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Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Action Plan for Jobs (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Action Plan for Jobs is a national plan, aimed at providing a supporting operating environment for businesses to start up and expand. The Action Plan does not include specific regional sub-plans. However, many of the actions which will be contained in the 2013 Plan will have a positive impact at regional and local level. For example, the restructuring of the CEBs and the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permit Applications (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 115, 116 and 128 together. Since 2004, Irish labour market policy has been to ensure that general labour and skills needs are met from within the workforce of the European Economic Area (EEA). Current Government policy is to issue employment permits for the employment of non-EEA nationals for specific vacancies and in response to employer demand for strategic...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Targets (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: In accordance with its “Horizon 2020” Strategy, IDA Ireland is aiming to create 62,000 new jobs, giving a total impact of 105,000 jobs, over the period 2010 to 2014. The Agency is also aiming to secure 640 investments, with 50% of these located outside of Dublin and Cork. I am pleased that IDA Ireland is making good progress in implementing its Strategy. Over the last three...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Industrial Property Portfolio (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: In accordance with the Industrial Development Acts, the management of industrial property portfolio is a day-to-day operational matter for the enterprise agencies and not one in which I have a function. The property mentioned is not under the ownership of IDA Ireland. IDA Ireland is aware, however, of the availability of this property and has included it on its property database of available...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Industrial Property Portfolio (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: In accordance with the Industrial Development Acts, the management of industrial property portfolios is a day-to-day operational matter for the enterprise agencies and not one in which I have a function. I am informed by IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland that the Pretty Polly building in Ballyspillane is owned and in trust to Killarney County Council. The Agencies have explained that the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Ports Development (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: In the context of the Action Plan for Jobs 2012 I asked the Competition Authority to carry out a study of the ports sector in Ireland. As part of this study, the Competition Authority met with a number of Government Departments and agencies, industry representatives, port companies, terminal operators, shipping companies, stevedores, freight forwarders, hauliers and other port users. The...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Issues (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 123 and 124 together. Job creation is a key priority for the Government. The Action Plan for Jobs has set the objective of supporting the creation of 100,000 net new jobs in the economy by 2016 and making Ireland the best small country in which to do business. In compiling the 2012 Action Plan for Jobs on behalf of the Government, one of my key...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Numbers (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: As innovation and technology are aspects of employment across most sectors it is not possible to disaggregate the information as sought by the Deputy. Similarly, it is not possible to disaggregate the number of grant approvals by the enterprise agencies that are innovation and technology related in the manufacturing and services sectors. My Department and its agencies are focused on the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Numbers (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: Statistics on the creation of jobs under the heading of Science, Innovation and Technology alone in the enterprise base are not readily available. These are not industrial sectors per se and much of the modern enterprise base is underpinned by science, technology and innovation including for example, pharmaceuticals, ICT, agri-food, medical devices, engineering and even financial services...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Issues (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 131 together. Businesses in Ireland and in most Western economies have been operating in a very difficult environment over the last number of years due to the global economic downturn. In general terms, job losses often arise due to a combination of issues affecting the long-term viability of a company, rather than a singular difficulty. However,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Numbers (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Forfás Annual Employment Survey and the CEB Annual Employment Survey report on the jobs created and lost in the companies supported by the Enterprise Development Agencies and the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) respectively. Details of the number of jobs created and lost in client companies of Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland in the period 2009 to 2012 are set out in...

Topical Issue Debate: Child Safety (26 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I join the Deputy in offering my sympathy to the family so cruelly affected in this case. The National Consumer Agency, as part of its market surveillance responsibility for public safety, runs information campaigns, including a number of campaigns about this hazard. I refer to its website, www.consumerconnect.ie, which hosts a video and a list of safety precautions such as keeping beds,...

Topical Issue Debate: Child Safety (26 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Coffey for his suggestion and I will bring it to the attention of the National Consumer Agency, NCA, which engages in campaigns on quite a regular basis and which is in contact with over 200 businesses in the sector. In addition, it has issued press releases aimed at families. They may perhaps, as the Deputy suggests, be some connection within the education database which...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Issues (26 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 303 and 315 together. I have been informed by IDA Ireland that, in the five year period 2008 to 2012, there were three IDA job announcements for County Kerry with the potential to create 155 jobs. During the same period, there were two Enterprise Ireland investment announcements with the potential to create 41 jobs and nine High Potential Start Up (HPSU)...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Consumer Protection (26 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: My Department’s consultation paper of September 2012 on Article 19 (Fees for the use of means of payment) and Article 22 (Additional payments) of Directive 2011/83/EU on Consumer Right gives details of payment charges applied by a number of traders, including the charges applied by airlines referred to by the Deputy. Article 52(3) of Directive 2007/64/EC on Payment Services in the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Appeals Tribunal (26 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) is independent in the exercise of its quasi-judicial function and I have no direct involvement in its day to day operations. It is long established practice that Ministers do not get involved with its adjudication function. The matter referred to here is in fact an ongoing partially heard case before the EAT. I understand that the claim was received by...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Credit Guarantee Scheme Implementation (26 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Credit Guarantee Scheme is operational since 24th October 2012. There are currently 14 approved guaranteed loans resulting in €1.5m of additional lending being provided to viable companies as of close of business on 15th February 2013. As a result of the sanctioned lending it is expected that there will be 113 new jobs created and 19 jobs will be maintained. The scheme has...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Credit Guarantee Scheme Implementation (26 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: Following a competitive tendering process, Capita Asset Services (Ireland) Limited was selected to operate the Credit Guarantee Scheme under the Credit Guarantee Act 2012. The agreed charges under the terms of the contract are €199,000 plus VAT based on 1,875 loans per year for each of years 1 to 3. There is provision in the contract for revision of costs in years 2 and 3 depending...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Microenterprise Loan Fund Application Numbers (26 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: Microfinance Ireland (MFI) began operating in October 2012. It is my intention that progress reports on the Microenterprise Loan Fund will be published via the MFI website microfinanceireland.ie and on my Department’s website enterprise.gov.ie on a quarterly basis. 106 loan applications were received by MFI up to today, with 31 loans approved to companies across a range of sectors....

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Microenterprise Loan Fund Expenditure (26 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: Microfinance Ireland opened for business on 1st October 2012. The full accounts for 2012 will amount to €461,000, which will include the cost of setting up the Microenterprise Loan Fund Scheme which was approximately €278,000. The set-up costs included company incorporation, legal support, advertising and communications, launch and financial advice. In the quarter to end...