Results 6,221-6,240 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2018)

Heather Humphreys: Insurance Ireland can still nominate somebody.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2018)

Heather Humphreys: To follow up, it is open to them to apply through the PAS system.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2018)

Heather Humphreys: The board is comprised of 11 people in total. I suggest that we have three nominations, with one person nominated by Insurance Ireland, one person nominated by the Central Bank and one person nominated by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. The Minister also normally nominates a senior departmental official to the board, which brings the number to four. Therefore, seven...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2018)

Heather Humphreys: They will be appointed via PAS. The chairperson, in conjunction with whomsoever sits on the PAS board, would consider the skill set needed. Corporate governance standards require that board members act in good faith and in the best interests of the State body. The duty of the board member is owed to the agency and not to any specific stakeholder. That is what we are trying to achieve...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2018)

Heather Humphreys: The assessors in any of these situations are independent from the board. The board acts as an oversight for the agency and makes sure that it fulfils it functions. The Central Bank operates both a regulatory function and consumer protection function, and brings experience of both aspects to the corporate governance of the board. That is why we have the Central Bank on it. The Competition...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2018)

Heather Humphreys: Section 13 inserts a new section 74A into the 2003 Act. The Comptroller and Auditor General recommended to the Department that the Department and the board agree an appropriate level of revenue reserves to be retained by PIAB and the basis for holding such a reserve. The Comptroller and Auditor General also recommended the introduction of appropriate legislation to deal with excess funds...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2018)

Heather Humphreys: For clarification, the Bill specifically provides that the Minister will have "regard to the operational, capital and contingency costs" of PIAB when determining the sum to be retained. The Department and PIAB must agree an appropriate level of revenue reserves. The Comptroller and Auditor General has recommended this. The funding it requires is also a matter for the PIAB board, which will...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Staff Data (5 Dec 2018)

Heather Humphreys: Currently there are no staff of my Department seconded to work in other EU Member States’ public sector. My Department does however participate from time to time in seconding National Experts to the European Commission and other EU Institutions. The spirit of the Seconded National Experts (SNEs) programme is to enhance and foster the exchange of professional experience in, and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (5 Dec 2018)

Heather Humphreys: The Department is part of the Public-Sector Energy Monitoring and Reporting Programme. The Public Sector Energy Report containing the 2017 data is expected to be published by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland shortly. The indicative data from this report shows an energy savings of 43% for my Department since 2006, the baseline year used. This level of savings is amongst the highest...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (5 Dec 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Chairman for giving me the opportunity to present to the select committee my Department's Supplementary Estimate for 2018. I convey the apologies of my colleagues, the Ministers of State, Deputies Halligan and Breen, who, unfortunately, cannot attend owing to other engagements. I understand my officials have provided the committee secretariat with a briefing note which sets...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (5 Dec 2018)

Heather Humphreys: We increased the 2018 budget to employ almost 100 extra staff members between the two agencies. They have got more boots on the ground, mainly abroad because they are looking for new markets. Enterprise Ireland is seeking out new markets and IDA Ireland is looking for new opportunities. There are opportunities arising from Brexit, although there are a lot of downsides. We have more boots...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (5 Dec 2018)

Heather Humphreys: We now have a working capital facility, which is a €300 million fund. We are putting the money aside to provide for the €300 million long-term loan, which will be loaned over terms from eight to ten years. First of all, borrowers must apply to the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, SBCI, to see if they are eligible. They will receive an answer to that in a turnaround...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (5 Dec 2018)

Heather Humphreys: We will do. Members might have heard the radio campaign advertising the €300 million working capital facility. That has a three-year term, and really acts as an overdraft facility. It has a 4% interest rate. We did a good bit of advertising for that, and we will do the same for this long-term scheme. I will send the Deputies notice of this scheme whenever it is approved. We have...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (5 Dec 2018)

Heather Humphreys: This year it will be based on the commitments that they have. The offices have indicated where they can spend this money before the end of the year. Next year I have increased the budget by €5 million, and I will ask them to come forward with proposals at that stage on a competitive basis. We must ensure the money is spent well. The local enterprise offices have performed really...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (5 Dec 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. He referred to Enterprise Ireland's 10% level of equity in businesses and it is a policy decision because we do not want to crowd out other investors. It is working well and if Enterprise Ireland felt at any stage that it wanted to increase the level, it would be fair enough and its representatives could come talk to us. We would certainly look at it. Currently there...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (5 Dec 2018)

Heather Humphreys: We are doing that.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (5 Dec 2018)

Heather Humphreys: A company can get up to €500,000 unsecured or a maximum loan of €3 million.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (5 Dec 2018)

Heather Humphreys: That is available now. It is the account of the failings identified by the judge, who very clearly outlined the issues that needed to be addressed. We have taken all of those on board and they are in the report, which is available. We have acted on many of the issues and we will bring new legislation through which will set up the ODCE as an independent statutory body. It will have...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (5 Dec 2018)

Heather Humphreys: That fund was initially targeted at universities, although one institute did get funding. I agree with the Chairman. The institutes do great work, as do the colleges of further education. We have been working very closely with the Department of Education and Skills in rolling out apprenticeship schemes, which are mainly rolled out through local college of further education centres. We are...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (5 Dec 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I agree with the Chairman. Like her, I am a great supporter of apprenticeships. In fact, in January I am attending the launch of a new apprenticeship scheme. It takes a while to get such a scheme together because it involves the whole of industry. The launch, which is in my county, is exciting and will be attended also by the Minister for Education and Skills. Only two weeks ago I was at...