Results 8,341-8,360 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Enterprise Support Services: Enterprise Support Services (24 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: In the period 2006 – 2011 there have been 156 new enterprises established in this country under the auspices of IDA Ireland providing almost 5,000 new jobs. This figure is broken down on a county by county, year by year basis in the tabular statement below. IDA Ireland is the agency charged with the attraction of foreign direct investment to this country and its regions. At present there...

Written Answers — Enterprise Support Services: Enterprise Support Services (24 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: Details of the number of site visits by potential investors to locations in Ireland on a county by county basis in each of the years 2006 to 2011 is set out in the tabular statement below. One of the high level goals in IDA's Strategy "Horizon 2020" is a commitment that by 2014, 50% of all Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) will be located outside of Dublin and Cork. The global economy and in...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (24 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: None of the staff of my Department who had taken the early retirement package or otherwise are back on the payroll of my Department.

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (24 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: When I came into office last year I identified that people wishing to vindicate their equality and employment rights in the workplace were experiencing serious problems including long delays in having their complaints adjudicated. The problems had been well documented and the issues had been extensively reviewed over many years. The system was so complex that even practitioners had...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (24 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: I am considering the issue of whether a fee for making a complaint or appeal to the new Workplace Relations bodies, which will be established as part of the reform process, should be introduced. However, I have made no decision in this regard yet. I recently published a Blueprint which sets out, in considerable detail, how reform of the workplace relations structures and processes will be...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (24 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: The issue of how best to deal with the equal status function of the Equality Tribunal on foot of the reform of the Workplace Relations bodies is under active consideration. Officials of my Department are in discussion with the Officials of the Department of Justice and Equality together with other interested parties in relation to the matter. My Colleague, the Minister for Justice and...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (24 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: The question of internship schemes for young graduates is a day to day matter for the agencies. I have referred the question to the agencies for direct response to the Deputy.

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (24 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: In December 2011, the European Commission launched a "Youth Opportunities Initiative" in response to the growing problem of youth unemployment across the EU. The Commission's communique of 20 December 2011 set out a number of actions which will be financed directly by the Commission as part of the Initiative. These include measures to be supported by the European Social Fund and by the...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (24 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: It is current Government policy to issue new employment permits only in respect of: · highly skilled, highly paid positions or; · non-EEA nationals who are already legally resident in the State on valid employment permits or; · positions requiring specialist or scarce skills, expertise or qualifications which cannot be filled elsewise. Furthermore, employment permits are only considered...

Written Answers — Unemployment Levels: Unemployment Levels (24 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: I am advised by the Department of Finance that it is not possible to provide details of taxes forgone in respect of a particular age cohort, as all individuals under 65 years of age in the same circumstances are taxed at the same rate. It has previously been estimated that each person who is unemployed costs the State approximately €20,000 per annum in terms of social welfare payments and...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (24 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: Since the transfer of FÁS and its functions under the previous Government, my Department has had no direct involvement in the setting up of SOLAS or of the National Employment and Entitlements Service (NEES). Primary responsibility for these bodies now comes within the remit respectively of my colleagues the Minister for Education and Skills and, the Minister for Social Protection....

Written Answers — Job Vacancies: Job Vacancies (24 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: A report produced in January by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) entitled Addressing High-Level ICT Skills Recruitment Needs confirms that Ireland is a successful major centre for ICT operations with around 75,000 people employed in 8,000 companies. Indeed, ten of the top ICT companies in the world having substantial operations in Ireland. The research undertaken by the...

Written Answers — Enterprise Support Services: Enterprise Support Services (24 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: Subject to certain eligibility criteria, City and County Enterprise Boards (CEBs) can provide direct financial assistance to a project promoter in the form of Priming, Expansion/Development Grants and Feasibility/Innovation Grants. The CEBs also provide a range of indirect non-financial assistance such as business advice, mentoring, management capability training and development programmes....

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (24 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: I have no function in relation to the issue of planning permission. The matter referred to should be addressed to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. While my Department or its agencies have no function as regards resolving the problem at the location concerned, I have asked the agency to contact the food company concerned to discuss any potential enterprise...

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (24 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: 6153The provision of the information in relation to the Deputy's question is a day to day operational matter for the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) operating under my Department's remit. I have therefore asked that the relevant Business Unit based within Enterprise Ireland who perform an administrative coordination function in respect of the CEBs, to compile the information...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (24 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: 6153I appointed two former public servants to act as Civilian Drivers at my Department. Both drivers are paid €631.75 per week in line with Ministerial Guidelines. Three other former Civil Servants are re-engaged by my Department on the following basis: - A former Assistant Secretary in this Department is serving on the NERA Advisory Board. The only payments made for participation on...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (25 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: My Department did not spend any money on hair and make-up since February 2011.

Written Answers — Ministerial Transport: Ministerial Transport (25 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: The total cost to this Department of ministerial transport for the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, the Minister for Small Business and the Minister for Research and Innovation from 9 March 2011 to 20 April 2012 was €322,377.60. This sum included the following principal costs – the salary costs of the Ministers' civilian drivers, including employer's PRSI contribution,...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (25 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: The total spend of my Department and the Offices of my Department on External Public Relations and Communications Consultants and the name of each organisation used for the period 2011 to date is as follows:- Year Name of Consultant/Organisation Purpose Cost 2011 Barberry Limited; trading as Keating & Associates To provide NERA with Communication Services; including PR; media monitoring;...

Written Answers — Small and Medium Enterprises: Small and Medium Enterprises (25 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: My Department does not compile statistics on the number of SMEs in operation here or the number of staff they employ. Responsibility for statistical information rests with the Central Statistics Office (CSO). Information received from the CSO shows that the number of persons engaged in small and medium enterprises (employing up to 250 people) in the total business economy was 900,952 in...