Results 8,541-8,560 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Prompt Payments System: Prompt Payments System (6 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: Since 2009, Central Government Departments have been improving their respective payment times, so as to assist the cash flow of businesses, and are obliged to pay their suppliers within 15 days of receipt of a valid invoice. This 15 day prompt payment rule was introduced by Government on an administrative basis. Departments are required to report quarterly to my Department on their...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (6 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: It is important to maintain an appropriate balance in terms of labour market flexibility and protection of employees and this is something that is constantly under review. The most recent evidence supporting the view that Ireland is among the least rigid labour markets is available from the OECD's most recent report on the subject of employment protection and the extent of its rigidity...

Written Answers — National Minimum Wage: National Minimum Wage (6 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: The current Programme for Government contained a commitment to reverse the €1 per hour reduction in the National Minimum Wage introduced by the previous Government on 1 February 2011. The increase was provided for in the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 and effected by the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 (Section 11) (No. 2) Order 2011 on July 1st 2011. The restoration of the National...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (6 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: 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 role of Dublin City Enterprise Board as part of the network of CEBs is to develop indigenous potential and stimulate economic...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (6 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: The company concerned is a client company of Enterprise Ireland and the company have been supported as part of the enterprise development agenda of the agency. I am informed by the agency that the supports provided to the company are fully compliant with Irish legislation and EU State Aid rules.

Written Answers — Enterprise Support Services: Enterprise Support Services (6 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Programme for Government details a commitment to establish a Microfinance Loan Fund targeted at start-up, newly established or growing micro-enterprises across all industry. The Action Plan for Jobs reconfirms this commitment. It is generally accepted that lack of credit severely restricts opportunities to create and support micro enterprises and in so doing help reduce unemployment....

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (6 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: The position in relation to legal advice or representation for complainants will not be changed in any way on foot of the reform. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) will, among other matters, incorporate the proactive information functions, currently discharged by the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA), in relation to informing employers and employees in respect of employment...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (6 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: I see no merit in proceeding with stand-alone legislation on media mergers. Following a Government decision, the Consumer and Competition Bill is currently being drafted which will give effect to, inter alia , the recommendations of the Advisory Group on Media Mergers. The media mergers provisions will complement the overall merger and acquisition provisions which will be updated in this...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (6 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 277 and 280 together. Figures in respect of the number of jobs created in firms assisted by IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland are published each year in the Annual Report for those agencies and are available on the websites www.idaireland.ie and www.enterprise-ireland.com respectively. In 2011, 11,594 jobs were created in IDA Ireland assisted companies and...

Written Answers — Public Service Contracts: Public Service Contracts (6 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: It would not be appropriate for me to comment on specific contracts in the procurement process. Any issues or queries concerning the award of a particular contract should be addressed by the company in question to the procuring authority. Public procurement policy is primarily a matter for the Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with special responsibility...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (6 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Government has no plans at present to lift employment permits restrictions for non-EU nationals nor does it see that the current policy impedes inward investment. Visas are a matter for my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality. It is current Government policy to issue new employment permits in respect of jobs requiring key skills and where there is a recognised scarcity of...

Written Answers — International Conventions: International Conventions (6 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: I welcome the successful outcome of discussions at the International Labour Conference (ILC) in June 2011 that led to the adoption of a new International labour standard aimed at ensuring Decent Work for Domestic Workers. The final text of the draft Convention was one that the Irish Government was in a position to support and the Convention on Decent Work for Domestic Workers has become ILO...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (6 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: Capital funding allocated to my Department's Vote is primarily expended through various agencies under the remit of my Department, including IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland, Shannon Development, Inter Trade Ireland, the National Standards Authority of Ireland and the 35 City and County Enterprise Boards. Capital funding of €10 million has also been allocated for...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (6 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: I am informed by IDA Ireland that statistics in relation to site visits by potential investors are maintained on a county by county basis only. In the three year period 2009 to 2011 inclusive, there have been a total of 83 IDA sponsored site visits by potential investors to County Louth. The number of such visits paid in each of those years is set out in the attached tabular statement. The...

Written Answers — Industrial Relations: Industrial Relations (6 Jun 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 — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (6 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Protection of Employees (Temporary Agency Work) 2012 Act transposed EU Directive 2008/104/EC on Temporary Agency Work into Irish law. The Act provides for equal treatment in terms of basic working and employment conditions for agency workers, as defined in the Act, as if they were employees recruited directly by the Hirer to do the same or similar job. The Act covers (a) Basic pay (b)...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (6 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: The figures in respect of jobs in Enterprise Development agency-supported companies and those supported by the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) are compiled in the Forfás Annual Employment Survey and the CEB Annual Employment Survey respectively. As the information is compiled on an annualised basis, the figures in respect of 2011 as a whole are set out in the table accompanying...

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (6 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Government has approved the restructuring of the existing micro and small enterprise support mechanisms with a view to creating an enhanced national enterprise support model. The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation will remain responsible for national enterprise policy and budgets but under the new model, enterprise supports will be delivered at local level by a network of Local...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (6 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that this Spousal/Dependant Permit application was refused on the 14th March 2012 on the grounds that it appeared that the proposed employee had already been working in the company without having a valid employment permit. Furthermore, additional information requested from the applicant had not been provided and there appeared to be a discrepancy in the information...

Written Answers — Job Protection: Job Protection (6 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: Neither I myself nor any officials in my Department have had any discussions with this company in relation to the future of their operation here. In addition, in relation to IDA Ireland, while that Agency welcomed the decision of the company to locate in Ireland, it was not IDA policy to target gambling related companies through grant aid at that time. IDA has had no contact with the company...