Results 8,621-8,640 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Emigration Statistics: Emigration Statistics (20 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: § ...

Written Answers — Small and Medium Businesses: Small and Medium Businesses (21 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: A number of initiatives have been taken over the last two years to improve participation by SMEs in tendering for public contracts. In 2008, the Tánaiste established the Procurement Innovation Group which was charged with identifying ways through which public procurement could be used to stimulate demand for innovative goods and services, while opening opportunities for all innovative...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (21 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The accompanying tables provide a breakdown of the number of new staff recruited to my Department with details of grades; the number of promotions with details of grades; the number of staff who have left under the incentivised early retirement scheme with details of grades and the number of staff who left for other reasons with details of grades for years 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010....

Written Answers — Business Regulation: Business Regulation (21 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Section 198 of the Companies Act 1990 provides that there shall be a register of auditors maintained by the registrar of companies. I understand that the register has been in place, in paper form initially, since the commencement of that provision and subsequently in electronic format. The European Communities (Statutory Audits) (Directive 2006/43/EC) Regulations 2010 has expanded the...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (21 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has one "High-Level" Group operating under its aegis and the information requested by the Deputy in relation to this Group is as follows: Name of High-Level Group Purpose of Group Date Established No. of Meetings High Level Group on Business Regulation The High-Level Group acts as a forum for dialogue between business, trade unions and Government agencies. Its primary role...

Written Answers — Retail Sector Pricing Strategies: Retail Sector Pricing Strategies (27 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The use of aggressive pricing strategies is a legitimate marketing tool and is the normal outcome of the competitive process. Low cost and below cost selling by a retailer, including an off-licence, is not of itself an offence unless it involves abuse of a dominant position. A determination on whether a retailer is abusing a dominant position in the marketplace would necessitate a...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (27 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am informed by IDA Ireland that IDA has no units in its ownership in Co Kildare. IDA has leases on 6 private sector units in Newbridge, Co Kildare. None of the units are currently occupied so IDA is not in receipt of any rent at present, as outlined in the tabular statement below: Building Name SQ M. Occupancy Status Head Lease Rent Rent € per m.sq. CL.BLDG.1 - UNIT 1...

Written Answers — Market Rights: Market Rights (27 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Casual Trading Act 1995 sets out the law regarding selling goods in public places. Casual trading is defined as "selling goods at a place (including a public road) to which the public have access as of right". The Act essentially requires those who engage in casual trading to hold a licence granted for that purpose by the relevant local authority where the casual trading takes please....

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (27 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Enterprise Ireland The Board of Enterprise Ireland is comprised of 12 members. Forfás The Board of Forfás is comprised of 13 members. The Health and Safety Authority The Board of the Health and Safety Authority is comprised of 12 members. IDA Ireland The Board of IDA Ireland is made up of 12 members. Intertrade Ireland The Board of Intertrade Ireland is made up of 12 members, 6 from The...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (27 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Table below sets out the funding allocated to each of the Agencies under the Aegis of my Department between 2006 and 2010. The allocations shown include exchequer funding and National Training Fund (NTF) monies, where appropriate. While the table shows Exchequer funding and NTF, some of the Agencies receive funding from other sources such as fees , property rental, grant refunds, and...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (27 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have been informed by the IDA that to date in 2010, there have been 25 first-time site visits to County Galway, of which 1 was to Ballinasloe. In 2009, there were 22 first-time site visits and 1 of these was to Ballinasloe. There were 14 first-time site visits to County Galway in 2008, none of which visited Ballinsloe. As part of its strategy to attract inward investment, IDA Ireland...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (28 Oct 2010)

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

Written Answers — Job Protection: Job Protection (28 Oct 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Shannon Development is the State agency which has the mandate for the support and establishment of both foreign and Irish owned enterprises in the Shannon Free Zone Industrial Estate, Co Clare. Shannon Development is also responsible for the management and development of the Shannon Free Zone Industrial Estate. This includes the provision of property solutions to accommodate the FDI and...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (2 Nov 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table on the basis agreed between the Deputy and an official in my Department. In that regard, subventions to the Agencies of my Department which are detailed in the Voted Expenditure / Appropriation Account for my Department each year are not detailed. In addition, and as agreed with the Deputy, 1997 was used as the base-year as to...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (2 Nov 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Shannon Development notified my Department of the job losses in Shannon Aerospace on the morning of Wednesday 20th October and, in the case of Elsevier, Shannon Development notified my Department on the morning of Thursday 21st October. Both notifications were made within one hour of receiving notice from the companies in question. Notification in such cases allows the Department to ensure...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (2 Nov 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department operates an early warning system of firms in difficulty and where jobs are at risk. The system applies to firms that have been assisted by the Industrial Development agencies operating under the aegis of my Department. Notifications of firms in difficulty and where jobs are at risk are received from these agencies as soon as the agencies become aware of the situation. I should...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (2 Nov 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy's correspondent has made allegations against Enterprise Ireland and its predecessor organisations ( Forbairt / Industrial Development Authority) previously . The matter was considered by Enterprise Ireland in the past and the Agency was satisfied that there was no impropriety. In the light of the Deputy's correspondent continuing concerns, and the most recent correspondence,...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (2 Nov 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 545 and 546 together. My Department and the 8 Offices of my Department currently occupy 11 buildings within the State. A list of the buildings involved is attached as a tabular statement. All of the buildings listed in the tabular statement are occupied by the Department or the Offices of the Department. With the exception of a building in Shannon occupied...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (2 Nov 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. There have been 2 calls under the Scheme and as a result almost 1,700 enterprises were approved for support with those companies committing to maintaining over 100,000 jobs to end November 2010. There are no plans to...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (2 Nov 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Purchasing decisions on individual software packages are taken on the basis of a wide range of factors including fit with the needs of the Department and its existing systems, availability of adequate support for critical IT systems, fit with my Department's support skills, up front cost, and total cost of ownership taking account of the foregoing factors. Because of the complexity of these...