Results 7,321-7,340 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Job Creation (19 Jul 2011)

Richard Bruton: In 2009 there were major reductions in industrial jobs around the world - the number of new industrial jobs was low - and Ireland was not immune from these developments. The main cause of the job losses which occurred was excess capacity in the international recession and arose from a restructuring process which went on in industry in Ireland and around the world. Overall job numbers in...

Job Creation (19 Jul 2011)

Richard Bruton: While no specific study is being carried out at present, the turnover in companies is a feature of technology moving on. The pharmaceutical sector began by processing bulk chemicals and it gradually became more sophisticated. Ireland had the knack to continually move up the value chain. The problem that continues to arise is that the more routine elements of each sector become commodities...

Job Creation (19 Jul 2011)

Richard Bruton: My Department and its agencies maintain an early warning monitor on issues that adversely affect sectors of the economy. Through the agencies, we ensure we are positioned to meet the rising tides either through research and development investment or by anticipating change. Ireland's offering, which used to be plentiful cheap labour and tax incentives, has become more sophisticated. We have...

Job Creation (19 Jul 2011)

Richard Bruton: I understand there are approximately 1,200 placements on the internships scheme. Perhaps they have not yet been tied down and completed but the programme has been very successful and the Minister for Social Protection is pleased with the progress made thus far. It is one of our success stories. It started on 1 July and even though we are not yet three weeks into the month, there is already...

Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (19 Jul 2011)

Richard Bruton: I propose to share time with Deputies Seán Sherlock, Olivia Mitchell, Alex White and Brendan Griffin.

Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (19 Jul 2011)

Richard Bruton: I thank the proposer of this Bill, Deputy Willie O'Dea. As the Deputy knows, the Government will not be opposing the taking of Second Stage. I accept the intention behind Deputy O'Dea's Bill is in good faith and that the Bill attempts to protect vulnerable workers. However, as the Taoiseach said earlier, our legal advice is absolutely crystal clear in that the Bill as drafted is not robust...

Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (19 Jul 2011)

Richard Bruton: This Government has been clear from the outset. We sought to restore the national minimum wage and this we have done. We wanted to protect the JLC system but to reform it and to make it fit for purpose. An independent report has found that the system requires radical reform. The Government's position is clear: a reformed JLC system is required which will protect people. We have restored...

Written Answers — Wage-Setting Mechanisms: Wage-Setting Mechanisms (19 Jul 2011)

Richard Bruton: On 24 May last, the Government decided to publish the Report of the Independent Review of Employment Regulation Orders and Registered Employment Agreement Wage Setting Mechanisms. The Report's overall finding is that the basic framework of the current JLC/REA regulatory system requires radical overhaul so as to make it fairer and more responsive to changing economic circumstances and labour...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (19 Jul 2011)

Richard Bruton: The Carrigtwohill East site consists of approximately 54 hectares located in a high profile position on the eastern side of Cork City on the Main Waterford-Cork Road. All of this land forms part of IDA's property portfolio. IDA Ireland maintains a property portfolio specifically to support the promotion of Ireland and its regions as a suitable location for FDI by providing tailored property...

Written Answers — Credit Guarantee Scheme: Credit Guarantee Scheme (19 Jul 2011)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that as part of the Jobs Initiative announced in this House on 10 May, both the Minister for Finance and I confirmed the commitment given under the Programme for Government to initiating a tendering process for the development of a temporary partial credit guarantee scheme. A call for competition for the design of a scheme was published on e-tenders on 15 June 2011,...

Written Answers — Enterprise Support Services: Enterprise Support Services (19 Jul 2011)

Richard Bruton: The co-operative model is one of a number of legal options that are available to those considering establishing themselves in business, and the different models have their own distinct characteristics. It is of course up to each individual operation to choose the model that best suits the nature of the business and the desired ethos of the entity. Insofar as the direct promotion of...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (19 Jul 2011)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 48 together. The Programme for Government contains a specific commitment to "enact the Fair Trade Act, which will ban a number of unfair trading practices in the retail sector such as 'hello money' which suppliers have to pay to secure a place for their goods on supermarket shelves". It is my intention to give effect to the commitment in the Programme...

Written Answers — Departmental Responsibilities: Departmental Responsibilities (19 Jul 2011)

Richard Bruton: The new arrangements provide specifically for the transfer of responsibility to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of certain trade promotion functions, including, specifically, management of the Export Trade Council, as well as responsibility for Joint Economic Commissions. The new Export Trade Council, being established following the commitment in the Programme for Government and...

Written Answers — Enterprise Support Services: Enterprise Support Services (19 Jul 2011)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 34 and 233 together. Following a wide consultation by my Department with all interested parties in relation to the existing legislation pertaining to co-operatives, I recently announced that I had obtained Government approval for the preparation of new legislation aimed at addressing some of the practical difficulties faced by the co-operative sector. Among...

Written Answers — Legal Fees: Legal Fees (19 Jul 2011)

Richard Bruton: I am keen to ensure that all costs that impact on businesses, including legal costs, are kept as low as possible in order to enhance the competitiveness of enterprises in Ireland. Improved competitiveness will help businesses to retain existing jobs, create new ones, and contribute to economic recovery. The National Competitiveness Council monitors and analyses costs and other...

Written Answers — Enterprise Support Services: Enterprise Support Services (19 Jul 2011)

Richard Bruton: As Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, I recognise the importance of supporting business start-ups if we are to encourage entrepreneurship and create more jobs. I also acknowledge that micro enterprises can find it very difficult to access funding from traditional sources, particularly at start-up phase. For this reason, the Minister for Finance and I confirmed on the 10th of May...

Written Answers — Wage-Setting Mechanisms: Wage-Setting Mechanisms (19 Jul 2011)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38, 43 and 50 together. On 7 July, the High Court issued its ruling in a legal challenge, taken by John Grace Fried Chicken Ltd and others, to the Joint Labour Committee system and the 2008 Employment Regulation Order (ERO) covering the Catering Sector outside of Dublin. The High Court ruled that certain provision of the Industrial Relations Acts of 1946 and...

Written Answers — Enterprise Support Services: Enterprise Support Services (19 Jul 2011)

Richard Bruton: The enterprise agencies under the aegis of my Department do not have a specific role in the provision of supports to the social enterprise sector. Rather, the agencies are focused on assisting enterprises in the commercial sphere to create employment with a central focus on export-led growth. In both the Programme for Government and in the recently announced Jobs Initiative, the Government...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (19 Jul 2011)

Richard Bruton: Ireland experienced a significant loss in cost competitiveness as measured by the real Harmonised Competitiveness Indicator over the past decade, reflecting a combination of an appreciation of the Euro against the currencies of many of our trading partners and higher price inflation in Ireland. Between 2002 and early 2008, our cost competitiveness declined by almost a third. Adverse...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (19 Jul 2011)

Richard Bruton: Job creation is central to our economic recovery and the Programme for Government has job creation at its core. The role of my Department is to ensure that we have the right policies in place that will support and grow our enterprise base in order to facilitate both job creation and job retention. The Jobs Initiative announced on 10 May focuses our limited resources on measures that offer...