Results 9,521-9,540 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Reform of National Micro and Small Business Support Structures: Discussion (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I provided a submission for the joint committee which, I presume, has been circulated to members. I will not read it, rather I will deal with the broad issues involved. Perhaps members might then raise whatever concerns they harbour. The programme for Government contains a commitment to reforming the system of supports for small and micro businesses. This is also a central plank of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Reform of National Micro and Small Business Support Structures: Discussion (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: First, I have absolute confidence in Deputy John Perry. Not only is he totally committed to the small business sector, he also knows a great deal about what is happening in that sector. For a long number of years he has been pointing to the vulnerability of some elements of the small business sector, particularly the retail area and the over-shopping that was allowed to be developed during...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Reform of National Micro and Small Business Support Structures: Discussion (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for her comments. We are not moving immediately to a stand-alone mentoring system outside the service. We provide for mentoring within a network overseen by Enterprise Ireland's centre of excellence. There will also be Enterprise Ireland's own mentoring service. I envisage a natural evolution of an improved service in the development of the mentoring service over time....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Reform of National Micro and Small Business Support Structures: Discussion (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: We did a study of county enterprise boards before we embarked on this change, which was broadly positive but made recommendations for change. We are taking on board the sort of recommendations it made and are integrating them into the new proposal. Some of them are on the sorts of themes Deputy Calleary raised, that is, to ensure innovative companies, which might not be immediately looking...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Reform of National Micro and Small Business Support Structures: Discussion (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: Exactly. It would apply equally to health and safety. As the Deputy knows, the HSA has done a lot, such as developing the well-received BeSMART initiative. I do not see the decision on town councils impinging on reform because it is an enterprise initiative. I agree with the Deputy about logos. We will have a single logo spanning the network and Designworks won the contract. It has 12...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Reform of National Micro and Small Business Support Structures: Discussion (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: Yes. To answer Deputy Lawlor, we are approaching the completion of the 2013 action plan for jobs. It has to be signed off and we hope to publish this month. We are at a very late stage in that regard. I have had some individual submissions on this from members but the Deputy is right that there is best in class and then there are others. Part of the role of having a centre of excellence...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Reform of National Micro and Small Business Support Structures: Discussion (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for that. Senator Feargal Quinn raised the issue of high street decay. Many practices have changed, and I have seen that myself. Increasingly, pubs and bookies are in the centres of towns and much of the traditional shopping is migrating out. Ultimately, it is down to the customers, but some local authorities have had initiatives to try to revive streets or particular...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Reform of National Micro and Small Business Support Structures: Discussion (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: That is a challenge.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Reform of National Micro and Small Business Support Structures: Discussion (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: We are making progress. When we came into office there was a rate of job attrition of 90,000 per year from the private sector.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Reform of National Micro and Small Business Support Structures: Discussion (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: The figure is now plus 12,000. It is a dramatic turnaround. It is not where we need to be but it is progress and we have to continue to-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Reform of National Micro and Small Business Support Structures: Discussion (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I am dealing with the Senator's questions. The Senator is aware that we have to build new sectors that will employ people. Recent years saw excessive growth of domestic banking, property, construction and retail that was unsustainable. We now have to build a stronger enterprise base that will be founded on innovation, exporting and enterprise, and that does not happen overnight. Someone...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Reform of National Micro and Small Business Support Structures: Discussion (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: The budgets are fully protected. There will be a competitive element to reward innovation and excellence in the way the service is delivered. Mentoring is an area that has potential. The Senator is correct that there is no substitute for an entrepreneur. Many people do not have expertise across the full range of their business and if they want to break into, say, an export market there...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Reform of National Micro and Small Business Support Structures: Discussion (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: We need to raise the ambition of our enterprises if we want to create new jobs and we all need to support them in the direction in which their ambition takes them. It is the same for any of us. We do not all start off knowing the intricacies of moving into the French or German market. That has to be supported and that is the reason we have enterprise agencies with representatives in 28...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Reform of National Micro and Small Business Support Structures: Discussion (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: Just before Deputy Cullinane came in, Senator Quinn had raised this issue. The Senator is correct in saying that the EU directive is coming in. The only legislation in this field is the legislation I introduced in 1996 in respect of the State's obligation to pay its bills on time. That Act is effective but it does not apply to every State agency. The Senator is correct in saying we need...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Numbers (6 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: The following table sets out the total employment in Enterprise Ireland supported companies in each county in 2010, 2011 and 2012 including a breakdown between full-time and part-time jobs. County Data 2010 2011 2012 Carlow Part-Time/Other Jobs 200 204 190 Full Time Jobs 1,952 2,106 2,137 Total Jobs 2,152 2,310 2,327 Cavan Part-Time/Other Jobs 315 366 396 Full Time...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Prompt Payments (6 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: My Department promotes improved payment practices and monitors the operation of the Prompt Payment of Accounts Act, 1997, and the Late Payment in Commercial Transactions Regulations 2002. The European Communities (Late Payment in Commerial Transations) Regulations 2002 (SI No. 388 of 2002) repealed section 10 of the Prompt Payments of Accounts Act 1997. The rate of late payment interest is...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Agencies (6 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: The information sought by the Deputy is a day to day matter for the agencies. In this regard, I have referred the question to the agencies for direct response to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Staff (6 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I have employed two retired public servants as Civilian Drivers (each at a cost to the Department of €36,499 per annum). These appointments were made following selection interviews from a shortlist of candidates who had submitted unsolicited applications to my Office. In addition in my Department there is one re-appointed former Assistant Principal post sanctioned by the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Exchequer Revenue (6 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: My Department does not hold any money on deposit or in short term bank investments. With regard to such investments by the Agencies under the aegis of my Department this is a day-to-day administrative matter for those Agencies in which I have no function. However, I have referred the Question to the Agencies for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights Issues (7 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: There is no definition of the term “Au-Pair” in Irish employment rights legislation. The National Employments Rights Authority (NERA) investigates complaints in relation to breaches of employment law. Any complaints received by NERA in relation to Au Pairs would first be examined using the “Code of Practice for Determining the Employment or Self-Employment Status of...