Results 6,021-6,040 of 6,083 for speaker:Alan Dillon

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Services (30 Sep 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank both Deputies for raising this important matter around concerns relating to the delivery of maternity services at Portiuncula University Hospital. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, who is unavoidably absent today. The safety and quality of our maternity services are of critical importance to the women and families who use them, as well as to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Services (30 Sep 2025)

Alan Dillon: Again, I thank the Deputies for raising this important matter. I am sure they will understand that the Government and the Minister for Health are very much committed to ensuring that all women and families receive the highest standard of care, both at Portiuncula and across all maternity services nationally. The Minister and her Department officials will continue to work closely with the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (30 Sep 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank Deputy Farrelly for raising this important matter. I take his point. I was a backbencher too so I understand the frustration when you put in a Topical Issue and the relevant Minister or Minister of State is not present. I will relay that back to the Chief Whip. The Government is very much committed to supporting children with additional needs to reach their full potential, and...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (30 Sep 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank the Deputy for articulating the case for Scoil Mochua and the challenges it faces. It is no different than any other constituency. Indeed, I have faced many challenges regarding families and children deserving and demanding access to resources. There is a challenging environment. I acknowledge the particular circumstances the Deputy mentioned. When one engages with the NCSE, it...

Seanad: Growing and Building Resilience in Ireland’s Small Business and Retail Sector: Statements (2 Oct 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank the Members of the House for the opportunity to attend today to discuss the important work programme of the Department. I will speak about a matter of profound importance to our economy, communities and national resilience, which is the future of Ireland's small businesses and the retail sector. I will apprise the House of the work undertaken to ensure maximum possible resilience is...

Seanad: Growing and Building Resilience in Ireland’s Small Business and Retail Sector: Statements (2 Oct 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank Senators Scahill, Crowe and Ryan for their valuable contributions. It is great for me to be here in the Seanad to discuss our departmental work across government but also to outline how we can continue to support and build resilience within our SMEs and retail sector. I appreciate the valuable contributions and the matters raised. Our Department plays a crucial role along with...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (1 Oct 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Public Consultation in question was carried out to inform a comprehensive year-long independent study which is examining the factors contributing to our plateaued recycling performance and assessing the current waste collection model and its role in supporting the delivery of national and EU circular economy and waste targets. The consultation garnered significant engagement,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (1 Oct 2025)

Alan Dillon: In April 2025, my Department launched a public consultation to obtain views of interested stakeholders across the wider employment and enterprise sectors on the possible content of the action plan on the promotion of collective bargaining. In total, 80 responses were received, including from members of the public, employer representatives, trade unions and academic institutions.The responses...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (1 Oct 2025)

Alan Dillon: The employment permit system is designed to support businesses across the State in addressing skills and labour shortages that cannot be met through the Irish or EEA workforce. By facilitating access to talent from outside the EEA, the system enables companies to remain competitive, sustain operations, and continue delivering essential services. Since 2015, a high volume of employment...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (1 Oct 2025)

Alan Dillon: A total of 56 cases have been taken to the WRC under the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 in the category of the right to request remote work/ the right to request flexible work as of the 26th September 2025. In 2024, the WRC received a total of 33 complaints, 28 of which have now been closed. 1 complaint was upheld and 10 were rejected. 14 complaints were withdrawn...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (1 Oct 2025)

Alan Dillon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 56 and 57 together. 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. Under the Act, employers are obliged to consider such a request having regard to their needs, the employee’s needs, and the requirements of the Code of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (30 Sep 2025)

Alan Dillon: Our textile separate collection system is currently under strain due to adverse international trading conditions caused by wars and currency crises around the globe. This is a complex problem being experienced across Europe at the moment. Under waste management legislation, local authorities are responsible for waste management planning and this includes managing capacity issues and the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (30 Sep 2025)

Alan Dillon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 220, 221 and 222 together. The Waste Management (Farm Plastics) Regulations 2001 require producers of farm plastics to either establish a deposit and refund scheme for farm plastic waste or to participate in an approved compliance scheme for its recovery and recycling. Since the introduction of the farm plastics extended producer responsibility (EPR) model,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (30 Sep 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Department is conducting a review of the performance of the WEEE and Batteries extended producer responsibility sector. The review is intended to ensure that the producer responsibility organisations (PROs) are contributing effectively to Ireland's transition to a circular economy. The review will assess their performance and examine the experience of having competition in the compliance...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (30 Sep 2025)

Alan Dillon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 369, 370 and 377 together. The Programme for Government is clear on the intention to support small businesses and I am aware of the issues facing retailers across the country. The establishment of the Small Business Unit within my Department is a recognition of the importance that the Government places on small businesses. We have simplified access to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (30 Sep 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. Under the Act, employers are obliged to consider such a request having regard to their needs, the employee’s needs, and the requirements of the Code of Practice. Employees have recourse to the Workplace Relations...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Small and Medium Enterprises (30 Sep 2025)

Alan Dillon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 378 and 379 together. The SME Test is a tool that encourages policymakers across Government to consider the impact that any new measures may have on SMEs, and to mitigate against those impacts where appropriate. The SME Test was designed to invite consideration of less stringent compliance requirements for smaller companies, where appropriate and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (30 Sep 2025)

Alan Dillon: The National Enterprise Hub (NEH), which is operated by Enterprise Ireland on behalf of my Department, was launched in July 2024 to make it easier for SMEs to engage with government supports. The NEH is an online resource providing details of all government supports for business. It has directly supported over 8,000 SMEs since its launch and has attracted over 220,000 active online users...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (30 Sep 2025)

Alan Dillon: The €500 million Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme, jointly developed by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, is underpinned by a partial guarantee from the European Investment Bank Group and the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (the SBCI). SBCI also operate the Scheme. This scheme offers long-term...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (30 Sep 2025)

Alan Dillon: 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 the benefit of our economy. My Department is committed to...