Results 8,841-8,860 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Information and Communications Technology: Information and Communications Technology (17 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 222 and 223 together. Ireland remains a very successful centre for ICT operations with almost 97,000 people employed in ICT firms in Ireland. Of these, almost 74,000 are employed in ICT companies that are clients of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Shannon Development and Údarás na Gaeltachta. These client companies exported goods and services to the value...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (17 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: The total of funds allocated by Enterprise Ireland (EI) in 2011 was €336m. Direct funding for enterprise development totalled €197m, with an additional €55m either administered on behalf of third parties, or disbursements to other state agencies. The net cost of operating the agency (i.e. the costs associated with providing services to client companies, and the administration of the...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (17 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Action Plan for Jobs included a list of actions to be pursued for the Manufacturing sector. One of the key actions was that a Manufacturing Development Forum be established to assist the Government in identifying the needs of manufacturing enterprises and to progress a transformation agenda. To this end I recently established a Manufacturing Development Forum whose membership...

Written Answers — Information and Communications Technology: Information and Communications Technology (17 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: On 22 June Forfas published a study, Key Skills for Enterprise to Trade Internationally, which sets out the skills and talent needed to drive Ireland's trade and export performance in both existing and emerging overseas markets. The study provides a detailed blueprint for adjustments to our education, training and professional development to align skills with the needs of exporting...

Written Answers — Ministerial Allowances: Ministerial Allowances (17 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: Ministers and Ministers of State are entitled to the same allowances as Members of the Oireachtas with the some exceptions. No additional untaxed allowances are paid to either of the Ministers of State or myself by my Department in respect of our official duties.As the Deputy will be aware, Oireachtas expense allowances are exempt from taxation under section 836 of the Taxes Consolidation Act...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (17 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: Ireland remains a very open and welcoming country for non-Irish nationals in our Labour Force. Quarter 1 2012 labour market statistics show there are 274,000 non-Irish nationals in our labour force of just over 2 million. Ireland remains a very attractive location for Foreign Direct Investment. Favourable demographics and consistent investment in education ensure a plentiful supply of highly...

Written Answers — Trade Relations: Trade Relations (17 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: Turkey is a significant market for Irish goods and services. Merchandise exports to Turkey have been developing strongly in recent years and in 2011 were worth over €457 million. In 2010 our services exports increased by 23% over the previous year and were worth €374 million. Trade Missions are a key instrument to promote growing trade opportunities in Turkey. In March of this year,...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (17 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: Job creation is at the top of the Government's agenda. The Action Plan for Jobs outlines the Government's plan to rebuild the economy and create jobs. The Enterprise Development agencies will be at the forefront of implementing the Action Plan for Jobs and will ensure that local enterprises can maximise their contribution to economic and jobs growth. In 2011, Enterprise Ireland paid over...

Written Answers — Sick Pay Scheme: Sick Pay Scheme (17 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: I am aware of the concerns raised in the correspondence to the Deputy that transferring responsibility for the payment of employees' sick pay to employers will add to the cost of doing business. I have received similar views from a number of Chambers of Commerce and individual business people on the matter. The Government is concerned about the extent of dependence on State-funded sickness...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (17 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: Employment Permit structures and procedures have been designed and maintained to protect the Irish labour market while ensuring that key specific skills are available that will enable the Irish economy to expand and develop. Within this context Ireland still remains a very open and welcoming country for non-Irish nationals in our Labour Force. Quarter 1 2012 labour market statistics show...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (17 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in tabular form below. Agency / Office of Department Powers to Enter and Search Premises?(Yes / No) Is a Search Warrant Required?(Yes / No) National Standards Authority of Ireland Power to enter No Competition Authority Yes Yes National Consumer Agency Yes An authorised officer may enter a business premises at all reasonable times...

Written Answers — Enterprise Support Services: Enterprise Support Services (17 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: The rate at which the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) can provide feasibility grants to micro-enterprises is determined in the first instance by the location of the business entity i.e. whether the applicant is in the BMW region (60% rate applies) or the S&E region (50% rate applies). The different rates that apply between the two regions have been set down by the European Commission...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (17 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: It is current Government policy to issue new employment permits only in respect of: · highly skilled, highly paid positions or; · non-EEA nationals who are already legally resident in the State on valid employment permits or; · positions requiring specialist or scarce skills, expertise or qualifications which cannot be filled elsewise. Furthermore permits are issued in respect of...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (17 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: Health and Safety Authority (HSA) Mr John Newham, Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation was appointed to the Board of the Health and Safety Authority on the 10th April 2012. This appointment was a direct replacement for a former Principal Officer in the Department who retired from the Civil Service in February 2012. Shannon Development Mr Stephen Curran, Department of Jobs,...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (17 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: I can advise the Deputy that the only new appointment to the position of Chairperson to any Agency under my Department since March 2011 has been to the Competition Authority. The Chairperson, Ms Isolde Goggin is scheduled to attend before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on 24 July 2012.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (17 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: I appointed two former public servants to act as Civilian Drivers at my Department. The following retirees were also rehired by my Department on a part-time basis in recent years: · Mr John Walsh - A former Assistant Secretary in this Department is serving on the NERA Advisory Board. The cost to the Exchequer for 2011 was €514.58. · Ms. Julie O'Neill - A former Secretary General at...

Seanad: Microenterprise Loan Fund Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: I thank Senators for their support for this Bill. Senator Barrett is correct that, sadly, we saw the banks take a wrong turning. A couple of years ago, Ireland was the easiest place in which to get a loan and the refusal rate was a mere 2%. This was a symptom of the problem. Banks had lost the run of themselves by issuing money but, sadly, they had demolished their capacity to lend other...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (18 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 to 130, inclusive, and 140 together. As a result of the Talk Talk closure in Waterford in September last, I launched the South East Employment Action Plan, which contains targeted actions to address the specific unemployment problems affecting the South East region. This Plan was published in late 2011. I met with all the agencies, local authorities,...

Written Answers — Ministerial Expenditure: Ministerial Expenditure (18 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy has referred to a number of categories of expenditure and I propose to deal with each category individually. In the time available and due to the way the information is recorded on my Department's Financial Management system, I have presented the information by Minister and will provide the information by year as requested by the Deputy when this becomes available to me. With...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (18 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Government is tackling unemployment generally through the twin strategies of the Action Plan for Jobs and Pathways to Work. The aim of the Action Pan for Jobs is to support the creation of 100,000 net new jobs by 2016, while the objective of Pathways to Work is to provide those who are unemployed with the appropriate training and skills to avail of the job opportunities which will arise...