Results 6,741-6,760 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Some 540 applications have been received under the Brexit loan scheme, of which 485 have been approved by the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland. Some 93 loan applications progressed to sanction at bank level, to a value of €20.64 million. Enterprise Ireland has the Brexit scorecard. Some 4,943 cards have been completed. A total of 956 local enterprise office, LEO,...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Companies that find themselves in this situation should get in touch with Enterprise Ireland, which has a lot of contact with companies exporting to Britain. The Department's focus is on supporting companies through the Brexit process. A lot of work is going into giving them the supports they need. I engage a lot with businesses through IBEC and the retail consultation forum. I meet them...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I accept that.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The LEOs will roll out customs training. They will provide more supports to businesses in terms of advice and programmes. The LEOs play an important role as the first port of call for many businesses that want to find out what supports are available to them. They have been increasing the services they roll out to local enterprises. I felt it was important that we support them further....

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I can deal with it now, if the committee prefers.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: There is a new PhD programme which will fund a number of areas of research. There are 700 PhD and research masters students as a result of the Government investment of €100 million over nine years. The six areas where research will be focused are machine learning, digitally enhanced reality, advanced networks for sustainable societies, the foundations of data science, artificial...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I will answer the last question first. The humanitarian relief scheme is a flood relief scheme for businesses. It is a new scheme in my Department and is demand-led. Thank God, we have not had any serious flooding incidents this year but it is for those businesses that run into difficulties and need assistance. The funding will come from my Department and although there is nothing in it...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I have an agreement that the funding will be made available should the need arise. With regard to the retail stores, I take the Chairman's point that there are many UK retail stores in this country. I liaise with them through the retail forum and I meet them on a regular basis. I have met the retailers and the food importers four times, in particular the big supermarkets, because they...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Yes.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: One of the actions envisaged as part of Innovation 2020 is the initiation of negotiations with CERN on Ireland's membership options. Discussions between my Department and CERN have been ongoing at both official and ministerial level throughout 2016, 2017 and 2018. Associate membership of CERN is available from 10% of the full membership cost, with benefits calculated pro rata. The minimum...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: It is linked to gross domestic product, GDP.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: It is. The better we do, the more expensive it gets.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: That is the cost of associate membership.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Yes.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: We would have to pay an extra €17 million as a once-off fee. It is due on the-----

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Based on today's figures, annual membership would cost €13.6 million. We would have to pay €17 million to join, so that brings it up to €30 million. It is expensive.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I am satisfied that the €1 million will be sufficient to help the agency set up as an independent body. As the Chair stated, the legislation is before the committee. In fairness to the ODCE, it has been doing great work. It has increased its staff, built on its expertise and strengthened its capability to investigate increasingly complex breaches of company law. It is building on...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Ireland Site Visits (28 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: IDA Ireland hosted 607 site visits in 2018, with over 55% of these visits taking place in regional locations. The IDA always does everything it can - whether through site visits or in direct engagement with potential clients - to encourage overseas firms to locate or expand in regional areas. It is important to remember, however, that the final decision as to where to invest rests solely...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permits Eligibility (2 Apr 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Where specific skills prove difficult to source within the State and wider EEA, an employment permit may be sought by an employer to hire a non-EEA national subject to the Employment Permits Acts and Regulations.  The employment permits system is managed through the operation of the Critical Skills Occupations List and the Ineligible Occupations List for the purposes of granting an...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (2 Apr 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is the statutory independent body responsible for the enforcement of domestic and EU competition law in the State.  Section 9 (5) of the Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014 provides that the Commission is independent in the performance of its functions.  As investigations and enforcement matters generally are part of...