Results 8,601-8,620 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: One of the high level goals of IDA's strategy "Horizon 2020" is that in the period 2014, 50% of new FDI projects will be located outside of Dublin and Cork. To date in 2010, 16 of the 63 investments announced are located outside of Dublin and Cork. Of the remaining 47 projects announced, 39 are located in Dublin and 8 are located in Cork. The locations of the 16 projects located outside of...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: "Towards 2016" contains a Government commitment to introduce amending legislation to exclude voice-over actors, freelance journalists and session musicians when engaging in collective bargaining, from the provisions of Section 4 of the Competition Act 2002. The commitment takes into account, inter alia, that there would be negligible negative impacts on the economy or on the level of ...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department does not provide direct funding to business or start-ups, it does however provide funding to the enterprise agencies. Assistance for small businesses and services in Ireland is delivered primarily through the County and City Enterprise Boards who are the primary initial contact point for business start-ups. They are responsible for providing support to small businesses with 10...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 to 255, inclusive, and 257 to 259, inclusive, together. The Industrial Development agency figures for job gains and losses are compiled annually in the Forfás Annual Employment Survey, the most up to date of which details employment figures up until 2009. The figures are in respect of numbers of persons employed in firms assisted by IDA Ireland,...

Written Answers — Export Markets: Export Markets (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: In 2010 Enterprise Ireland (EI) has been working closely with its clients to maintain and build their business relationships with existing key customers and target and win new customers in existing and new markets. There has been a large number of targeted sector visits and a number of cross-sectoral visits led by Government Ministers to strategic overseas markets with an emphasis on High...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 260 to 262, inclusive, together. Jobs are the central priority of Government policy. Recently, the Taoiseach launched the five-year integrated Government plan for trade, tourism and investment aimed at generating 300,000 jobs. The new plan, "Trading and Investing in a Smart Economy", is the first integrated strategy to promote overseas trade, tourism and...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (13 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am informed by IDA that in the 5 years since mid 2005, there were 6 announcements in relation to multinational, Greenfield start ups and expansions in Waterford City and County, with the potential to create 588 jobs. While jobs announced are typically created over a period of up to three to five years, it should be noted that, in the 5 years from the beginning of 2005 to the end of 2009...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (14 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I understand that the database of .ie registered internet domain names is maintained by a non -profit, non governmental organization and I have no function in the matter. The Deputy will be aware that the free movement of goods and services is a basic tenet of the European Treaties. There is no general obligation, however, requiring a trader whether offering goods for sale as a traditional...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (14 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department currently has 197 staff participating in the worksharing scheme. Of these 197 staff, 177 are female and 20 male. Figures are not available in relation to the number of staff turned down for the worksharing scheme; this is because applications must initially be approved at local line manger level subject to the business needs of the Unit/Division concerned and may not come to...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (14 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes made a number of recommendations addressed directly to my Department. All recommendations contained in the report have been considered by my Department and, where appropriate, have been implemented either in part or in full. The following table sets out the current position in relation to the recommendations...

Written Answers — Business Regulation: Business Regulation (14 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: 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 is one of the lowest in the OECD across all categories...

Loan Guarantee Scheme: Motion (19 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to share time with the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, Deputy Darragh O'Brien and Deputy Seán Fleming, with the agreement of the House.

Loan Guarantee Scheme: Motion (19 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "— welcomes, in particular, the Government's five year integrated trade, tourism and investment plan, Trading and Investing in a Smart Economy, designed to help all Irish businesses compete on global markets and create 300,000 jobs across the Irish economy in both exporting and locally trading...

Written Answers — Departmental Contracts: Departmental Contracts (19 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Contracts held by my Department and its offices with telecommunication providers relate to three distinct areas: fixed data communications, fixed voice communications and mobile communications. A three stage review of these contracts is under way with a view to making significant cost savings as follows: Fixed Data Communications. Following a recent public tendering procedure, my Department...

Written Answers — Departmental Contracts: Departmental Contracts (19 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department and the Offices of my Department do not have specific contracts with energy providers. The energy requirements of my Department and the Offices of my Department are catered for under special arrangements negotiated for Government Departments, Offices and Agencies by the Office of Public Works (through the Government Supplies Agency/National Procurement Service). I understand...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (19 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Following the transfer of responsibility for FAS with effect from 1st May 2010 this is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Education and Skills.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (19 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 525 and 526 together. Since 2007, my Department established the National Employment Rights Authority and the National Consumer Agency. The Information requested by the Deputy in relation to these bodies is as follows: (1) The National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) was established on an interim basis in February, 2007 in line with the commitment in Towards...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (19 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Building Ireland's Smart Economy document, published in December 2008, contained a commitment to publish a whole-of-Government response to recommendations contained in Competition Authority reports within nine months of their publication. The October 2009 Renewed Programme for Government further strengthened this pledge. Following on from the commitment, my Department drew up an...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (19 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: There are currently six staff teleworking in my Department. There are no plans at present to increase this number because of budgetary constraints and the high demands placed on the Department's limited ICT and related resources in supporting teleworking arrangements.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (20 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The number of persons employed on temporary contract in my Department and the cost involved for 2008 and 2009 is set out in the table below. Fixed Term Contracts Category No of Contracts 2008 Cost of Contracts 2008 No of Contracts 2009 Cost of Contracts 2009 Fixed Term Contracts2 - 4 year durationi.e. primarily appointed to professional grades, e.g. Accountant / Auditor/ Legal Adviser 4...