Results 7,621-7,640 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Competitiveness (7 Nov 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Improving our competitiveness and ensuring that Ireland is an attractive location to do business remains a key economic priority for this Government. We continue to monitor Ireland's competitiveness and analyse the factors that are crucial to attracting further investments in the country. The World Bank Ease of Doing Business 2019 report compares the ‘ease of doing’ business...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Supports (7 Nov 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The Brexit Loan Scheme provides affordable working capital to eligible businesses with up to 499 employees that are or will be Brexit impacted and which meet the scheme criteria. The €23 million exchequer funding announced in the 2018 Budget (€14 million from my Department and €9 million from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine) has been leveraged to...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Support Schemes (7 Nov 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The Future Growth Loan Scheme makes up to €300 million worth of loans available with a term of eight to ten years and is open to eligible Irish businesses, including those in the primary agriculture and seafood sectors, to support strategic long-term investment. Finance provided under the scheme is competitively priced and has favourable terms, for example, no security is required for...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Intellectual Property Management (7 Nov 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The Irish life sciences manufacturing sector has grown significantly in recent years with a range of significant investments from overseas companies, along with start-ups and high-growth SMEs. The global top ten biopharmaceutical companies each now have a manufacturing presence in Ireland. Indigenous firms are also highly innovative and are competing successfully in global markets. ...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (12 Nov 2019)

Heather Humphreys: DG TRADE is the European Commission Directorate which commissioned an external consultancy for the Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) of the EU-Mercosur Agreement. An SIA is an instrument used by the Commission to support trade negotiations conducted by the EU Trade Commissioner on behalf of the European Union to aid our trade negotiators in conducting sound, evidence-based and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Relations (12 Nov 2019)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, Trade Policy is a competence of the European Commission under the EU Treaties and defined as the Common Commercial Policy (CCP). The Lisbon Treaty extended this competence to cover foreign direct investment, as well as making the European Parliament a co-legislator alongside the Council on trade matters. Under this architecture the European Commission acts as...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Small and Medium Enterprises (12 Nov 2019)

Heather Humphreys: As Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, I am committed to driving the recommendations of the recently launched Report and Strategy Roadmap of the OECD’s Review of SME and Entrepreneurship Policy in Ireland. My Department and its Agencies are focused on providing the most appropriate and focused supports to Irish firms. Through my Department’s ongoing engagement...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regional Development Initiatives (12 Nov 2019)

Heather Humphreys: My Department’s Regional Enterprise Development Fund (REDF) is an effective policy instrument particularly as a complement to the Regional Enterprise Plans and was introduced to support the development and implementation of collaborative and innovative projects that can sustain and add to employment at county, regional and national level. To date, through an allocation of €60...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Reports (12 Nov 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Details of the post enactment reports published by my Department during the period in question are set out below. Name of Act Date of Publication of Post Enactment Report Companies (Accounting) Act 2017 (No. 9 of 2017) 19 March 2018 Competition (Amendment) Act 2017 (No. 12 of 2017) 28 August 2018 Companies...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permits Applications Data (12 Nov 2019)

Heather Humphreys: All employment permit applications remain in the employment permit processing queue until reached for processing at which stage the appropriate economic sector and occupation is assigned. Therefore, there is no statistical data available regarding the number of outstanding work permit applications for employers seeking to employ skilled staff in the meat industry. In 2018, at my request,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Health and Safety Authority (12 Nov 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Any death in the workplace is a sad moment, and one of immense personal loss to the friends and family of the person involved. I would therefore like to offer my personal condolences to the family and friends of the individual involved in this incident. On a more general point, the investigation of workplace fatalities is a statutory function of the Health and Safety Authority in which I...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Offices (12 Nov 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Accommodation for my Department and its Offices is provided by the Office of Public Works (OPW) in buildings which are either State owned or leased by the OPW on our behalf. Typically, the Department and its Offices are in shared accommodation, either with other Government Departments, public bodies or the private sector. The Department and its Offices are located in 11 locations across the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Ireland Site Visits (12 Nov 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 286 and 287 together. Regional development remains a key priority for myself 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. Significant progress has already been made, with 58% of all IDA...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permits Applications Data (12 Nov 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The statistics requested by the Deputy are attached. 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 current level of demand is due to our economic success, growing labour market and reduced labour surplus. In order to reduce processing times,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Ireland Investments (12 Nov 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Enterprise Ireland (EI) is tasked with strengthening Irish exporting companies throughout the country and equipping them with the tools they need to succeed in global markets. Currently, there is overcapacity in the Irish Beef processing sector. Given this overcapacity, it is EI policy not to support new entrants to the sector at this time. EI policy in the meat processing sector is focussed...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Strategy Statements (12 Nov 2019)

Heather Humphreys: As Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, I am committed to the development of a business environment that is encouraging of entrepreneurs countrywide. My Department launched the National Policy Statement on Entrepreneurship (NPSE) in October 2014. It was designed to cover the five years up to 2019. This Policy Statement represents the first time an Irish Government has...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: InterTradeIreland Data (12 Nov 2019)

Heather Humphreys: InterTradeIreland (ITI), offer a range of supports to help SMEs in Ireland and Northern Ireland explore new cross-border markets, develop new products, processes and services and become investor ready. Acumen is ITI’s flagship trade programme which supports SMEs to develop cross-border business. Participant firms can access funding for either part-time or full-time sales salary...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Ireland Data (12 Nov 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Enterprise Ireland supports companies in urban and rural areas to start, innovate and remain competitive in international markets, now and into the future. A key part of this activity is to support prospective and emerging exporters. Enterprise Ireland’s Exporter Development Department assists prospective and emerging exporters with greater than 10 employees to support them in...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Supports (12 Nov 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The Brexit Loan Scheme was launched in March of 2018. The Scheme, using a combination of Irish Exchequer and EU guarantees, leveraged up to €300 million of lending at a maximum interest rate of 4% at a cost to the Exchequer of €23 million - €14 million provided by my Department and €9 million provided by Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Standards Authority of Ireland (12 Nov 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) is Ireland’s National Standards Body (NSB) operating under the National Standards Authority of Ireland Act 1996. The NSAI is under the remit of the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation. NSAI is the Irish member of the following: - International Organization for Standardisation (ISO) - International Electrotechnical...