Results 9,961-9,980 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Job Initiatives (22 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: There will be specific directed measures as I have outlined for start-up and capability funds directly targeted at the manufacturing sector. In addition, we will be using the funds we have launched, including the seed fund, small and medium enterprise fund, innovation fund and the development capital fund, to target manufacturing companies. Taken together, those funds come to €2...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Job Initiatives (22 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: The target was set on the basis of the analysis carried out by Forfás supported by active industrialists in the sector. The strategy shows that the changing nature of globalisation is opening up opportunities. We are moving to a more personalised, customised form of manufacturing, which creates opportunities. This year, we are setting a target within the action plan of €500...

Other Questions: Credit Availability (22 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: The credit supply clearing group was established in May 2009 to identify patterns of events where the flow of credit to viable businesses appeared to be blocked and to seek to identify credit-supply solutions relating to these patterns. The group worked to provide a clear picture of emerging lending patterns, while facilitating direct discussion by all the relevant interested parties in...

Other Questions: Credit Availability (22 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: That is quite a range of questions. The Credit Review Office is working extremely well. The real issue is that we need to see more businesses appealing decisions. There have been approximately 25,000 credit refusal decisions in total, not enough of which have been appealed, either internally in the bank or to the Credit Review Office. A strong message to businesses that are refused credit...

Other Questions: Credit Availability (22 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: There are many questions. On Deputy Murphy's point, we support crowd funding. It is one issue which is being examined in the course of this year by the group I established. My Department and the Department of Finance are involved in it. It offers potential. I accept the point made by Deputy Calleary that there is a delay in getting approvals. It is monitored by RedC, formerly Mazars....

Other Questions: Employment Rights Issues (22 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: I am aware of the issues surrounding this dispute since I became Minister and, indeed, before that time. I understand that initially attempts were made to resolve the matter by arbitration through the offices of the Labour Relations Commission; however, no constructive developments came out of these efforts despite the LRC remaining at the parties' disposal should it be again required. The...

Other Questions: Employment Rights Issues (22 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: As I said in the reply, the existing system I inherited is not fit for purpose and have I set about seeking to reform it. We have already introduced a large number of administrative reforms which are already having an impact. For example, we are seeing a turnaround in respect of access to rights commissioner services. Once the time lapse of notification ends, a hearing will generally be...

Other Questions: Employment Rights Issues (22 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: The National Employment Rights Authority has a role in terms of enforcement. As I said, I hope to bring legislation to the House before the summer. Already the changes we have made are showing a significant improvement, such as having a single point of entry, not having multiple hearings of the same source of dispute, having quick resolution as an alternative and scheduling hearings...

Other Questions: Credit Guarantee Scheme Implementation (22 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: The credit guarantee scheme is an initiative that was called for by entrepreneurs, businesspeople and their representative bodies for several years. Despite commitments to deliver such a scheme, previous Administrations failed to do so. Upon taking office I sought and received Government support to design from scratch a new scheme which was successfully launched on 24 October last year. As...

Other Questions: Credit Guarantee Scheme Implementation (22 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: Taking the last question first, the Government is absolutely committed to SMEs, responsibility for which belongs to the Minister of State, Deputy John Perry. Under the Horizon 2020 framework, for which the Minister of State, Deputy Sean Sherlock, is responsible, we are upping the target this year to 20%. We recognise that the future for Ireland is in developing an indigenous enterprise...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Proposed Legislation (22 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Government is committed to reform of the State's Workplace Relations Services. The system that developed over the last sixty years had become unwieldy and complex; it lacked consistency, involved long delays and in some cases proved expensive for users. In short, the system was no longer fit for purpose and it was for this reason that I have commenced a root-and-branch reform with the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Foreign Direct Investment (22 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: Forfás recently produced a report for Government entitled “Costs of Doing Business in Ireland 2012”. This Report concluded that “While Ireland has already regained some cost competitiveness, further progress is required if Ireland is to return to strong economic and employment growth”. Total labour costs include wages, taxes on income and employer and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Issues (22 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: In light of reductions in manufacturing demand for certain pharmaceutical products that have become generic or are nearing the end of their commercial life, Alkermes made the decision recently to review resources at their Athlone facility. This review has led the company to conclude that they need to reduce the number of staff in Athlone by between 100 and 130 staff, from their present...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pharmaceutical Sector (22 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: The last 18 months have seen a reduction in employment levels in some Pharmaceutical companies in Ireland due to the expiry of patent protections, combined with increased competition from other overseas sites. IDA is aware of these factors and has been working for many years to diversify the pharmaceutical base here in Ireland. Patents on blockbuster drugs have expired in the previous...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: International Workplace Safety Standards (22 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: The collapse of the factory building in Dhaka is an appalling tragedy. I am shocked that over a thousand workers have lost their lives. The disaster has affected many, many more people by the loss of spouses, relatives and indeed family bread winners. I want to extend my sympathies to all that have lost loved ones and that have been hurt by the catastrophe. At a meeting on May 8th of the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Foreign Direct Investment (22 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: Gross operating surplus is the balance available to an enterprise which allows it to provide a return to shareholders, to pay taxes and to finance all or part of its investment. Gross operating surplus as a percentage of turnover is a measure of the profitability for an enterprise. The Central Statistics Office published in November 2012 a report “Business in Ireland 2010”,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Industrial Development (22 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland support 349 client companies which employ 10,834 people in full and in part time employment in the North West counties of Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim. IDA Ireland prioritises the promotion of Letterkenny and Sligo and also promotes other locations in the region as part of its marketing efforts and in response to specific client requirements. In line with...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Local Enterprise Offices Establishment (22 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: Significant progress to implement the Government Decision on the reform has been made. A new Micro and Small Business Division has been established in Enterprise Ireland and via a Centre of Excellence will be responsible for developing an improved environment for small and micro business and utilise Enterprise Ireland’s (EI) experience and specialised sectoral approaches to business...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Initiatives (22 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: At a macro level the Government's strategy is to re-build the economy and accelerate the transition to a sustainable, jobs-rich economy based on enterprise, innovation and exports. It is in this way that we will create the environment in which sustainable jobs will be created, living standards will be raised and Ireland will be regarded as an attractive location in which to live and work....

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Registered Employment Agreements (22 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 53 and 54 together. In recent years there has been a continuing series of legal challenges to the JLC and REA systems, including the 2011 Grace Fried Chicken case that resulted in the High Court striking down all Employment Regulation Orders (EROs) and the recent Supreme Court ruling in relation to Registered Employment Agreements (REAs). As the...