Results 8,361-8,380 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Job Protection: Job Protection (25 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: While the rights of employers in transfer situations may vary, depending on the particular characteristics involved, the transfer to which the Deputy refers will have regard to the European Communities (Protection of Employees on Transfer of Undertakings) Regulations 2003 (S.I. No. 131 of 2003). These Regulations provide that the rights and obligations of the original employer, arising from...

Written Answers — Public Procurement: Public Procurement (25 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: The query in this case relates to a contract for the supply of goods which was awarded by a Local Authority. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on specific contracts in the procurement process which are a matter for the procuring authority and the company in question regarding any issues or queries on the awarding of particular contracts. I am, however, keen to ensure that SMEs...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (25 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 — Job Creation: Job Creation (25 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: Tackling the cost of doing business is a shared objective across the whole of Government. Since coming into office, we have taken a number of measures to reduce business costs. In the Jobs Initiative last May, we halved the rate of Employer's PRSI on earnings up to €356 per week and reduced the lower rate of VAT on certain goods and services, from 13.5% to 9%. The Restaurant Association...

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

Richard Bruton: The Action Plan for Jobs 2012 contains over 270 actions for delivery across all 15 Government Departments and 36 State agencies, to support employment creation and retention. Each action is broken down into quarterly measures - or milestones - for delivery, and the body responsible for implementation of those measures is identified. A Monitoring Committee, comprising representatives from the...

Industrial Relations (26 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: Recommendations and awards of these institutions may concern either industrial relations or employment rights issues. I will deal with each separately. The system of industrial relations in Ireland is essentially voluntarist in nature. The State provides a framework and the institutions through which good industrial relations can prosper. It is expected that the parties to a dispute come...

Industrial Relations (26 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: I agree there have been difficulties with the resolution of many industrial disputes. However, legal mandatory rulings have not been a feature of our industrial relations scenery and they create a very different approach to industrial relations. Our industrial relations machinery has evolved on the basis of seeking to be conciliatory and to bring parties together. Ultimately solutions have...

Industrial Relations (26 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: Our ambition is to have a system that is efficient, with early intervention to reconcile the issues rather than as in the present system where often it becomes very legalistic and moves towards adjudication and hearings rather than seeking an early intervention. We need a system that works effectively for both sides. That is my ambition and we seek to develop mechanisms to achieve this.

Upward-only Rent Reviews (26 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: Section 132 of the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009, which provides for the abolition of upward-only rent reviews in commercial leases, became operative on 28 February 2010. The two enterprise agencies which report to my Department and have significant property portfolios, namely IDA Ireland and Shannon Development, have acted in accordance with the provisions of section 132 of the...

Upward-only Rent Reviews (26 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: It is my understanding that there has been no increase in rents by those agencies. However, I will seek further clarification and confirmation for the Deputy. He raises the wider issue of the Government's intention to seek to do away with upward-only rents. This matter is the responsibility of the Department of Justice and Equality but the advice of the Attorney General is that it was not...

Upward-only Rent Reviews (26 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: I am not in a position to guarantee in respect of any reduction in upward-only rents. It is not possible for the Government to introduce a provision requiring landlords to reduce their rents to market levels. The legal advice is that it is not possible.

Upward-only Rent Reviews (26 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: I am only responsible for agencies under my remit.

Upward-only Rent Reviews (26 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: I have no responsibility for the agencies. The Deputy has not offered details. If he wishes to send me information about the agency concerned I will raise it with the appropriate Minister. Every case can be different. I cannot issue diktats or guarantees but if the Deputy wishes to send details of a case about which he is concerned, I will bring it to the attention of the appropriate Minister.

Employment Support Services (26 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: The latest quarterly national household survey published by the Central Statistics Office in March shows that in the final quarter of 2011 there were 142,500 people under the age of 25 in employment. This compares to 157,000 in that age cohort who were in employment at the end of 2010. The quarterly national household survey also shows that in the final quarter of 2011, 59,700 people under...

Employment Support Services (26 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: My direct responsibility is for enterprise policy and we support people establishing enterprise and employment regardless of age. Many of the new opportunities being made available through decisions of companies to expand mean the recruitment of young, well-educated people. The issue about which the Deputy is concerned is younger people who perhaps have a skill mismatch or who have come out...

Employment Support Services (26 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: I would love to be helpful to the Deputy but these are not my areas of responsibility. I know the Minister, Deputy Burton, is conducting a review of the impact of the JobBridge scheme. I am sure the reply to a parliamentary question would reveal what percentage of participants are under and over the age of 25. My limited experience is different to that of the Deputy. I know many very good...

Employment Support Services (26 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: Deputy Fleming used up Deputy Tóibín's time.

Multinational Investment (26 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 18 together. The latest Central Bank Quarterly Bulletin contains an article on the statistical implications of the corporate structures of multinational companies. The decision of a multinational company to locate headquarters in Ireland can have a very substantial impact on reported direct foreign investment. Its balance sheet, its lending activities...

Multinational Investment (26 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy has raised a number of points. While aggregate sales from foreign-owned companies are very large, it has to be recognised that the impact of such companies on the Irish economy is also very large. Even though the wage percentage might be small, total foreign direct investment accounts for almost 250,000 jobs in the economy. The companies in question spend €19 billion on...

Multinational Investment (26 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy is raising issues that go well beyond the subject of his question. The Government is acutely aware of the problems in the banking system. The Minister of State, Deputy Perry, has been engaged in a roadshow with the Secretary General of the Department of Finance, Mr. John Moran. Deputy Wallace is aware the Department of Finance has received a commitment from each of the two...