Results 8,541-8,560 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Graduate Support Schemes (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Government is pursuing a whole of enterprise approach to employment creation through support for Irish firms and winning foreign direct investment to sustain and expand job opportunities. Many jobs that are being created are providing employment opportunities for our graduates. My Department's agencies are playing, and will continue to play, a key role in this regard. For example, the...

Graduate Support Schemes (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: We all are concerned about graduates coming out of college and not having employment and we are all anxious to help address this situation. We are examining a series of initiatives in regard to this matter. The internship programme would be a matter for the Department of Education and Skills but my Department and the Department of Social Protection would have an input into that. I have...

Graduate Support Schemes (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I will obtain an estimate of the number of graduates but the figure is certainly not 100,000. There are placements available for graduates. In the past week, I took the trouble of speaking to two recruitment agencies, one of which informed me that recruitment had increased by 26% in retail, wholesale and purchasing, by 21% in production, manufacturing and materials, by 12% in engineering...

Graduate Support Schemes (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Another agency informed me that professional recruitment had increased in the third quarter by 40% as compared to the third quarter of 2009. We should not forget that a significant number of jobs are being created.

Departmental Agencies (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that the staffing levels for each Department and its associated offices and agencies are determined by an employment control framework agreed with the Department of Finance in accordance with the Government decision on reductions to be achieved in civil and public service numbers over the period to end 2012. In allocating staff resources under the employment control...

Departmental Agencies (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: In May, when I received the letter in question, I spoke to the chairman of the IDA and indicated that I would give priority to the economic agencies that would deliver jobs. I made him aware that this would take place when we completed the overall employment framework and that is exactly what happened. I called in the chief executives of the IDA and Enterprise Ireland and asked what were...

Departmental Agencies (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Government has given a commitment on job creation. I have received a 25% increase in the allocation for the capital programme for the enterprise agencies up to 2016. I know the Deputy does not mean it when he argues we should throw 100 jobs at a particular region. The IDA is targeting high potential growth markets such as China and Brazil. I will visit Brazil and the Middle East on...

Enterprise Support Services (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Ireland is one of the most entrepreneurial countries in the world and never has this spirit been more important. The growth and development of small Irish businesses, is central to economic recovery and it is essential that Irish enterprises continue to be supported. My priority is to ensure that the business environment is supportive of enterprise and encourages growth in all areas of the...

Enterprise Support Services (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The final point obviously is a matter for the Minister for Finance and the Deputy should take it up directly with him.

Enterprise Support Services (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy has raised a number of interesting issues with which I wish to deal. One concerns the county and city enterprise boards and funding thereof. When I came into this office I asked Enterprise Ireland to undertake a trawl of the enterprise boards to ascertain precisely which projects were on hand, which projects were approved, and what was the requirement in terms of money. After an...

Enterprise Support Services (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: There is one other-----

Enterprise Support Services (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My time is up.

Enterprise Support Services (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I will answer the second question first. I am anxious to reduce costs for businesses, and I acknowledge that local authority rates represent a significant cost. There is a widely held view that while the income and asset values of many small businesses have reduced dramatically, charges have not reduced as significantly as they might have done. I recently spoke to all the city and county...

Enterprise Support Services (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am taking everything into consideration and, as I said, I will take this matter to Government in the next two weeks. Ultimately, however, it is a matter for Government to decide.

Enterprise Support Services (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have almost completed my preparations in this regard. I want it to be as feasible and open as possible for people to-----

Enterprise Support Services (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I apologise to the Leas Cheann-Comhairle for interrupting.

Enterprise Support Services (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I knew the Deputy was very anxious to get an answer. I will definitely retain the local input because that is extremely important. The boards would not be as effective without that local input.

Enterprise Support Services (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: That is a matter to be worked out and to be passed by Cabinet. I assure the Deputy that local input will be part and parcel of it.

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Along with my Government colleagues, I will continue to drive the competitiveness agenda across the economy to promote an environment that is conducive to creating jobs and enables all businesses to flourish. 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...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Appointments to the boards of bodies accountable to my Department are made in accordance with the legislation under which the body was established. The relevant legislative provisions vary from body to body. For example, in certain cases the legislation provides for the appointment of persons nominated by specified stakeholders, such as employer or trade union representative bodies. In other...