversions caused by state-funded construction that reduces footfall or prevents access to businesses). However, I would of course hope that businesses and contractors would have a constructive dialogue about issues of the kind raised by the question.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: I am aware of the Respect at Work Campaign which is seeking new protections for workers seeking to organise in their workplaces. Our Programme for Government commits to the development of an Action Plan to promote collective bargaining as required by the EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages. Article 4 of the Directive, Promotion of Collective Bargaining on Wage Setting , aims to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: Balanced regional development remains a key focus for me and this Government. My Department and its agencies contribute to this agenda in several ways, including through nine Regional Enterprise Plans (REPs). These are bottom-up plans developed and led by regional stakeholders, which focus on collaborative initiatives to strengthen the enterprise ecosystem in each region. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Policies (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: While I have not had the opportunity to engage with this group and have not received correspondence from them, I am very conscious that the Night Time Economy brings social and economic benefits to towns and villages across Ireland. It is an important driver of tourism, contributes to our economy, our culture and creative sectors.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Small and Medium Enterprises (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 44 together. The SME sector in Ireland is one of the most productive job creators in our society and they are also one of the most vital sectors to the success of the Irish economy. The Programme of Government is committed to bring forward measures to support SMEs including: develop an all-island innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem support...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Small and Medium Enterprises (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Programme for Government is clear in setting out the importance of SMEs to our highly competitive economy. Through the lens of the SME Test, we are driving home the importance of the “think small first” principle and scrutinising new legislation and regulation to ensure that SMEs are not disproportionately impacted. Officials from my Department, and the Department of the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Functions (20 Feb 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Programme for Government is clear in the intention to support small businesses and, in particular, the retail and hospitality sectors. The new Small Business Unit to be established in the coming weeks in my Department will be one of the tools utilised to ensure the delivery of targeted support for small businesses. These small businesses continue to be the backbone of our local and...