Results 5,661-5,680 of 5,688 for speaker:Alan Dillon

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (1 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: Enterprise Ireland, as an agency of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, has historically provided grant aid to support the development and sustainability of community enterprise centres across Ireland. These centres play a pivotal role in fostering entrepreneurship, offering workspace, mentoring and networking opportunities to entrepreneurs, start-ups and small businesses. ...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Data (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: One of the goals of the EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages, under Article 4, is to increase the number of workers covered by collective bargaining on wage setting. The Directive requires Member States with a collective bargaining coverage below 80%, such as Ireland, to provide “for a framework of enabling conditions for collective bargaining” and to publish an action plan...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Data (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: Ireland operates a managed, vacancy-led employment permits system maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. This approach complements the policy objective of Government to upskill the resident population at all levels. Where specific skills prove difficult to source within the European Economic Area (EEA), and where the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Trade Unions (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: It has been the consistent policy of successive Irish Governments to promote collective bargaining through the development of an institutional framework supportive of a voluntary system of industrial relations that is premised upon freedom of contract and freedom of association. There is an extensive range of statutory provisions designed to back up the voluntary bargaining process. The...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Data (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Trade Union Act, 1941 requires any body of persons which wishes to carry on negotiations on the fixing of wages or other conditions of employment to hold a negotiation licence granted by my Department Within one month after 31st December each year a trade union which is the holder of a negotiation licence shall send to my Department a statement of the number of its members on the 31st...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Relations (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Private Members Bill 2021 lapsed with the dissolution of the last Dáil. It could not be supported by Government as the proposed changes would fundamentally undermine the very concept of industrial relations, a process essentially involving workers and their employers. My Department’s...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Schemes (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: Social enterprises are an important and growing part of Ireland’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, creating jobs and stimulating local economic activity and are recognised as an integral part of Ireland’s broad enterprise policy landscape. Responsibility for social enterprise is within the remit of the Department of Rural and Community Development. There are a wide range of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Inquiries (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: Ireland operates a managed, vacancy-led employment permits system maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. This approach complements the policy objective of Government to upskill the resident population at all levels. Where specific skills prove difficult to source within the European Economic Area (EEA), and where the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Inquiries (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: My Department’s new Portal-based employment permits IT system – ‘Employment Permits Online’ was launched on the 28th April 2025. The previous employment permit service utilised older technologies which were no longer fit for purpose. The new modern cloud-based system will transform the way in which employment permits are submitted, processed and issued. It will...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: Ireland operates a managed, vacancy-led employment permits system maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. This approach complements the policy objective of Government to upskill the resident population at all levels. Where specific skills prove difficult to source within the European Economic Area (EEA), and where the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Inquiries (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Employment Permits Act 2024 introduced a provision that allows a permit holder to change a pending application from a general employment permit to a critical skills employment permit. This provision reduces the administrative burden on both the department and users of the system by eliminating the need for re-submitting of applications in this situation. This change is part of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Inquiries (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: While the Employment Permits Act 2024 introduced a provision that allows a permit holder to change a pending application from a general employment permit to a critical skills employment permit, it is not permitted to make such a change once a permit has been issued. A new application would be required in that case. The Department's website provides information on applying for an employment...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: This Government is fully committed to supporting workers. Legislation in this area is kept under active review to reflect national and international developments, including at European Union, Court of Justice, and International Labour Organisation level. Measures taken since 2020 include the following:The Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025 was published on 1 April 2025 and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: Ireland operates a managed, vacancy-led employment permits system maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. This approach complements the policy objective of Government to upskill the resident population at all levels. Where specific skills prove difficult to source within the European Economic Area (EEA), and where the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (7 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: I am pleased to inform you that the Consultation on Increases to Employment Permit Minimum Annual Remuneration (MAR) Thresholds closed in January 2025 after significant engagement. The consultation attracted a total of over 150 responses that were received from across a broad range of sectors, including from employers, permit holders, trade unions and representative bodies. The consultation...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (7 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: A well-functioning labour market and good working conditions are essential components of sustainable and inclusive growth. As part of the efforts to maintain this, the Government operates a managed employment permits system which is highly responsive to labour market needs. I recognise the valuable role migrant workers play in Irish society, particularly in critical areas such as healthcare...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (7 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Grow Digital Voucher was launched on the 4th of September 2024. This new digital support has replaced the Trading Online Voucher (TOV) which was closed to new applications on 13th December 2024. The Grow Digital Voucher has a much broader eligible expenditure criteria covering a wider range of digital supports as well being available to a larger cohort of businesses, in comparison to the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (7 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: Enterprise Ireland's Digital Process Innovationgrant is one of several supports provided under Ireland's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). It is targeted at businesses that are seeking greater integration of digital technology for improved efficiency. NRRP funding is provided to Ireland through the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility and is used to support businesses through the...

Trade Union Recognition Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (14 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: I welcome the opportunity to discuss Government's position on Second Stage of this Private Members' Bill, the Trade Union Recognition Bill 2021. The Bill aims to establish a legal mechanism for trade union recognition for workers, who constitute at least 20% of employees in an employment or any category within that employment. It also proposes criminal sanctions for employers who fail to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (14 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: My Department launched a new online Employment Permits System on 28th April. The new system is designed to deliver an improved customer experience and a more efficient and responsive service. This new system introduces a portal space with separate and individual accounts for both employers, employees and agents, making it easier to get up-to-date information on the status of applications. ...