Results 8,001-8,020 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton
- Social Insurance (21 Feb 2012)
Richard Bruton: There is no doubt that the issue of people drifting into long-term disability or invalidity benefit is also a source of worry. There are issues such as how we manage sickness and how we can ensure people take up opportunities, even if they are receiving sick payments, rather than drifting into long-term reliance on social welfare. A consultative process is under way. The contribution that...
- Social Insurance (21 Feb 2012)
Richard Bruton: Any report that has an input into an ongoing discussion at Government level is not normally published, so I do not intend to-----
- Social Insurance (21 Feb 2012)
Richard Bruton: Interactions between an agency and a Minister engaged in a consultative process are not necessarily published. I do not believe this documentation, which has an input into the consultative process, should be published at this stage. However, I will answer questions for the Deputy at any point.
- Written Answers — Company Law: Company Law (21 Feb 2012)
Richard Bruton: Any company that wishes to list on the Irish Stock Exchange's main market must implement the Corporate Governance Code. While the legal obligation to comply with the Code only applies to companies listed on the main market, the Irish Stock Exchange's own Listing Rules require companies on the secondary market to report on how they have applied the principles of the Code or, where they have...
- Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (21 Feb 2012)
Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, under the recently launched the Action Plan for Jobs, I propose to establish a new "one-stop-shop" small and micro-enterprise support structure. These "One Stop Shops" will be called "Local Enterprise Offices" and will build on the significant work done by the CEBs to date. The new structure will be achieved through the dissolution of the existing CEBs and the...
- Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (21 Feb 2012)
Richard Bruton: The Government published its Action Plan for Jobs earlier this month. The objective of the Action Plan for Jobs is to transform the operating environment for business in order to support enterprise growth and enable job creation. The Government will achieve this objective by systematically removing obstacles to competitiveness, promoting innovation and trade, supporting new and existing...
- Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (21 Feb 2012)
Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, under the recently launched the Action Plan for Jobs, I propose to establish a new "one-stop-shop" small and micro-enterprise support structure. These "One Stop Shops" will be called "Local Enterprise Offices" and will build on the significant work done by the CEBs to date. The new structure will be achieved through the dissolution of the existing CEBs and the...
- Written Answers — Competition Authority: Competition Authority (21 Feb 2012)
Richard Bruton: I am aware that the Competition Authority, as the statutory independent body responsible for enforcing competition law in the State, has received information relating to alleged anti-competitive behaviour in the concrete industry. Section 29 (3) of the Competition Act 2002 provides that the Authority is independent in the performance of its functions. Under section 30(1)(b) of that Act, the...
- Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (21 Feb 2012)
Richard Bruton: The Industrial Relations (Amendment) (No.3) Bill 2011 was published on 22 December 2011. The Bill has completed Second Stage in the Dáil and is currently awaiting Committee Stage. The main purpose of the Bill is to implement the commitment in the Programme for Government to reform the Joint Labour Committee system. The reform of the legal framework for our statutory wage setting mechanisms...
- Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (21 Feb 2012)
Richard Bruton: Competition policy in a small open economy is vital for all sectors of the economy but particularly so in the locally traded sector, including services, since it is the locally traded sector that determines Ireland's competitiveness. Studies have shown the link between competition and productivity growth with evidence coming from the comparison of the economic performance of countries with...
- Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (21 Feb 2012)
Richard Bruton: State assistance for micro and small businesses and services in Ireland is currently delivered principally by the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) and Enterprise Ireland (EI), operating as agencies under the aegis of my Department. Enquiries and applications for the range of financial and non-financial supports available are made direct to the relevant Agency and each application is...
- Written Answers — State Bodies: State Bodies (21 Feb 2012)
Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 296 and 297 together. There are 13 State Bodies (1 of which comprises the 35 County and City Enterprise Boards) under the aegis of my Department which are subject to the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. These are: 1. Forfás, 2. Enterprise Ireland, 3. National Standards Authority of Ireland, 4. 35 County and City Enterprise Boards...
- Written Answers — Pricing Orders: Pricing Orders (21 Feb 2012)
Richard Bruton: Since the repeal of the Restrictive Practices legislation, no statutory basis exists for me, as Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, to make a minimum pricing order. I am aware of concerns raised about the high level of consumption of alcohol and the consequential detrimental effects caused to individuals and to society in general. In that regard, I note the recent publication of...
- Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (21 Feb 2012)
Richard Bruton: I intend publishing the Consumer and Competition Bill later this year. I look forward to the active and constructive engagement of Members of this House during its consideration of the Bill. Wide-ranging public consultations have already taken place on most of the constituent parts of the proposed Bill. A public consultation on possible changes to the Competition Act 2002 was previously...
- Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (21 Feb 2012)
Richard Bruton: I do not accept the Deputy's concerns that the consumer protection actions and activities will be watered down as a result of the merger of the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency. The decision to merge the two bodies is aimed at ensuring improved co-ordination of these two policy areas. Enforcing both competition and consumer law will give the newly merged body synergies...
- Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (21 Feb 2012)
Richard Bruton: Member States are required to adopt legislative measures giving effect to the Consumer Rights Directive by 13 December 2013 and to apply those measures by 13 June 2014. As I indicated on the launch of the report of the Sales Law Review Group on 18 October 2011, I have decided to use the opportunity presented by the requirement to transpose the Directive to update and consolidate the...
- Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (21 Feb 2012)
Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 302 and 303 together. I am assuming that the Deputy's question refers to the provision of fees for the use of means of payment at Article 19 of the recently adopted Consumer Rights Directive. This provides that: Member States shall prohibit traders from charging consumers, in respect of the use of a given means of payment, fees that exceed the cost borne by...
- Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (21 Feb 2012)
Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 305 to 307, inclusive, together. The European Progress Microfinance Facility is a European Investment Fund (EIF) initiative to support entrepreneurship and employment through microfinance activities. It was established by the EU Commission in 2010. It does not directly provide microfinance to either Member States' Governments or entrepreneurs. Instead,...
- Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (21 Feb 2012)
Richard Bruton: The objective of the Action Plan for Jobs is to transform the operating environment for business in order to support enterprise growth and enable job creation. The Government will achieve this objective by systematically removing obstacles to competitiveness, promoting innovation and trade, supporting new and existing businesses to develop and expand, and by deepening the impact of foreign...
- Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (21 Feb 2012)
Richard Bruton: The Director of Corporate Enforcement is independent in carrying out his statutory functions and is subject to strict confidentiality conditions in relation to those functions. The Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement publishes an Annual Report in relation to the work of the Office including statistics on the number of civil and criminal enforcement cases brought forward by the...