Results 5,681-5,700 of 5,824 for speaker:Alan Dillon

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (14 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: Work Permits (15 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: The attraction and retention of recent graduates in the labour market is an important facet of ensuring Ireland continues to foster a highly skilled workforce. This topic was raised by many of the respondents to the recent ‘Consultation on Increases to Employment Permit Minimum Annual Remuneration Thresholds’. Input on this matter was received from representatives of both third...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (13 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), based within the 31 Local Authorities, are the first stop shop for local businesses in Ireland. In the first instance LEOs provide a signposting service for all government supports available to all small businesses including sole-traders and family-run businesses and can provide information/referrals to other relevant bodies under agreed protocols e.g....

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (13 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: Balanced regional development is a Government priority; a central component of the White Paper on Enterprise 2022-2030 is to support balanced regional enterprise development. My Department and its agencies contribute to this agenda in several ways, including through the nine Regional Enterprise Plans (REPs). These are bottom-up plans developed and led by regional stakeholders, which focus on...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Water Services (13 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Government is aware of the need for significant investment in Ireland’s water and wastewater infrastructure on a national level. The White Paper on Enterprise 2022-2030 identifies the importance of ensuring a competitive enterprise environment; a key consideration is the carrying capacity of the economy, including adequate provision of physical infrastructure such as transport,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (13 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Employment Permits Section of the Department informs me that it has not received a recent application in respect of the person in the details supplied. On the 3rd of July 2024 a renewal application was received in respect of the person concerned and on the 9th of October 2024 it was refused as the application was for a role with a different employer to the employer stated on the permit...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (13 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Government is committed to backing business and will continue to work closely with small and medium sized businesses through our enterprise development agencies to support their growth, competitiveness, find new markets, create jobs and take on the twin challenges of decarbonisation and digitalisation. The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), located within the 31 Local Authorities,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Legislative Programme (13 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025 was published on 1 April 2025. The Bill will deliver a new employment right by providing that, in general, an employer may not enforce a contractual retirement age which is below the State Pension Age (age 66) if the employee does not consent to retire. The Bill completed Second Stage in the Dáil on 8 April 2025. The timeline...

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

Alan Dillon: My department commenced the Employment Permits Act 2024 in September last year, representing the biggest reform of employment permits legislation in over a decade. The 2024 Act allows for a more modern, flexible employment permits system as well as ensuring employee rights are maintained. The 2024 Act updated the labour market needs test (LMNT) process by eliminating the need for hard...

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

Alan Dillon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 381 to 387, inclusive, together. Ireland operates a managed employment permits system maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising disruption to Ireland’s labour market. The system is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to fill skills and/or labour shortages required to develop and support...

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

Alan Dillon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 388 and 390 together. Ireland operates a managed employment permits system maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising disruption to Ireland’s labour market. The system is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to fill skills and/or labour shortages required to develop and support enterprise for...

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

Alan Dillon: The Seasonal Employment Permit (SEP) is a new short-term employment permit. This year, a pilot scheme is operating to test its long term viability. The SEP allows third-country nationals to work in Ireland for three to seven months in a twelve month period. SEP holders must leave Ireland for five months before returning. The SEP pilot launched earlier this year, with an initial focus on...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Renewable Energy Generation (21 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank Senator Lynch for raising this important topic, which is particularly important for her constituency in Cork. It is an important issue. I recently attended the all-Ireland summit on the bioeconomy. This was a really important summit that brought together key industry partners, academia and those working in the bioeconomy, the biomethane sector and the circular economy. There was...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Renewable Energy Generation (21 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: Priority deliverables under the biomethane strategy include the development of planning guidelines. Many communities, not just that of the Senator's in Cork, deserve the right to engage in the planning process so that there is extensive consultation, they have oversight of any environmental assessments being undertaken and that in respect of this engagement between the local authority and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Qualifications Recognition (22 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: In order to be granted a General Employment Permit in respect of the role concerned, there is a requirement under the Employment Permits legislation that the vacancy concerned should be advertised for a minimum of 28 days on an online platform. This is a legal requirement, known as the Labour Market Needs Test. I note that the application concerned was only advertised for 18 days. In the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (22 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: It is important to note that the Plan of Action on Collective Redundancies following Insolvency represents Government policy in this area. The Cahill-Duffy report was in response to particular terms of reference which were quite narrow and specific and do not address the generality of redundancies that arise in insolvency situations. Following extensive engagement with the social partners,...

Protection of Employees (Employers’ Insolvency) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (28 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: It is a Government Bill.

Protection of Employees (Employers’ Insolvency) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (28 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank all the Deputies who contributed to this considered debate. I would like to respond to some of the matters raised. Deputy Guirke asked about what is currently being done to support workers where a company is an insolvency. The State has always been to the fore in providing a safety net for employees in the event that their employer enters insolvency. Where the employer is...

Protection of Employees (Employers' Insolvency) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Referral to Select Committee (28 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment pursuant to Standing Orders 103(2)(b) and 188(1).

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (27 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: As of the 20th May 2025 out of the quota of 600 permits allocated in respect of the above occupations 370 have been issued under soc code 5229. There are currently no plans to review these quotas. However, where a sector wishes to have a quota extended, or a role fully removed from the ineligible occupations list (i.e. not subject to a quota), the sector should make an evidenced-based...