Results 12,721-12,740 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (18 Nov 2014)

Richard Bruton: The text of the EU Commission’s mandate to negotiate with the United States on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is available on the EU Council’s website at . Paragraph 25 of the mandate sets out the parameters of the negotiating mandate in so far as sanitary and phytosanitary measures are concerned. Negotiations started in July, 2013, and since then,...

Water Sector Reforms: Motion (19 Nov 2014)

Richard Bruton: The regulator did not say that.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Ireland Expenditure (19 Nov 2014)

Richard Bruton: Further to Parliamentary Question No. 270 of 21 October 2014, my Office has received the information from Enterprise Ireland and I will provide this to the Deputy in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (19 Nov 2014)

Richard Bruton: The competence for the EU's common commercial policy lies with the European Union. The EU Commission negotiates on behalf of the EU on matters falling within the common commercial policy on the basis of specific mandates from the EU Council of Ministers. The mandate to negotiate with the United States on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) was adopted by the EU Council...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Ministerial Transport (19 Nov 2014)

Richard Bruton: I attach below for the Deputy’s information details of transport costs in respect of the Ministers and Ministers of State appointed to my Department for the years 2010 - 2013. The costs detailed below cover the salary and related remuneration costs paid to Ministers’ Drivers (inclusive of Employers PRSI, Public Holiday Pay and Extra Attendance Payments) and the mileage and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Construction Contracts (20 Nov 2014)

Richard Bruton: The commencement of the Construction Contracts Act 2013 is dependent on a number of factors contained within the Act itself. These include the appointment by the Minister of a Chairperson and Panel of Adjudicators, who must be highly qualified and suitable in order to ensure quality outcomes in disputes referred under the Act. Also required is the drafting and publication of a code of...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (20 Nov 2014)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 to 41, inclusive, together. As the Deputy is aware, my colleague Ged Nash TD, Minister for Business and Employment, presented the General Scheme of the proposed Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2014 to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation for pre-legislative scrutiny at its meeting on 11 October last; it is my...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Staff Data (20 Nov 2014)

Richard Bruton: Although my Department does not have a dedicated Data Protection Office, data protection functions are the responsibility of a specified Data Protection Officer at senior management level who is supported by a number of key staff within my Department and its Offices. Set out in tabular format is the number of staff involved in Data Protection duties for my Department and its Offices only. ...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation (20 Nov 2014)

Richard Bruton: The Action Plan for Jobs(APJ) is a whole-of-Government approach to job retention and job creation, with a specific ambition to have 100,000 more people in work by 2016. The first annual APJ was launched in February 2012, and its first successor was published in February 2013. Together, these comprised over 600 specific actions. The third APJ was published in February of this year, building on...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permit Criteria (20 Nov 2014)

Richard Bruton: A non EEA national who has been the holder of an employment permit and has been employed on foot of employment permits for an unbroken five year period may apply to the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) for long term residency in the State. Section 20(2) of the Employment Permits Act 2006 (as amended), provides that:“an application for a renewal of an employment permit shall...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Support Services Provision (20 Nov 2014)

Richard Bruton: Enterprise Ireland’s mission is to work with entrepreneurs, Irish businesses and the research and investment communities to develop Ireland’s international trade, innovation and competitiveness. The ultimate objective is increased employment and prosperity in Ireland. Enterprise Ireland works with High Potential Start-Up’s (HPSUs) with a capability to start a business...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Foreign Direct Investment (20 Nov 2014)

Richard Bruton: IDA Ireland has advised me that employment in IDA Ireland companies is measured in the Annual Employment Survey and that grants to support R&D activity and training in companies is not directly correlated to employment trends as recorded in the Annual Employment Survey. The number of people employed in IDA Ireland client companies in each of the last 5 years is set out in the second...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Trends (20 Nov 2014)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 to 49, inclusive, together. As a small open economy, Ireland is impacted by global economic cycles and shifts in competitiveness worldwide. In the case of manufacturing, lower labour costs in Asia have, for many years had a significant impact on the production of lower value goods with high labour element, but Government policy has pursued the development...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Competitiveness (20 Nov 2014)

Richard Bruton: We are continuing to make progress as a country in improving our international competitiveness, towards the Government’s objective of being the best small country in the world in which to do business. Since 2011, Ireland’s international competitiveness rankings in both the IMD and WEF competitiveness reports has improved – from 24th to 15th in the IMD’s World...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Commercial Rent Reviews (20 Nov 2014)

Richard Bruton: Over the course of the recession, there was a significant reduction in rents. For example, the National Competitiveness Council note that office rents in Dublin on new leases fell by 28 per cent between 2008 and 2013 considerably improving the cost competitiveness of high spec commercial rental vis-à-vis other international cities. Prime high street rents have also come under downward...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Economic Competitiveness (25 Nov 2014)

Richard Bruton: That is a slightly different question from the one the Deputy asked. The position in regard to competitiveness generally is one where we have seen a very significant improvement in recent years. Ireland's international competitiveness rankings have improved from 24th to 15th in the IMD's world competitiveness yearbook report and from 29th to 25th in the WEF global competitiveness report....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Economic Competitiveness (25 Nov 2014)

Richard Bruton: On the harmonised index of prices across Europe, Ireland’s increase is 1.2% in the past 12 months. That is among the lowest in the EU. They are higher in Denmark, Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands, the UK, Portugal and Finland. Ireland is controlling administrative costs more effectively than other European countries. I agree with the Deputy that there are areas where we need...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Economic Competitiveness (25 Nov 2014)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy is attempting to be very selective in his quotes. We have improved compared with all our international competitors on the ease of business index and on our competitiveness rankings-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Economic Competitiveness (25 Nov 2014)

Richard Bruton: We have done better than all our competitors on administrative prices, which the Deputy raised in his question. In every area the Deputy addressed we have done better when one considers the global picture. We are influenced by international prices in the electricity area and are dependent on fossil fuels, but the ESB and other electricity companies have been focusing on controllable costs...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Job Creation (25 Nov 2014)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for his question, which asks what projects are in the pipeline. He will understand that any project is commercially sensitive until it is finally announced and I am not at liberty to indicate what might be in the pipeline. However, I am optimistic about projects for the future. There have been a number of good projects and good, strong announcements have been made in...