Results 8,461-8,480 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Trade Missions: Trade Missions (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: The total estimated net cost of the recent Trade and Investment to China for my Department and agencies under my Department's auspices is €122,400. Given the short timeline since the completion of the trade mission, there are some costs that have yet to be finalised. The cost is broken down as follows: Department/Agency €'000 Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation 3.0...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: Ptolemy is the bespoke administration system of the Irish Patents Office, which facilitates the administration and maintenance of all Patent, Trademark and Industrial Design applications applied for in, or designating Ireland. This encompasses both Irish (national) applications and those filed in the European Patents Office (EPO), OHIM (Community Trademarks) and WIPO (World Intellectual...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: The role of Government is to not to create jobs, but to provide the environment where successful businesses can become established, grow and generate jobs. In addition to taking the policy decisions to underpin a competitive environment for business, the Government provides a range of supports to enterprise across a number of Departments and agencies. Funding for these supports is allocated...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: Following previous representations in December 2011, I had already requested the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) to intervene on my behalf in this matter and seek enforcement of the €50,000 award. In this instance, prior to NERA's involvement, the case had already been brought before the Circuit Court and a Court Order was issued by the Dublin Circuit Court dated 4 May 2011. An...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: My Department currently has 13 State Agencies supporting us in our work. These are: 1. Enterprise Ireland 2. IDA Ireland 3. Science Foundation Ireland 4. Shannon Development 5. County & City Enterprise Boards (35) 6. National Standards Authority of Ireland 7. InterTradeIreland (the North / South Business Development Body) 8. Forfás 9. National Consumer Agency 10. The Competition Authority...

Written Answers — Trade Missions: Trade Missions (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: In March of this year, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny and I led a seven day trade and investment mission to China. The Mission I led incorporated a seven day programme covering Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Beijing. Some 130 Executives from 90 companies accompanied the delegation. During the Mission itself, An Taoiseach and I witnessed significant contract signings from 14 companies...

Written Answers — Youth Employment Action Plan: Youth Employment Action Plan (1 May 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 initiative calls on Member States to work on preventing early school leaving, help young people to develop skills relevant to the labour market, ensure the provision of work experience and on-the-job training, and help young people...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (2 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: A Bill entitled the "Protection of Employees (Temporary Agency Work) Bill, 2011" designed to give effect to the EU Directive on Temporary Agency Work, completed passage in the Dáil in mid-February, 2012 and completed all stages in the Seanad on 27 April 2012. The Bill will be returned to the Dail on 9 May for consideration of Seanad amendments and, assuming final passage in both Houses, the...

Written Answers — Industrial Relations: Industrial Relations (2 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: The system of industrial relations in Ireland is essentially voluntarist in nature with the terms and conditions of employment of workers being determined in the main by a process of voluntary negotiation and agreement without the direct intervention of the State. In general, Irish law does not try to impose a solution on parties to an industrial relations dispute, but rather is designed to...

Written Answers — Trade Relations: Trade Relations (2 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: South Africa is recognised as a priority market for Irish exports in the Strategy and Action Plan for Irish Trade, Tourism and Investment, the implementation of which is being overseen by the Export Trade Council. This strategy's overall objective is to marshal and coordinate the resources of the State in a way that best supports firms, of all sizes, in all parts of the country, which are...

Written Answers — Credit Guarantee Scheme: Credit Guarantee Scheme (3 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: I published the Credit Guarantee Bill on Tuesday 3rd April, and I will be progressing this legislation through the various stages in the Oireachtas over the coming weeks. In terms of timelines, the Government hope to enact the legislation by the end of May. Following the enactment of the legislation, it is envisaged that the Scheme will be going live shortly thereafter. A contractor was...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (3 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: I am informed by IDA Ireland that in the seven month period since the announcement of the closure of Talk Talk in September 2011 there have been 12 IDA sponsored site visits by potential investors to Waterford city and county. There were a total of 11 such visits to Waterford in each of 2010 and 2011. Following on from the Talk Talk closure announcement, I directed that a report be prepared...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (3 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: In the period 1st January 2012 to date, 43 people retired from my Department, none of whom resided in Waterford City or County Waterford at the time of retirement. Of the 43, 19 were at minimum retirement age, 3 were compulsory retirements and 21 were early retirements. I have asked the agencies under the remit of my Department to respond directly to the Deputy in the matter.

Written Answers — Job Protection: Job Protection (8 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 197 and 202 together. Vodafone Ireland announced on 22 March that it had completed a review of the company's contracted mobile call-centre operations. As a result of this review, the company adopted a new model for its mobile customer care, resulting in a move to a new provider, Teleperformance. Vodafone Ireland and Rigney Dolphin have entered a six-week...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (8 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: Details of the expenditure associated with the external reports commissioned by my Department since January 2011, and of the consultants engaged, are set out in the table below. 2011 Name of Company/Payee Purpose Cost (€) John Travers Facilitation of Code of Practice for Grocery Goods Undertakings (continuation of services provided in 2010) €36,905 Capital for Enterprise Ltd. Design...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (8 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: I can advise the Deputy that no expenditure has been incurred under my Department's vote since February 2011 on external marketing consultants. As regards expenditure incurred in this context under Ministerial allowances paid by the Oireachtas, no expenditure has been incurred by Minister Sherlock or myself during this period. I understand that an amount of €48k was paid by Minister...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (8 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that this Work Permit application was refused on the 10th April 2012 on the grounds that 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...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (8 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: I 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. Four other former Civil Servants are re-engaged by my Department on the following basis: Mr John Walsh - A former Assistant Secretary in this Department is serving on the NERA Advisory Board. The only payments made for...

Written Answers — Industrial Disputes: Industrial Disputes (8 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: I am taking it that this question refers to both the Labour Court case (details supplied) and also to the cases involving this company currently before the Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) Cases, such as this, that have been referred to the Labour Court do not have an appeal route to the EAT. The Labour Court conducts hearings on trade disputes, as in this case, and issues recommendations...

Written Answers — State Banking Sector: State Banking Sector (8 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: I can advise the Deputy that my Department does not have any contracts with the named company. In terms of the placing of contracts for services by the thirteen agencies that come within my Department's remit, this an operational matter for those agencies. As agencies that are governed by the code of practice for State Sponsored bodies, they are fully accountable in terms of observing all...