Results 11,601-11,620 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Ireland Properties (13 May 2014)

Richard Bruton: Enterprise Ireland owns 8 sites/properties located in the following areas: - Glasnevin - Shannon Laboratories - Dundalk - Athlone - Waterford - Cork - Sligo - Galway Enterprise Ireland does not assess the market value of its properties on an ongoing basis. However, the total Net Book Value of the above properties in Enterprise Ireland’s Accounts for 2013 was €2,669.000.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Communications (13 May 2014)

Richard Bruton: My Department's phone systems do not currently provide for recording of calls into or out of the Department. Between 2007 and September 2012 calls coming into the call centre of the National Employment Rights Authority in Carlow were routinely recorded, but the recording was deleted automatically if the operator did not choose to save the call before the call ended. Staff members in the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (13 May 2014)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will appreciate, I cannot provide legal advice in relation to the employment law rights applying to any individual’s specific circumstances. Independent legal advice should be sought in relation to any concerns an individual may have about their situation. In Irish legislation, the Unfair Dismissals Acts 1977 to 2007 lay down criteria by which the fairness or otherwise...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Staff Data (13 May 2014)

Richard Bruton: In response to the Deputy’s request, a chart outlining the current structure of my Department together with management names is set out. Secretary General: John Murphy Corporate Services, EU Affairs & Trade Policy Competitiveness & Jobs Labour Affairs Innovation & Investment Commerce, Consumers & Competition Principal Officer: John Hughes...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Higher Education Institutions (13 May 2014)

Richard Bruton: There has been significant investment in research and development in the higher education sector in recent years. This investment is critical to support Ireland’s Innovation ecosystem, to ensure we are an attractive location for investment and to develop high value human capital for our economy. In addition to these benefits the commercialisation of research represents one of the most...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Bodies Data (13 May 2014)

Richard Bruton: There is a substantial programme of reform underway within my Department in relation to Agencies and public bodies. The bodies under the remit of my Department that are scheduled to be merged, reformed or abolished are set out under the Government’s Agency Rationalisation Programme. These reforms include: - Merge the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority into one...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Staff Remuneration (13 May 2014)

Richard Bruton: Revised payscales for new entrants, which provide for reduced salaries relative to those of serving staff, were introduced with effect from 1 November 2011. As there has been no subsequent appointments in my Department at any of the grades affected, there are no staff members on lower payscales relative to their colleagues.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Legal Cases Data (13 May 2014)

Richard Bruton: No legal cases have been served against my Department arising from disputes regarding pay and conditions of public servants.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Staff Data (13 May 2014)

Richard Bruton: The average age of staff in my Department is set out below in tabular format for each of the years requested by the Deputy. Year Average Age 2014 47 2013 47 2012 46 2011 45 2010 44

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Ministerial Travel (13 May 2014)

Richard Bruton: Each year my Department coordinates the organisation of a considerable number of Ministerial-led overseas Trade and Investment Missions, which also incorporate high-level meetings with Ministers and officials in the other country. These Missions involve an extensive range of meetings for participant Irish companies with the aim of developing contacts and/or finalising contracts/joint ventures...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Proposed Legislation (14 May 2014)

Richard Bruton: The Government is committed to reform of the State’s existing Workplace Relations Services. The system that developed over the last eighty years had become unwieldy and complex and was no longer fit for purpose. Indeed, there was universal acceptance of the need for a root-and-branch reform of the existing structures. My objective is to deliver a world-class workplace relations...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regional Development (15 May 2014)

Richard Bruton: I very much welcome the publication of the recent OECD report and I participated in an event to mark its launch, with my counterpart in the Northern Ireland Executive, Ms. Arlene Foster MLA, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, earlier this year, in Armagh. This report looked at cross border innovation linkages across the island of Ireland and I very pleased that it gave a very...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regional Aid (15 May 2014)

Richard Bruton: The Regional Aid Guidelines enable the State to grant State Aid, at enhanced rates, to businesses in order to support new investment and new employment in productive projects in Ireland's most disadvantaged regions. This helps the convergence of these regions with the more advantaged regions of the Union. Regional aid is also provided under schemes for tourism grants, marine tourism, urban...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Initiatives (15 May 2014)

Richard Bruton: The establishment of the South East Region Employment Action Plan was initiated in 2011 as a result of a major and unexpected company closure, i.e. the Talk Talkcall centre, with the loss of 575 jobs. This company had been one of the most significant employers in Waterford City. In addition, in 2011, the South East Region had the highest Unemployment rate in the State, significantly higher...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Medical Aids and Appliances Provision (15 May 2014)

Richard Bruton: The provision of Automated External Defibrillators (‘AEDs’) in the workplace is recommended by the Irish Heart Foundation and the Health and Safety Authority, and is a facility which has been made increasingly available by employers, including the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (DJEI). The use and maintenance of AED is covered by my Department’s AED...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Competition and Consumer Protection Bill 2014: Committee Stage (15 May 2014)

Richard Bruton: I move amendment No. 1: In page 8, line 6, to delete "section 33" and substitute "section 34".This is a technical amendment to insert the correct reference to the definition of authorised officers in the interpretation section.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Competition and Consumer Protection Bill 2014: Committee Stage (15 May 2014)

Richard Bruton: Regrettably, I am not in a position to accept this amendment. Under EU and Irish competition legislation, self-employed persons, including professionals who are not employees, are regarded as undertakings. There is ample evidence of EU case law in the European Court of Justice, which has determined that professionals are regarded as undertakings from an EU competition law angle. Section 4...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Competition and Consumer Protection Bill 2014: Committee Stage (15 May 2014)

Richard Bruton: If one is an employee of the State, one can negotiate through a trade union. If one is a self-employed, independent operator, however, one can negotiate on all issues other than fees, in which regard one is only permitted to consult. Deputy Tóibín asked whether this was a fair balance. The State is not regarded as a monopoly in that sense. It represents the public and is not...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Competition and Consumer Protection Bill 2014: Committee Stage (15 May 2014)

Richard Bruton: There is a clear dividing line on fees. All non-fee terms and conditions can be negotiated. The dividing line is between employees, who can negotiate on wages, and incorporated or self-employed people, who cannot. Anyone operating as an independent, large undertaking would probably be regarded as a cartel if it decided to fix a price in negotiations with the State. The dividing line is...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Competition and Consumer Protection Bill 2014: Committee Stage (15 May 2014)

Richard Bruton: The State is acting in the public interest and negotiating terms and conditions. It sets a fee but this is in the same way it does not enter into negotiations with suppliers of electricity on price.