Results 10,081-10,100 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Intellectual Property (1 Feb 2022)

Damien English: Universal and equitable access to safe, effective and affordable vaccines, diagnostics and treatments is crucial in the global fight against COVID-19. International Trade is a competence of the EU under the Treaties and in exercising that competence, the European Commission engages fully with the Member States, including Ireland, through a variety of Committees and Working Parties/Groups,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (1 Feb 2022)

Damien English: I would encourage any person looking to start, expand or pivot their business to contact their Local Enterprise Office as they provide a ‘first stop shop’ for all available Government business supports. Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) can offer direct grant aid to microenterprises (10 employees or fewer) in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors which,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (1 Feb 2022)

Damien English: The employment permits system is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to fill skills and/or labour shortages over the short to medium term, in circumstances where there are no suitably qualified Irish/EEA nationals available to undertake the work and that the shortage is a genuine one.  The system is, by design, vacancy led and managed through...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (1 Feb 2022)

Damien English: The Local Enterprise Offices act as a ‘first stop shop’ providing advice and guidance, financial assistance, and other supports to anyone wishing to start or grow their own business. The Local Enterprise Office can offer direct grant aid to microenterprises (10 employees or fewer) in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors which, over time, have the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Workplace Relations Commission (1 Feb 2022)

Damien English: Similar to other adjudicative bodies, the impact of Covid-19, and the occasioned restrictions on in-person hearings, has disrupted the scheduling of complaints submitted to the WRC quite significantly. The introduction of new procedures to facilitate the administration of an oath or the requirement to reschedule part heard cases before a new Adjudication Officer, required following a...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Small and Medium Enterprises (1 Feb 2022)

Damien English: The SME Growth Taskforce of entrepreneurs, business leaders and other stakeholders was established by the Tánaiste, Leo Varadkar TD, in September 2020 to fulfil the commitment made in the Programme for Government to draw up an ambitious long-term strategic blueprint for SMEs and entrepreneurs beyond COVID-19. Between September and December 2020, the SME Taskforce, which was assisted by...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Pension Provisions (2 Feb 2022)

Damien English: Late in 2021 I did meet with members of the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament who shared with me, and officials from my Department, some of their views on occupational pension schemes. I intend to launch a public consultation into certain matters raised during consideration of the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021 in...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (2 Feb 2022)

Damien English: The Employment Permits Section of my Department inform me that standard applications for Critical Skills Employment Permit for the persons concerned (details supplied) were received on 4 November 2021 and 20 January 2022 respectively. Applications for employment permits are dealt with in date order. Employment Permits Section are currently processing standard applications received on 13...

Redundancy Payments (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (3 Feb 2022)

Damien English: I thank the Deputies for their contributions.

Redundancy Payments (Amendment) Bill 2022: Referral to Select Committee (3 Feb 2022)

Damien English: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment, pursuant to Standing Orders 95(3)(a) and 181(1).

Redundancy Payments (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (3 Feb 2022)

Damien English: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time". I am very pleased to introduce the Redundancy Payments (Amendment) Bill today. The Tánaiste was very anxious that we get the legislation in place. I thank all involved in the Labour Employer Economic Forum, LEEF, process who have been working on it for the last year and everyone who was involved in my Department and in the...

Redundancy Payments (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (3 Feb 2022)

Damien English: I thank the Members from various parties for their contributions and the issues they raised. This is a short Bill that tries to focus on one category of people who are missing out due to lay-offs during the Covid restrictions and the reckonable service on which they have missed out. I have discussed the matter in the House with various Deputies during the past two years. We said we would...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Job Losses (3 Feb 2022)

Damien English: My Department has been notified of the potential redundancies at this company. Enterprise Ireland is in ongoing communication with the company and is closely monitoring developments. The company is in the early stages of establishing a workforce consultation process with employees whose jobs are potentially at risk. Working with Enterprise Ireland, our objective is to help sustain both...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: European Union (8 Feb 2022)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 152, 153, 154, 155 and 156 together. The international Agreement on the Unified Patent Court (UPCA), signed in February 2013, entails the establishment of an international court that will, when operational, have exclusive competence for actions for infringement and validity in respect of European patents. The requisite number of Member States have now...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (8 Feb 2022)

Damien English: The employment permits system is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to fill skills and/or labour shortages over the short to medium term, in circumstances where there are no suitably qualified Irish/EEA nationals available to undertake the work and that the shortage is a genuine one. The system is, by design, vacancy led and managed through the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (8 Feb 2022)

Damien English: My Department recommends all applications for an employment permit to be submitted at least 12 weeks before the proposed start date of an employment. The Department provides regular updates on its website in relation to processing times and advises employers to take current timelines into account as part of their recruitment plans. Employment permits are processed in date order and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Regional Development (8 Feb 2022)

Damien English: The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, commits to establishing the Shannon Estuary Taskforce to consider the regional economic development potential of the Shannon Estuary. A call will issue shortly for expressions of interest to sit on the Taskforce. Once the composition of the Taskforce has been finalised, engagement with the designated Chairperson of the Taskforce will take place...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (8 Feb 2022)

Damien English: The State's employment permit system is designed to supplement Ireland's skills and labour supply over the short to medium term by allowing enterprises to recruit nationals from outside the EEA, where such skills or expertise cannot be sourced from within the EEA at that time. The system is, by design, vacancy led and managed through the operation of the occupation lists: the critical...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (8 Feb 2022)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 168, 169, 170 and 171 together. The Employment Permits Section of my Department inform me that the General Employment Permit applications for the all persons concerned (in details supplied) were received on dates between 8th December 2021 and 4th January 2022. Applications for employment permits are dealt with in date order. The Employment Permits Section of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Legislative Measures (8 Feb 2022)

Damien English: An amendment to expand the definition of "leave year" under the Organisation of Time Act 1997, to take account of other 12 month periods and provide clarity around the taking of annual leave, is under consideration. Such a proposal will require the amendment of primary legislation. In contrast, the recent introduction of new public holidays was done via regulations and was a more...