Results 10,801-10,820 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (12 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: Leaving aside Forbes magazine, we are one of the best countries in the world for start-ups thanks to the strong business and tax environment that we have created. Through Enterprise Ireland, we have support mechanisms that SMEs in many European countries would give their right arms to have. They do not have substantial state agencies that invest in hundreds of companies at the seed and...

Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (12 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: They certainly had the opportunity. We asked the CLRG, which involves business organisations as well as congress, trade unions and people in the legal profession, to consider this specific matter and revert to us with proposals. An effort was made to ensure that everyone with relevant expertise got an opportunity to be involved. We have not been inundated by complaints about the structure...

Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (12 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: I move amendment No. 2:In page 13, between lines 26 and 27, to insert the following:"(3) Every regulation under this section shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made and, if a resolution annulling the regulation is passed by either such House within the next 21 days on which that House has sat after the regulation is laid before it, the regulation...

Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (12 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: I wish to take this opportunity to thank Deputies for their support in passing this legislation quickly. It was justifiable to remove this element from the much larger Bill that we are considering.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Agencies Staff Data (12 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) has 17 managers within a current total staff complement of 142.5. NSAI has reduced its headcount by 29% since 2008 and has recently been informed that it has a new target of 134 for the end of 2014. Such reductions, at all levels of the organisation, cause difficulties. The NSAI is responding to this challenge through restructuring and,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Site Visits (12 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: The management of IDA Ireland’s property portfolio, including the purchase of land and the development of business parks is a day to day operational matter for the Agency and not one in which I have a function. I have been informed by IDA Ireland that on average, over the last 5 years, the Agency has delivered 3-5 site visits per year to Millennium Business Park in Osberstown. In...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Support Services Provision (12 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: Funding assistance to business, is delivered through the Enterprise Development Agencies which operate under the aegis of my Department, particularly IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and the County and City Enterprise Boards. I have made enquires with these Agencies and I understand from IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and the Kildare County Enterprise Board that they have not provided...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pharmaceutical Industry (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Pharmaceutical Industry is an enormously important and highly valued sector in Ireland, employing 25,000+ people directly in Ireland with an equivalent number employed in service provision to the sector. Employment figures in this sector for the period 2003-2012 are provided in Table A. Ireland has an enviable history of success in this field, attracting some of the world’s...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Small and Medium Enterprises Supports (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Government Decision of April 2012 to reform the national micro and small business support infrastructure sees the dissolution of the 35 existing County Enterprise Boards and the transfer of their functions, assets and liabilities to Enterprise Ireland. The functions will then be carried out by the Local Authorities on behalf of Enterprise Ireland through the establishment of Local...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Integrated Licensing Application System (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: The number of licences needed by a retail unit will vary very considerably with the nature of the activities it engages in and the services it provides. The Forfás report on “The Review and Audit of Licences”, which assessed 159 licences across key sectors of the economy, estimated that a medium sized supermarket may require up to 20 licences issued by different licensing...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Small and Medium Enterprises Supports (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: I understand from the Deputy's question he is referring to the Schemes launched by my Department, to support an additional flow of credit into the economy by filling gaps where specific market failures exist – the SME Credit Guarantee Scheme and the Microenterprise Loan Fund. The SME Credit Guarantee Scheme has been live since 24th October 2012 and is intended to address market...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Decentralisation Programme Expenditure (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: The location of my Department’s offices is as set out in tabular form, together with the number of staff (in full-time equivalent terms) in each location. The Patents Office was established in Kilkenny under a decentralisation programme in the late 1990s; the Carlow office was established under the Government’s decentralisation programme in 2004. Location Number of Staff ...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Company Closures (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 279 to 281, inclusive, together. The principal focus of engagement between the State and the overseas companies located here in Ireland is through IDA Ireland. That Agency keeps in regular contact with its client companies, to ensure that any concerns or issues can be addressed promptly, to seek to enhance opportunities for the companies, to embed and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights Issues (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to reform the current law on employees' right to engage in collective bargaining (the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2001), so as to ensure compliance by the State with recent judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. With this in mind, in late 2012 I wrote to stakeholders inviting their observations on the matter....

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Small and Medium Enterprises Supports (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: As of 6th December 2013 Microfinance Ireland (MFI) has approved 137 applications to the value of €2.12m. My Department publishes quarterly progress reports on the Microenterprise Loan Fund on my Department’s website www.enterprise.gov.ie. The progress report detailing the analysis and performance for the quarterly period ending 30th September 2013 is available on my...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: Records indicate that the amount spent by my Department on externally delivered software supports, systems development, website supports, helpdesk supports and other IT consultancy in each of the years is as follows: Year Amount 2010 €3,658,005 2011 €2,933,832 2012 €2,997,635 2013 (to 12 December) €2,624,447 It is expected that the 2014 amount will be...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Legal Costs (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: I am interpreting the "cost of legal action against the Department" to mean legal costs incurred by my Department in cases where legal action has been taken against my Department. Year Total Cost € 2011 387,459.03 2012 684,460.96 2013 80,499.08

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: My Department does not generally renegotiate external IT support and consultancy contracts, although the option to do so has been used in some cases and has resulted in some efficiencies. Contracts are normally placed for a fixed period or for a defined piece of work. If further support or development is required when a contract expires, this would normally be the subject of a new tender...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: Whilst remuneration of staff of my Department and under my remit is conducted in line with Government policy and the appropriate instructions from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, in view of the significant period of time for which the Deputy has sought information, I must advise that it is not possible to provide a detailed response within the deadline and a follow-up...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Appeals Tribunal (18 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware from previous engagement on this matter, I am aware of the issues involved in this case and also wish to note the Deputy's commitment to the matter. As I indicated in a previous reply I have reviewed the case and am pleased to inform the Deputy that I have recently written to the person involved outlining the further options open to her. As this issue is now...