Results 981-1,000 of 6,337 for speaker:James Lawless

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance Fund Review (27 Mar 2018)

James Lawless: 578. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a system of illness benefit for self-employed persons is now available; the steps that have been taken to implement same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13556/18]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Applications (27 Mar 2018)

James Lawless: 592. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an application by a person (details supplied) for jobseeker's allowance will be re-examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13915/18]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Ferry Services (27 Mar 2018)

James Lawless: 662. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department will conduct a review of the decision to remove the contract from a company (details supplied) that operates a ferry service to and from Tory Island; if her Department will consult with the community of Tory Island in order to ascertain their opinions on the type of service that should operate on the island;...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2018)

James Lawless: I thank the Minister of State for his presentation and the enthusiasm he shows for his brief. We have worked together and his passion for it shows in his statements. However, the nature of this type of scrutiny means we will focus on the gaps rather than what is working. I hope he will indulge me in this regard. I was at the Tyndall National Institute this morning. I was delighted to...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2018)

James Lawless: My understanding is that the aforementioned €200 million fund is going to the institutes of technology. It is not going to the universities and other research centres. Am I correct in saying that?

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2018)

James Lawless: Neither do I but I understood that the fund was only going to institutes of technology and not to universities.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2018)

James Lawless: I totally agree.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2018)

James Lawless: I have other questions but I wish to stay on that point for another minute. While I appreciate what the Minister of State is saying, the €5.5 million for PhDs and research masters is not bricks and mortar. It is not PRTLI and is not what PRTLI is about. It is a separate fund with a separate purpose. He mentioned an Innovation 2020 target. Again, that is great but we are looking at...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2018)

James Lawless: It is great but it is not PRTLI. It is great and I am delighted that the money-----

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2018)

James Lawless: Go out to UCD and talk about the science buildings that need to be refurbished.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2018)

James Lawless: I do not think it is. There is a need for a fund to fund bricks-and-mortar-type investment, be it for equipment, laboratories or libraries. That was what was always there in the PRTLI. Other funding streams are funding individuals, individual research teams and their projects, which is great, but it is a different type of funding and I believe we have a gap.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2018)

James Lawless: There is no doubt about that whatsoever. However, I think it is important. I have made the point and I will move on to the next one.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2018)

James Lawless: It is important though that we do not allow PRTLI, if there is a sixth round, to become a different type of fund. There is a particular purpose to that fund and a very specific need for it. That is that subhead and there are other related subheads. I do not think it is like for like. Looking at the table of figures, I note there is a set of metrics entitled "context and impact...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2018)

James Lawless: It is page 32.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2018)

James Lawless: Yes, it is. I am looking at the context and impact indicators. There are five of them there and the fifth one has a to e in respect of global rankings of performance.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2018)

James Lawless: I am looking at this table here of "context and impact indicators".

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2018)

James Lawless: Yes. I think it is a useful table to have. I was concerned when I read it. I hope I am reading it incorrectly and the Minister of State can clarify if I am. However, if I am reading it right, there is cause for concern. If we take the five global rankings which are under section 5, from a to e, we have rankings in a number of areas from 2015, 2016 and 2017. If I am reading the table...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2018)

James Lawless: In the next one we have gone from ninth to 12th to 21st. It is quite a drop. I will not labour the point but of the five key metrics that the Department has held out as being performance indicators, we have gone backwards in three, been static in one and moved forward with only one. That is a serious concern, to be frank. We can look at the top level figure. The Minister of State...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2018)

James Lawless: I do not doubt for a minute the commitment of the team to meeting the targets.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (27 Mar 2018)

James Lawless: I am sure the Minister of State wants to get there as well. It is frustrating and all figures are relative but we have declined in three of the five targets and stayed still in the others. The Minister of State has accepted we are not anywhere near the 2.5% of GNP target that the Government set as a target. Effectively, he is echoing what the Taoiseach said when I asked him about this late...