Results 8,861-8,880 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Sick Pay Scheme: Sick Pay Scheme (18 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 business organisations and individuals on the matter. The Government is concerned about the extent of dependence on State-funded sickness benefit...

Written Answers — Sick Pay Scheme: Sick Pay Scheme (18 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Government is concerned about the extent of dependence on State-funded sickness benefit schemes. Expenditure on total short-term and long-term illness and disability payments increased from €1.1 billion in 2001, to €2.7 billion in 2011. Earlier this year, the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, initiated a consultation process to discuss potential changes to the sick...

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

Richard Bruton: My Department did not make any grant payments to any of the structures of local Government in 2011 or to date in 2012.

Written Answers — Languages Programme: Languages Programme (18 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: Driving export growth is central to our economic recovery and is a key focus of the Government's Action Plan for Jobs. In March 2012, Enterprise Ireland (EI) established the Potential Exporters Division, as one of the key measure in the Action Plan for Jobs. Its role is to stimulate greater activity within companies across all regions and to reorient those demonstrating real growth...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (18 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: I understand from Enterprise Ireland that, in 2010, the agency provided financial support of €440,000 in the form of repayable preference shares to the company concerned. In addition, in 2008, the agency provided an eBusiness management initiative grant of €19,775 for the development of the company's website and a trade fair grant of €5,250. The company have filed audited accounts for...

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

Richard Bruton: There are currently two Special Advisers serving in my Department and both report to me as Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

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

Richard Bruton: The following table shows the number of political advisers employed by my predecessors in each of the past five years: Date Minister Number of Political Advisers Jan 2007 – May 2008 Mr. Micheál Martin, T.D.Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment 2 May 2008 – March 2010 Ms. Mary Coughlan, T.D.Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment 3 March 2010 – Jan 2011...

Written Answers — Alcohol Pricing: Alcohol Pricing (18 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: Since the repeal of the Restrictive Practices legislation, no statutory basis exists for me, as Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, to make a minimum pricing order. I am aware of concerns raised about the high level of consumption of alcohol and the consequential detrimental effects caused to individuals and to society in general, particularly from a health aspect. Government's...

Written Answers — Public Service Contracts: Public Service Contracts (19 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy's question seems to relate to the employment terms and conditions of public sector workers. Responsibility for the terms and conditions of public sector workers is a matter for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin.

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (19 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: I have been informed by IDA Ireland that data in relation to site visits is maintained on a county by county basis only. The Agency has indicated to me that over the period 2003 to date there have been 231 IDA sponsored site visits by potential investors to Limerick City and County. Details of the number of such visits in each of the years in question are set out in the attached tabular...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (19 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 287 and 288 together. I have announced my intention to integrate Forfas into my Department to strengthen the Department's capacity to develop and implement enterprise policy. The proposal is not driven by the objective of finding cost savings, although some savings may arise in due course if synergies between the two organisations are identified. I do not...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (19 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: IDA Ireland has been set a very challenging target under the Government's Action Plan for Jobs. The target is to create 12,500 jobs with an associated 8,750 in the wider economy, giving a total impact of 21,250 in 2012. Recent results announced by the Agency show that good progress is being made in reaching this target and that the strong flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) is continuing...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (19 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: The full year jobs target set for Enterprise Ireland is for 6,250 job commitments by client companies and EI is on track to meet this target. A total of 3,716 job commitments linked to EI approvals to client companies have been secured in the first half of 2012. Employment data for Enterprise Ireland is collected annually as part of the Forfás Annual Employment Survey. The 2012 job...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (19 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: In 2011, there were 7,253 jobs created in companies supported by the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs), while the number of jobs existing in CEB supported companies for the three years 2008-2010 were 33,811, 30726.5 and 32,910 respectively. These figures cover the period when the economy was experiencing very severe economic difficulties, during which period there were significant job...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (19 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: Both IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland are autonomous agencies with statutory obligations to, in the case of IDA Ireland, attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to this country and its regions and, in the case of Enterprise Ireland, to develop indigenous industry and to secure opportunities for those industries in international markets and thereby increase employment in this country. There...

Written Answers — Sick Pay Scheme: Sick Pay Scheme (19 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: Earlier this year, the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, initiated a consultation process to discuss potential changes to the sick pay scheme in Ireland. Forfás and representatives from my Department attended the consultative seminar held by the Minister, along with a number of business representative organisations. I understand that the Minister for Social Protection...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (19 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: Details of IDA Ireland's job and investment announcements are available on the Agency's website and show that, at end June, there had been in excess of 5,000 jobs announced this year. Almost half of these jobs will be in locations outside of Dublin and Cork which will contribute to balanced regional development. This strong performance is a continuation of the excellent results achieved in...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (19 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: I refer the Deputy to my reply to a similar Question, No. 300 (31722/12), on 3rd July 2012 to Deputy O'Dea, which contains information up to end June 2012. The table below provides information on further jobs announcements made by Enterprise Ireland in July 2012. Enterprise Ireland Job Announcements July 2012 Date of Announcement Number of jobs Company name 16/07/12 41 Shay Murtagh Precast...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (19 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware the system for resolving individual disputes related to the workplace is in need of reform. The current system is wasteful, both in terms of state resources and those of the users. It is also frustrating for employers, employees and professionals representing them. The system has been the subject of much analysis involving eight reports in as many years. Some...

Written Answers — Company Closures: Company Closures (19 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: In January 2012 Diageo announced it is to invest €153m in a brewing centre of excellence at the Guinness brewery at St James's Gate in Dublin. In conjunction with this investment, the company decided to close the two smaller breweries in Dundalk and Kilkenny with the loss of 110 jobs. The decision to close the two breweries was made by the company on the basis that there is no economic...