Results 7,361-7,380 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Correspondence (8 Oct 2019)

Heather Humphreys: There is extensive correspondence between the Office of the Secretary General within my Department and with Enterprise Ireland. From a practical perspective, it would not be possible to undertake a full search, retrieval and orderly compilation of this correspondence across a three-year period within the timeframe sought. Sufficient time would also be required to ensure full compliance...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Supports (8 Oct 2019)

Heather Humphreys: While the nature of the UK's departure from the EU still remains to be determined, Brexit continues to represent a significant challenge for businesses in Ireland, one which cannot be underestimated. That is why my Department and its agencies have put in place extensive supports, schemes and advisory resources to ensure that to ensure that businesses around the country are prepared for...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Supports (8 Oct 2019)

Heather Humphreys: While the nature of the UK's departure from the EU still remains to be determined, Brexit continues to represent a significant challenge for businesses in Ireland, one which cannot be underestimated. That is why my Department and its agencies have put in place extensive supports, schemes and advisory resources to ensure that to ensure that businesses around the country are prepared for...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Climate Change Policy (8 Oct 2019)

Heather Humphreys: My Department and its enterprise development agencies are committed to participating in emission reduction efforts and have a range of specific actions under the Climate Action Plan to support decarbonisation across a number of industry sectors. Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland have a range of supports available to client companies to aid enterprises in reducing CO2 emissions as set out...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Preparations (9 Oct 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. While there remains significant uncertainty around the means by which the UK will leave the EU, the Government has worked to put in place a comprehensive suite of supports for business to suit all Brexit eventualities. The most immediate consequences of a hard Brexit are likely to be currency movements, supply chain constraints, delays, duties and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Preparations (9 Oct 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I want to reassure the Deputy that there is a range of schemes and that businesses are taking up those schemes. The suite of schemes announced yesterday in the budget have different aspects, being in the form of loans, grants or equity. They will enable Enterprise Ireland to provide a bespoke response to each individual company, depending on its requirements, and companies will be assessed...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Preparations (9 Oct 2019)

Heather Humphreys: To clarify, customs training is run by Enterprise Ireland and through the local enterprise offices, LEOs. Much customs training has been carried out and 917 participants have attended customs training. What we have now is "clear customs", which is a much more in-depth training programme for the custom agents, and we also provide a grant of €6,000 per employee, up to ten employees in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Preparations (9 Oct 2019)

Heather Humphreys: In terms of the microfinance supports that I announced yesterday and the local enterprise supports, €10 million is available and that supports every business across the board.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Preparations (9 Oct 2019)

Heather Humphreys: It is a mixture of both. Grants are available through the enterprise offices, and some of them are repayable or part-repayable. This is taxpayers' money. If a company needs support, it gets it when it needs it. However, if it turns into profitability, I think it is only fair that it would pay the money back to the taxpayer. There is a suite of supports available to support the companies.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Economic Competitiveness (9 Oct 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Notwithstanding our strong economic growth, addressing Ireland's cost competitiveness remains a key economic priority for Government and we continue to monitor Ireland's cost base and analyse the factors that are crucial to improving our cost competitiveness. Our competitiveness is reflected in a range of economic metrics such as high economic...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Economic Competitiveness (9 Oct 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Ireland has made progress in recent years to improve its capital tax offering to entrepreneurs. The capital gains tax, CGT, entrepreneur relief was introduced in budget 2016 and provided for a reduced rate of capital gains tax of €20% for entrepreneurs - that was down from 33% - subject to a lifetime threshold of €1 million in gains and to meeting certain criteria. The relief...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Economic Competitiveness (9 Oct 2019)

Heather Humphreys: We take on board the recommendations of the NCC and I will certainly provide information on where those recommendations, many of which have been complied with, are at. I included in the Future Jobs Ireland plan a condition that the recommendations would have to be formally reported on, on a regular basis, something about which I am very conscious. On the taxation side, budget 2020 saw the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Flexible Work Practices (9 Oct 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. My Department and I understand the importance and potential of flexible working. As the nature of work and society changes, the way in which we organise work must also change. A labour market which offers flexible working solutions can result in tangible benefits for employers, employees and wider society. This is addressed under pillar 4 of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Flexible Work Practices (9 Oct 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I absolutely support flexible working arrangements. That is why earlier this year the Minister, Deputy Bruton, and I held a consultation event at Cavan Digital Hub, a new hub in the town of Cavan that allows people to co-work and work remotely. It is also a landing base for companies that want to come into the region. I held the event to hear and promote the views of employers and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Flexible Work Practices (9 Oct 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The Minister, Deputy Bruton, and I have already held a consultation event. As I said, we want to hear the views of employers and employees because it is a win-win for everybody. It is a question of how we can find the right way to do it. The findings of the consultation will feed into the research on remote working being carried out by my Department. We want to figure out through it the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: IDA Ireland Site Visits (9 Oct 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Regional development remains a key priority for me and my Department. We understand the importance of achieving the best possible spread of employment and investment across the country, and my Department and its agencies have been working hard towards that goal. That will remain the case in 2020 and beyond. It is, therefore, highly positive that significant progress has already been made...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: IDA Ireland Site Visits (9 Oct 2019)

Heather Humphreys: IDA Ireland had a record year last year and its half-year results this year are outstanding. More than 132,000 people are employed in 681 IDA client companies located outside Dublin. Some 56% of all new foreign direct investment jobs created last year were based in regional locations. I will give Deputy Troy some data on his own county. There are 21 IDA client companies in County...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: IDA Ireland Site Visits (9 Oct 2019)

Heather Humphreys: County Longford has seen a 20% increase in IDA client supported job creation in 2018.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: IDA Ireland Site Visits (9 Oct 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I forgot to mention Center Parcs.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: IDA Ireland Site Visits (9 Oct 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I am talking about creating jobs in Center Parcs.