Results 9,581-9,600 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regional Aid (20 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that the purpose of regional aid is to support investment and job creation and encourage firms to set up new establishments in Europe's most disadvantaged regions. The aid intensity thresholds for each category of region are pre-determined in the Guidelines by the Commission. The thresholds reduce on a sliding scale basis, with the highest rates available to the most...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Targets (20 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Government held a special meeting on 17th January to focus on what additional actions can be taken across Government to support job creation. All Ministers submitted proposals for consideration at the meeting. These proposals have now been incorporated into the 2013 Action Plan for Jobs, which is being finalised for publication. The objective of the Action Plan for Jobs process is to...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Industrial Production (20 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: There are a number of indicators used to measure the performance of the manufacturing sector. It is unwise to concentrate solely on one single set of statistics and a comprehensive view of the sector requires an assessment of all relevant indicators, especially over a longer period, as erratic fluctuations can occur from time to time. The key data source for Industrial Production is the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Research and Development Supports (20 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Government’s core aim in investing in science, technology and innovation (STI) is to protect and create employment in Ireland and to increase national competitiveness through an integrated approach to research and innovation. Our overarching strategy is to accelerate the economic and societal returns from our investment in research and innovation and we are putting in place a range...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Action Plan for Jobs (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: In recent months, I have been working with my colleagues in government on compiling the 2013 action plan for jobs. The plan has been approved by the Government and will be launched in the coming days. I should point out that the current plan was introduced against a background of an average of 90,000 jobs being lost in the economy per year. The challenge is to facilitate a transition from...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Action Plan for Jobs (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: The action plan for jobs contains concrete measures that show improvement. Consider the economy's overall employment performance. When we entered into government, the average figure for job losses in the private sector was 90,000 per year. In the past 12 months, private sector employment has expanded by 12,000. This expansion is being driven by the export-oriented sectors on which we have...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Action Plan for Jobs (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: A significant number of training places are available. FÁS provides 90,000 and the VECs provide more than 100,000. SOLAS, which comes under the remit of the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills, Deputy Cannon, will bring a new strategic focus to the delivery of training that is relevant to emerging job opportunities. Much change is ongoing to deliver a more...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Job Statistics (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: Employment in agency-supported companies in Laois and Offaly have been very severely affected by the economic crisis. In the three years 2008 to 2011, the net loss in employment in these companies was 1,247, representing a 21% loss in employment in this group of companies. In 2012, net job loss in agency companies was 64. While this is still disappointing, it represents a substantial...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Job Statistics (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: As Deputy Stanley is aware, at the request of Deputy Charles Flanagan I arranged a delegation involving himself, other Deputies and local authorities to meet the IDA and discuss the challenges. IDA Ireland has a clear strategy. It has invested €3.2 million in the business park in Portlaoise. It is targeting the location on the basis of the scope it has to deliver in the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Job Statistics (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: Is that the case? I do not have the figures to hand.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Industrial Development (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I am informed by IDA Ireland that during 2012, there were five site visits by potential investors from overseas to south Tipperary. Also during 2012, Enterprise Ireland, whose focus is on assisting indigenous companies, dealt with 77 client companies in south Tipperary which employ 2,151 people. South Tipperary forms part of IDA Ireland’s south-east region along with counties...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Industrial Development (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I absolutely agree that our first thoughts must be with the workers. This is a really tough day for them. I have spoken to the company and I am reassured that it will give full support both in terms of the package of support and assistance in terms of retaining. I am also heartened that the company is absolutely committed to this site. As the...

Other Questions: Professional Fees (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 22 together. The Action Plan for Jobs 2012 included a specific objective of increasing price transparency by encouraging all professionals - accounting, taxation, legal, etc. - supplying the business sector and consumers to provide price quotations in advance. In pursuance of this objective, the National Consumer Agency was tasked with "conducting...

Other Questions: Professional Fees (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. There is no doubt that professional fees have been a problem area. Neither is there any doubt that the arrival of the troika has seen change, which had languished over many years. Recommendations of the Competition Authority were not implemented, for example. These have, by and large, been implemented or incorporated in the Legal Services...

Other Questions: Professional Fees (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I do not agree with the Deputy. I am aware of the figures he points to that show legal services cost have gone up by 2% while the costs of all professional services have come down significantly. By contrast, taking the example of conveyancing, one could get one quote that is 400% cheaper than another by shopping around. While the average fee level may be going up, there is opportunity for...

Other Questions: Grocery Industry (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 35 together. The CAI survey showed that comparing 16 items across four different multiples found less than 2% price differential between them. This has also been a feature in surveys by the National Consumer Agency. The CAI suggests that special offers appear to be available rather than price differences to win new customers. It should be said...

Other Questions: Grocery Industry (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I agree this sector has serious knock-on impacts. Over the past number of years the Irish food sector has become more competitive relative to the EU and there are improvements occurring against international trends. There have been significant new entrants and it is evident that some of them are building significant market share at keen prices. I am conscious that this sector needs to be...

Other Questions: Grocery Industry (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I am afraid I do not have briefing on the time of that.

Other Questions: Skills Shortages (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: A large number of companies in Ireland seek graduates with backgrounds in science, technology, engineering and maths. This is not confined to the technology sector. Such skills are increasingly needed in every sector. Ireland's education and training institutions are currently providing a wide range of courses which qualify graduates to meet these skill needs and to match employment...

Other Questions: Skills Shortages (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: As Deputy Catherine Murphy stated, there is a problem here. These are creative persons and there are estimates in other countries that one such person has a knock-on impact of approximately five jobs in the rest of the economy because such persons transform the ability of key sectors to perform to a much higher level. We cannot afford to be without these skills. While we plan to double...