Results 8,501-8,520 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (5 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The European Progress Microfinance Facility was launched in 2010 and is managed by the European Investment Fund (EIF) on behalf of the European Commission. Under the European Progress Microfinance Facility, €100 million will be made available, spread over four years from 2010 to 2013, to support employment, the development of micro-enterprises and the social economy across all European...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (5 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department does not provide direct funding or grants to businesses but provides funding to a number of State Agencies, including the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) and Enterprise Ireland, through whom assistance is delivered directly to businesses. The CEBs' unique role positions them as a first point of contact for persons wishing to set up in business and therefore I would...

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (5 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The role of the County and City Enterprise Boards is to provide support for micro-enterprises in the start-up and expansion phases, to promote and develop indigenous micro-enterprise potential and to stimulate economic activity and entrepreneurship at local level. The CEBs deliver a range of tailored Programmes and Supports in order to fulfil this role and may provide both financial...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (5 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I announced the first call for expressions of interest in Innovation Fund Ireland on 23 September 2010, less than two weeks ago. Enterprise Ireland and the National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF) will manage the Fund and investors have until November 26 to signal their interest in establishing a presence here. The Innovation Fund is about investing for the medium to long-term in high...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (5 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Employment Subsidy Scheme (Temporary) was introduced to help employees maintain their jobs while at the same time assisting employers in retaining their productive capacity. In order to qualify for support, enterprises had to commit to retaining a multiple of the number of jobs that they receive subsidies for until the end of November 2010. The purpose of the scheme is to protect...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (5 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: There are currently a total of 13 EU Directives to be transposed by my Department up to 2012. One of these Directives is currently overdue: Directive 2006/123/EC on services in the Internal Market. In relation to Directive 2006/123/EC on services in the internal market, the drafting of the statutory instrument giving effect to this Directive has been completed. The draft Regulations will...

Written Answers — Business Regulation: Business Regulation (5 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 422 and 423 together. International benchmarking statistics reveal that Ireland imposes a relatively low burden of regulation on business. The Forfás Annual Competitiveness Report 2010 states that Ireland's regulatory environment is one of the least restrictive in the OECD in relation to product market regulation, the time taken to comply with tax payments...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (5 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Trading and Investing in a Smart Economy, a Strategy and Action Plan for Irish Trade, Tourism and Investment to 2015, is an integrated strategy that is global in scope and covers both existing and new high growth potential markets. It has set a number of ambitious targets to be achieved by 2015 i.e. to create 150,000 new jobs (manufacturing, tourism and traded services) with a similar...

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (5 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Ministers of State at my Department and I between us participated in eight regional meetings with business groups during July and August to hear at first hand from small businesses their experiences in gaining access to bank credit. These meetings took place in Cork, Athlone, Galway, Waterford, Bundoran, Dublin, Dundalk and Shannon. I am grateful to the businesses and their...

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (5 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Regulation of the insurance industry is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Finance, and is an area in which I have no direct role. I understand that the practice to which the deputy refers relates to arrangements involving insurance companies actively recommending certain approved repairers to their policyholders. The arrangement between the insurance companies and the approved...

Community Employment Schemes (6 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am replying to this Adjournment matter on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it affords me the opportunity to outline to the House the position on community employment programmes. Community employment is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged...

Health Services (6 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I thank Deputy Deenihan for raising what is a very important issue on the Adjournment. I am taking it on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. The national diabetes programme was established under the governance of the quality and clinical care directorate of the HSE to progress a national diabetes plan which has five key objectives, namely, to...

Flood Relief (6 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I thank Deputy Ring for raising what is an important issue in that area. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, shares the Deputy's concern about repeated flooding in the Roundfort-Hollymount area of County Mayo and the need for remedial action. The area concerned involves two turloughs, which are part of the Kilglassan-Caheravoostia turlough complex...

Employment Support Services (6 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I thank Deputy Michael McGrath for raising an issue on the Adjournment that is of serious concern to all of us. I want to begin by expressing my regret at the announcement by GlaxoSmithKline of the loss of 121 jobs at its Currabinny facility. GSK currently employs over 1,500 people in Ireland at its various sites in Cork, Dublin, Dungarvan and Sligo. The current job losses are a result of...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (6 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is responsible for the payment of pensions under the Competition Authority (Chairman and Members') Superannuation Scheme, 1996 and the Labour Court (Members) Superannuation Scheme, 1971-2005. Five former members of the Competition Authority are paid an annual pension ranging from €7,384.01 to €88,773.00; 12 former members of the Labour Court (including Chairpersons and...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (6 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am informed by IDA that, as far back as 2003, the IDA Board approved the sale of all the Agency's lands in Kildare to Kildare County Council. However, due to a failure in negotiations, this transaction was not finalised at that time. IDA again approached the Council about the matter, but the Council has confirmed that it now has no interest in acquiring the properties. IDA now proposes...

Written Answers — Unemployment Levels: Unemployment Levels (6 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department facilitates the creation of new employment opportunities, through the State development agencies, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland, together with the County and City Enterprise Boards. These bodies assist and promote enterprise development and employment growth in businesses. The analysis of labour market data is a matter for the Department of Education and Skills and FÁS....

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (6 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The table below shows expenditure in 2009 and 2010 on Irish Language Training for staff in my Department. It also shows the number of staff who have undertaken such training. Irish Language Training 2009 & 2010 2009 2010 Cost â'¬1,185.00 â'¬490.00* No. of staff 19 13* * Figures to October 4th 2010. My Department is committed to building on the existing levels of knowledge and...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (6 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: In terms of supporting the creation of new employment opportunities across the country the State development agencies, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland, together with the County and City Enterprise Boards assist and promote enterprise development and employment growth in businesses. Enterprise Ireland delivers a wide range of supports to Irish companies, targeted at the specific...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (6 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The latest grocery price comparison survey carried out by the National Consumer Agency, which was published on the 10th August, found that in the case of the multiples the price of selected branded grocery items had dropped in the region of 14% between January 2009 and July 2010. The Central Statistics Office in its most recent bulletin found that overall the price of food and non-alcoholic...