Results 5,901-5,920 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Retail Sector (18 Oct 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for raising this issue. As chair of the retail consultation forum I understand the importance of the retail sector and its crucial role in supporting jobs in every city, town and village in the State. Recent figures from the Central Statistics Office show that more than 300,000 people are employed in the wholesale and retail sector. The retail consultation forum...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Retail Sector (18 Oct 2018)

Heather Humphreys: As a former employee of the credit union movement, I certainly support any efforts, arrangements, or vehicles whereby the credit union movement is allowed to support businesses. I firmly believe that it can play a very important role in that. To that extent I met one of the members of the Credit Union Managers Association, CUMA, organisation and I have asked the association to put forward...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Retail Sector (18 Oct 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I met representatives of the four pillar banks, in particular Ms Francesca McDonagh, CEO of Bank of Ireland, Mr. Bernard Byrne, group CEO of AIB, and Ms Jane Howard, chief executive of Ulster Bank, and we discussed the following topics: the importance of the banks in supporting enterprise resilience in the context of Brexit, access to finance, the relatively high cost of credit in Ireland...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Development Plan Funding (18 Oct 2018)

Heather Humphreys: My Department launched the first call of the disruptive technologies innovation fund, DTIF, on 29 June 2018 and expressions of interest were sought by the deadline of 3 p.m. on Friday, 17 August 2018. Information on the fund and how to apply was provided by my Department with the support of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland. Expressions of interest were sought...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Development Plan Funding (18 Oct 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I reassure the Deputy that it is a very independent panel of experts which will assess these applications. The applications are very technical, they are about disruptive technologies and what will happen in the future. It is about protecting the jobs of the future because we want to help companies come forward with new technology. We all know the change the phone made in our lives. We are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Development Plan Funding (18 Oct 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I can assure the Deputy that the process is robust and transparent. Experts will send their recommendations to the Minister who will sign off final approval, which is normal. It is a very independent and robust system and I am very satisfied that all of what ultimately comes to my desk will have been thoroughly evaluated. I want to see projects come through which get the best value for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Development Plan Funding (18 Oct 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I will refer to the types of projects that will be funded. They must include the use of disruptive technologies that will significantly alter the way we work and live. It will involve collaboration, innovation and-or be disruptive in its impact on one of the sectors in the research priority areas. That includes ICT, health and well-being, food, energy, climate action and sustainability,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Climate Change Policy (18 Oct 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I am very much aware that climate change represents a significant challenge for our economy and society. My Department’s vision is to make Ireland the best place to succeed in business, delivering sustainable full employment and higher standards of living across all regions of the country. My Department incorporates climate action into policy making; funds research related to climate...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation (18 Oct 2018)

Heather Humphreys: Since becoming Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, I have made jobs and enterprise in the regions my top priority. Enterprise development has been central to our success in reducing unemployment from a high of 16% to 5.4% at the end of September - the lowest level in over a decade. The Midlands has seen good progress, with employment in the region increasing by 14% from Q1...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Gender Balance (18 Oct 2018)

Heather Humphreys: My Department strongly supports gender balance and is represented on the Government's 'Better Balance for Business Review Group'. In terms of board membership of agencies, I take a particular interest in achieving strong gender balance. The agencies under the remit of my Department operate a range of programmes which provide funding to companies and research projects in line with their...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Arms Trade (18 Oct 2018)

Heather Humphreys: The EU operates a robust export control framework intended to counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, to support regional stability and to protect human rights. My Department is responsible for implementing EU controls on the export of dual-use items and military equipment from Ireland as part of this framework. My Department is also responsible for implementing EU and UN...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Supports (18 Oct 2018)

Heather Humphreys: The Brexit Loan Scheme provides affordable working capital to eligible businesses with up to 499 employees that are or will be impacted by Brexit and meet the scheme criteria. The €23 million exchequer funding (€14 million from my Department and €9 million from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine) has been leveraged to provide a fund of up to €300...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Competitiveness (18 Oct 2018)

Heather Humphreys: Notwithstanding our strong economic growth, addressing Ireland’s cost competitiveness remains a key economic priority for Government and we continue to monitor Ireland's cost base and analyse the factors that are crucial to improving our cost competitiveness. The Costs of Doing Business in Ireland 2018 Report, and the Ireland’s Competitiveness Scorecard 2018, published by...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Proposed Legislation (18 Oct 2018)

Heather Humphreys: On 12 June 2018, the Government approved the drafting of the Unfair Contract Terms (Gift Vouchers) Bill 2018. The Bill provides, first, that gift vouchers must be valid for a minimum term of five years and, secondly, that the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, would have power to set fees for the issue and replacement of gift vouchers and for inactive balances on gift vouchers...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Small and Medium Enterprises Supports (18 Oct 2018)

Heather Humphreys: Brexit is undoubtedly the most significant challenge facing Irish enterprise in over 50 years. For 2019, I am allocating an extra €8m to the enterprise agencies and regulatory bodies under my Department, who work with firms at the coalface to develop their supports for business, including those based in County Kildare. I also announced a longer term loan facility of up to €300m...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Retail Sector (18 Oct 2018)

Heather Humphreys: As Chair of the Retail Consultation Forum I am committed to understanding and supporting the needs of the retail sector. My Department established and convenes the Retail Consultation Forum to enable key issues affecting the retail sector to be discussed, with a view to identifying practical actions which could be taken by Government, or by industry itself, to support sustainable jobs growth...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Supports (18 Oct 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I am very conscious of the potential exposure of the Border counties to Brexit and the deep links with local economies on both sides of the Border. The agencies under my remit have an extensive range of supports available to enable companies to both consolidate market share and continue to pursue new opportunities to grow their market presence within the UK. In Budget 2019, I am...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Local Enterprise Offices Remit (18 Oct 2018)

Heather Humphreys: My priority as Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation is to drive the creation of high-quality and sustainable jobs around all the regions and Counties of Ireland. In our Budget, this Government has set a clear focus on regional jobs and investment, innovation and building resilience to potential Brexit shocks. In that regard,I have allocated additional funding of €5...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement Reports (18 Oct 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 37 together. I, as Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation have the statutory power to seek information from the Director of Corporate Enforcement about the performance of the Director’s functions under section 955(1)(a) of the Companies Act 2014. However, this statutory power does not extend to the publication of such information. ...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Growth Initiatives (18 Oct 2018)

Heather Humphreys: Since the first publication of the Action Plan for Jobs in 2012, Ireland's economy has performed stronger than we thought possible at that time. Unemployment has reduced from a high of almost 16% to 5.4% in September 2018, according to the latest monthly unemployment figures from the CSO. In March of this year, my Department published Enterprise 2025 Renewed. This involved reviewing our...