Results 7,141-7,160 of 8,081 for speaker:Peter Burke

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (16 May 2024)

Peter Burke: The Government is very aware that SMEs have faced a number of economic shocks in recent years which have resulted in cost increases. While most of these shocks have been international in nature – most significantly, energy price inflation – there have been costs associated with domestic measures, including the transition to a Living Wage and the introduction of Statutory Sick...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: EU Regulations (21 May 2024)

Peter Burke: As the Deputy will appreciate, State Aid generally refers to forms of State-controlled financial resources given to undertakings on a discretionary basis and with the potential to distort competition and affect trade between Member States of the EU. As such, State Aid is prohibited under the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU because of its anti-competitive effects. However, various...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: EU Regulations (21 May 2024)

Peter Burke: As the Deputy will appreciate, State Aid generally refers to forms of State-controlled financial resources given to undertakings on a discretionary basis and with the potential to distort competition and affect trade between Member States of the EU. As such, State Aid is prohibited under the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU because of its anti-competitive effects. However, various...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (21 May 2024)

Peter Burke: The Government is very aware that SMEs have faced a number of economic shocks in recent years which have resulted in cost increases. On May 15th, I, along with my Government colleagues, announced a substantial range of measures to reduce costs for small and medium sized businesses. Included in these measures was the reopening of the ICOB portal from 15th May to 29th May, in order to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (21 May 2024)

Peter Burke: The Government is very aware that SMEs have faced a number of economic shocks in recent years which have resulted in cost increases. On May 15th, I, along with my Government colleagues, announced a substantial range of measures to reduce costs for small and medium sized businesses. Included in these measures was the reopening of the ICOB portal from 15th May to 29th May, in order to allow...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (21 May 2024)

Peter Burke: I propose to take Questions Nos. 268 and 269 together. Over the last number of years, we have seen a significant increase in inflationary pressures, most pointedly in the form of energy price inflation – which is a significant input cost for firms across a range of sectors. However, I welcome the latest data from the CSO’s Wholesale Price Index, which continues to show a...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: National Standards Authority of Ireland (21 May 2024)

Peter Burke: I am satisfied that the agency concerned continues to have the appropriate staff and expertise to discharge its functions to the highest standards. The agency continues to proactively address the recruitment of high calibre senior management staff, with extremely specialist, much sought after skillsets, while remaining within current public sector pay policy. The staffing needs of the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Priorities (22 May 2024)

Peter Burke: I recognise the importance of businesses having a focus on human rights as there is a strong expectation from society that businesses consider how their operations can impact on human rights. Businesses have reacted well since Ireland launched its first National Plan on Business and Human Rights (2017 - 2020) towards the end of 2017. Ireland became the 19th state in the world to develop a...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Job Creation (22 May 2024)

Peter Burke: IDA Ireland's strategy, Driving Recovery & Sustainable Growth 2021-2024, identifies opportunities for sustainable growth among its established base of clients and new investments. The strategy is delivered through a focus on five pillars: Growth, Transformation, Regions, Sustainability, and Impact, through a focus on transformative investments to increase the productivity of Irish...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (23 May 2024)

Peter Burke: I thank Deputy Shanahan for posing this important question. The Government has adopted a proactive approach in supporting the Irish SME sector across multiple crises over recent years. Over the two-year period to budget 2024, a total of €12 billion was provided in cost-of-living and doing business supports, comprising a mix of permanent and one-off measures, most significantly the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (23 May 2024)

Peter Burke: When the scheme closed a week ago, we had about 76,000 registrations. That was roughly 60% of all businesses that qualified for the increased cost of business grant. A decision was then taken to open the scheme for a further two weeks and to run a very strong and robust advertising campaign, which we hope will encourage additional uptake in the run down to next Wednesday. I appeal to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (23 May 2024)

Peter Burke: Again, I thank the Deputy for his question. We have worked with all sectors. I met ISME yesterday, along with another number of business sectoral groups. We are working with them to progressively keep improving the business environment in which they operate. I point out that inflation has halved since November 2022. That demonstrates that Government policies are working. We really did...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Business Supports (23 May 2024)

Peter Burke: As the Deputy will be aware, I announced the reopening of the ICOB grant scheme from 15 May to 29 May. This is to ensure those business owners who missed the deadline can now register. They should do so without delay, and the sooner they register, the sooner the local authority can verify the information and make a payment to the businesses. I have also made a change to the scheme that...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Business Supports (23 May 2024)

Peter Burke: We all know commercial arrangements in how businesses operate with their landlords are different from business to business. It is difficult to put conditions in place to assess every single one. The best metric I have at the moment to get money out to vulnerable businesses as quickly as possible is linked directly to their rates. If I put more conditions in place right now or try to pave...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Business Supports (23 May 2024)

Peter Burke: I would robustly point out that the Government is listening to the SME sector. That is demonstrated by our warehousing of debt at 0% for those who experienced difficulties over the Covid period. Some €20 billion has been put in towards Covid and Brexit, with €12 billion put in through the past two budgets. We have halved inflation, which is a key metric of business. Energy...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Business Supports (23 May 2024)

Peter Burke: I thank Deputy Smith for his kind wishes. I propose to take questions Nos 54, 58 and 63 together. The Government is very aware that SMEs have faced a number of economic shocks in recent years which have resulted in cost increases. On 15 May, I, along with my Government colleagues, announced a substantial range of measures to reduce costs for small and medium sized businesses. Included in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Business Supports (23 May 2024)

Peter Burke: I again thank the Deputy for outlining his concerns on the sectors. As it happens, the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, and I were discussing the issue of manufacturing yesterday at one of our meetings. The Deputy is quite right. There is a varied number of issues that we are trying to respond to in that area. I have travelled around the country a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Business Supports (23 May 2024)

Peter Burke: Deputy Smith is right to point out the pressure that small manufacturing and engineering businesses, particularly start-ups, are under with regard to access to finance. It is very important that they get finance at competitive rates. With regard to helping existing SMEs with their working capital, the new Microfinance Ireland thresholds are increasing from €25,000 to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Industrial Development (23 May 2024)

Peter Burke: I thank Deputy Durkan for his very important question. Ireland is recognised as one of the most competitive economies in the world and performs well in international rankings of competitiveness. In June 2023, Ireland was ranked as the second most competitive country in the world in the IMD world competitiveness rankings. The 2024 iteration of these rankings is due to be published in the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Industrial Development (23 May 2024)

Peter Burke: I concur with the Deputy that we can never take our eye off the ball when we have an open and strong economy like Ireland's. We have to continue to work. It is very important that we have a pipeline of €165 billion for the next decade for capital infrastructure because infrastructure improvements will attract new businesses and keep our economy competitive. We have seen in the...