Results 7,061-7,080 of 11,788 for speaker:Niall Collins

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (21 Nov 2017)

Niall Collins: 158. To ask the Minister for Finance the annualised interest rate applied on late payment and filing of VAT returns; the equivalent rate of interest applied in the UK and in other EU and OECD countries, in tabular form. [49095/17]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Functions (21 Nov 2017)

Niall Collins: 567. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the social partners or employment policy experts were consulted before the decision was made to transfer labour affairs functions from the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation to her Department; if her officials carried out an impact assessment of the transfer of functions; and, if so, whether she will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (23 Nov 2017)

Niall Collins: 1. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the contingencies and supports in place to safeguard Irish small and medium enterprises, SMEs, and export businesses from a hard Brexit scenario, including revision of state-aid rules; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49667/17]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (23 Nov 2017)

Niall Collins: I ask the Minister to outline the contingencies and supports in place to safeguard Irish SMEs and export businesses from the potential of a hard Brexit. I also ask her to outline the Government's position on revision of state-aid rules.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (23 Nov 2017)

Niall Collins: The Minister mentioned the scheme announced by Enterprise Ireland this morning and the earlier budget announcement by the Minister for Finance. By any yardstick, the state of preparedness of business for the onset of a hard Brexit is alarming. AIB recently published a sentiment index for quarter 3 of this year which shows that only one in four Irish SMEs is properly prepared for a hard...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (23 Nov 2017)

Niall Collins: On preparedness for Brexit, I have previously discussed with the Tánaiste the leaked Revenue report on our preparedness for Brexit. The issue was discussed on a number of occasions during Leaders' Questions. As confirmed to me by the Tánaiste by way of response to a parliamentary question, the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation has commissioned two reports; Sectoral...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Foreign Direct Investment (23 Nov 2017)

Niall Collins: 3. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps she is taking to deal with competitiveness issues and direct threats to continued foreign direct investment here. [49668/17]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Foreign Direct Investment (23 Nov 2017)

Niall Collins: What steps are the Minister and Government taking to deal with competitiveness issues that are a direct threat to continuing foreign direct investment, FDI, into our country?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Foreign Direct Investment (23 Nov 2017)

Niall Collins: Despite what the Minister says, the World Bank has told us that of 190 economies, we are now flagging behind economies such as Georgia, Lithuania, Estonia and Macedonia. What are multinationals saying to the Minister when she goes on trade missions with regard to the challenges related to housing and our planning laws, for example? We saw the recent Athenry data centre debacle, which has...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Foreign Direct Investment (23 Nov 2017)

Niall Collins: The Minister has not referred to the potential loss of the €850 million investment by Apple in a proposed data centre in Athenry. We really need to hear from her whether this opportunity has now been lost. Is the investment lost to the country and the State? As I said to her, Mr. Cook rebuffed, or at least did not give any joy to, our Taoiseach when he visited him recently. Where...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Foreign Direct Investment (23 Nov 2017)

Niall Collins: Is the investment lost?

Other Questions: IDA Ireland Site Visits (23 Nov 2017)

Niall Collins: 7. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the status of regional IDA Ireland site visits up to the third quarter of 2017; the details of all vacant properties per county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49595/17]

Other Questions: IDA Ireland Site Visits (23 Nov 2017)

Niall Collins: Will the Tánaiste indicate the number of regional site visits by IDA Ireland up to the third quarter of this year? This is an issue we raise in the House at every opportunity given the disparity in the economic recovery across different parts of the country. We are effectively seeing a two-tier economy comprising Dublin and the greater Dublin area versus the regions.

Other Questions: IDA Ireland Site Visits (23 Nov 2017)

Niall Collins: It is, of course, important to attract jobs into the country but it is equally important to ensure those jobs are evenly spread throughout the State. The data show that is not happening. Of the 323 site visits that took place in the first six months of 2017, 48%, or almost half, were in Dublin and the greater Dublin area. Counties Laois and Meath had no site visits, while counties Cavan,...

Other Questions: IDA Ireland Site Visits (23 Nov 2017)

Niall Collins: There is a difficulty in that the published draft of the national planning framework will inhibit centres like Limerick, Galway and Cork in their capacity to plan for expansion into the future. That is what people in Limerick are saying to me, as I am sure they are likewise telling the Minister of State. Will he comment on that? On IDA Ireland site visits, while the Minister of State...

Other Questions: Consumer Protection (23 Nov 2017)

Niall Collins: 8. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the regulatory regime pertaining to the issue of expiry dates on vouchers. [49598/17]

Other Questions: Consumer Protection (23 Nov 2017)

Niall Collins: Will the Minister address the complete lack of regulation in respect of retail gift vouchers? This is an issue of particular concern as we approach the Christmas season, which is a high business turnover period for retailers. It is estimated that up to €300 million is spent on gift vouchers every year but there is absolutely no regulation of their usage.

Other Questions: Consumer Protection (23 Nov 2017)

Niall Collins: I am sure that the Minister of State, and everyone in the House, will agree that the complete lack of regulation of gift vouchers is being exploited by many. Consumers are being severely and negatively impacted. Many people who are in receipt of vouchers and gift vouchers are children, especially at Christmas time. When they go to use the vouchers to make a purchase with them, often they...

Other Questions: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (23 Nov 2017)

Niall Collins: 10. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she has considered empowering the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to issue civil fines for anti-competitive practices. [49597/17]

Other Questions: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (23 Nov 2017)

Niall Collins: Will the Minister outline any proposals she may have to empower the Competition and consumer Protection Commission to issue civil fines for anti-competitive practices? I am thinking in particular of ticketing practices in the concert sector and of practices in the insurance industry.