Results 7,061-7,080 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Promotion (27 Jun 2019)

Heather Humphreys: While the UK is and will remain a major market for Irish companies, expanding the Irish export footprint in markets beyond the UK is a key priority. In that context, Enterprise Ireland’s strategy is to support Irish exporters to be more innovative, competitive and market diversified. Enterprise Ireland client companies achieved record levels of exports in 2018 of €23.8bn,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Supports (27 Jun 2019)

Heather Humphreys: My Department and its agencies have put in place extensive supports, schemes and advisory resources to ensure that businesses are prepared for Brexit. While we cannot yet know the form that Brexit will take, these measures aim to assist businesses in identifying key risk areas and practical preparatory actions regardless of the circumstances of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. The...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Competitiveness (27 Jun 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The economy is in a strong position having recovered from the financial crisis and the subsequent recession. The unemployment rate is down to 4.4% and there are 2.3 million people employed in Ireland, more than ever before. However, there are several risks facing the Irish economy which may constrain economic performance including infrastructural constraints. We also face risks on the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Support Services Provision (27 Jun 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The Government has a new plan - Future Jobs Ireland - to ensure we are preparing now for the jobs of the future. While the economy is performing well with strong employment and wage growth, we cannot be complacent. In the past we took success for granted and failed to prepare for emerging challenges, trends and opportunities. It is my priority as Minister for Business, Enterprise and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regional Development Initiatives (27 Jun 2019)

Heather Humphreys: While we have had great success through the Action Plan for Jobs in reducing unemployment from 16% to 4.4% today, in the context of Brexit and other global challenges it is important that we move our focus beyond numbers of jobs created to quality and sustainable jobs. Future Jobs Ireland is our plan to meet all these challenges. Launched on 10 March 2019, it includes ambitious targets and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permits Applications (27 Jun 2019)

Heather Humphreys: As the economy improves and we approach full employment my Department has experienced a high volume of employment permit applications which has led to some delays in processing applications. The Employment Permits section in my Department is working to reduce the current waiting times of four weeks for applications from Trusted Partners who are regular users of the service, and account...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Foreign Direct Investment (27 Jun 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) remains a cornerstone upon which Ireland’s economy is built. Its contribution to Ireland’s economic recovery has been far-reaching and it’s estimated that 20% of all private sector employment in the State is directly or indirectly attributable to FDI. It is a significant achievement that there are now over 230,000 people employed in...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Apprenticeship Programmes (27 Jun 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Many of the recommendations and issues identified regarding the employment permits system in the Report of the Joint Committee on Business, Enterprise and Innovation on the Role of Apprenticeships and Work Permits in Addressing Ireland's Skills Needs were considered and included as part of the Review of Economic Migration Policy undertaken at my request during 2018. The Review found...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regional Development Data (27 Jun 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 114 together. This Government and my Department have placed the highest priority on achieving sustainable increases in employment in every county across the country. Through the Action Plan for Jobs process led by my Department we have had remarkable success in supporting businesses to create new jobs, with the unemployment rate now down to 4.4% from a...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Climate Change Policy (27 Jun 2019)

Heather Humphreys: My Department and its agencies have been given lead or key stakeholder responsibility for a number of actions in the plan, ranging from engagement with the food and cement industry sectors to support increased abatement, to undertaking a review of the current offerings by the Enterprise Agencies, with a view to promoting environmental supports to a larger cohort of client companies. The...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2019)

Heather Humphreys: What? That is nonsense.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Data (2 Jul 2019)

Heather Humphreys: In 2018, Ireland’s goods exports to Vietnam amounted to €65 million. Ireland’s main exports to Vietnam include medical and pharmaceutical products valued at €18.6m in 2018. Ireland's food exports to Vietnam have grown considerably in recent years. While meat and dairy products are the largest share of this, beverages and seafood also contributed strongly. In...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Company Closures (2 Jul 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 358 and 364 together. While there is a minimum share capital requirement of €25,000 for Public Limited Companies set out in the Companies Act 2014, there are currently no plans to introduce legislation to set the minimum level of paid up share capital and reserves required by a limited company as a proportion of the annual turnover of the company. ...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Expenditure (2 Jul 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that DBEI has not provided any funding to the Dublin Port Company in the past ten years to date.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Ministerial Meetings (2 Jul 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I meet regularly with the Director General of Science Foundation Ireland, Professor Mark Ferguson, as does the Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation and Research and Development. My most recent meeting with the Director General took place on 9 May 2019 in the context of an announcement of renewal of funding to six world class SFI Research Centres. On 5 March 2019, I was...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Reviews (2 Jul 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I understand that the Deputy is referring to studies and research that has been commissioned and is currently ongoing. A list of such studies is set out in the following table. Name of external Consultant/Organisation Report Title Date of Commission Publication Status Mazars Financial and Governance Analysis of certain Credit Co-operatives 7th November 2018 This project is nearing...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Reports (2 Jul 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Details of the policy documents and strategies published by my Department in the period in question are set out in the following tables. 2016 Policy Framework for Design in Enterprise in Ireland Annual Business Survey of Economic Impact Report Annual Employment Survey Report R&D Budget Report ‘Inspiring Partnership – Ireland National IP Protocol 2016’ and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Budgets (2 Jul 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The budget allocation for the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) in 2019 is €12,577,000 as set out in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2019 (REV) publication. A 10% increase (€1,257,700) would lead to a hypothetical total allocation of €13,834,700 for the CCPC.

EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement: Statements (3 Jul 2019)

Heather Humphreys: As Members will know, the agreement reached last Friday was arrived at following 20 years of negotiations. First and foremost, it is important to acknowledge how vital international trade deals are for Ireland. As a small, open, export-led economy we very much support balanced international trade. The key word is "balanced". As a Government, we need to go through this deal in detail to...

EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement: Statements (3 Jul 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I accept that the Mercosur deal is a difficult one, and as a Government we have to look at it in the round. The economic assessment will ensure that the Government makes a fully informed decision when deciding what position to take when the ratification process on this deal commences.