Results 12,821-12,840 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Confidence in Taoiseach and Government: Motion (9 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: I honestly say that the Taoiseach has exceeded all expectations. I can say that with some justification, as I have previously been one of his critics. He has been immensely strong at a time when we needed someone to step up, make hard decisions and understand people. There is no one better than the Taoiseach at understanding people, be they the women of the Magdalen laundries or the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (9 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware the Labour Relations Commission is a statutory body independent of my Department in the performance of its functions. I am informed that the Labour Relations Commission has no record of receiving a complaint in respect of the named person. Complaints under employment rights and equality legislation which are referred to the existing workplace relations adjudication...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Community Enterprise Centres (9 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: I understand from Enterprise Ireland that since the launch of the first Community Enterprise Centre scheme in 1989, Enterprise Ireland has approved €64 million for the development of Community Enterprise Centres in towns and villages across the country. There are currently 117 such centres across the country. There is no new Community Enterprise Centre Scheme to fund Business...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Insolvency Payments Scheme Payments (9 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: Under the provisions of Section 8 of the Payment of Wages Act 1991 a Rights Commissioner’s decision may be enforced as if it were an order of the Circuit Court. A formal request for such an order may be filed in the County Registrar’s office by the person seeking the order. NERA has no powers of enforcement under the Act. The purpose of the insolvency payments scheme, which...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Insolvency Payments Scheme Payments (9 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: The Payment of Wages Act, provides that an employee can pursue a claim in respect of any particular unlawful deduction or payment before the courts, or before a Rights Commissioner, but not before both. If the employee chooses to pursue their claim before a Rights Commissioner, the employee may appeal the Rights Commissioner decision to the Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT), with the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Joint Labour Committees Agreements (9 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: Section 41A of Industrial Relations Act 1946 (inserted by Section 11 of the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2012) provides that reviews of each Joint Labour Committee (JLC) be carried out by the Labour Court as soon as practicable after the commencement of the Act, and at least once every 5 years thereafter. In this context the Court undertook a review of the ten existing JLCs in 2013...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Data (9 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: In 2013, the value of exports to Iran from Ireland was €57 million. The main products exported were soft drink concentrate and medical and pharmaceutical products. Imports in 2013 from Iran amounted to under €1 million, most of which was accounted for by vegetables & fruit. Due to the EU sanctions that have been in place, Enterprise Ireland has not considered Iran a...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: An Fhoireann Rannach (9 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: Níl an fhaisnéis atá iarrtha ag an Teachta ar fáil toisc nach bhfuil post ar bith laistigh de mo Roinnse a bhfuil inniúlacht sa Ghaeilge mar réamhriachtanas dá chuid. I gcomhréir lenár gcuid oibleagáidí faoi Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla, 2003 tá mo Roinnse tiomanta don chumarsáid le cliaint ar mian leo a gcuid gnó...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (9 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Chairman for the opportunity to make a statement to introduce this Supplementary Estimate. These changes are largely technical. We do not seek new money, but the changes are necessary to reflect changes to organisational structures that we introduced. Members will know that many structural changes came to fruition in the course of this year. Local enterprise offices were...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (9 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: On Forfás, we have worked out a protocol to ensure that it continues to have independent capacity to publish research. It continues to work to an independent National Competitiveness Council which, as members will be aware, I have reconstituted and has been working on delivery of the various NCC reports on competitive challenges which are in the public domain. It is also involved in...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (9 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: I made an opening statement in respect of all of the issues but I can go through them item by item if the committee wishes.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (9 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: A1, the balance of the Forfás allocation at the end of July, is an adjustment of €2.4 million less €120,000 pay for four staff transferring to EI and €233,000 pay for staff to the HSA which is divided 50:50 between programme A and programme B. This is the allocation of the resources between the two headings, jobs and enterprise and innovation reflecting the...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (9 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: The IDA is on budget in terms of its capital spend. Recoupments are covered in own-resource income. I can get the amount for the Deputy. Obviously, it waxes and wanes through the course of the year but I can get the figure for the Deputy. The advance units are well under way and will be an important dimension of regional strategy. As the Deputy is aware I am keen to develop a regional...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (9 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: Every region has seen employment growth since we started An Action Plan for Jobs process but certainly not at the same rate. I am keen to play to the strengths of regions. Like An Action Plan for Jobs it will require a reaching out to people outside of our own family of agencies. On 19 December we will have our first stakeholder engagements in the midlands which means engaging with the...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (9 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: Forfás used to be the pension provider for all the agencies. However, it has now become a pension provider in its own right. The reduction arises because Forfás will no longer play a central role in the area of pensions.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (9 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: There will always be issues around resources. That is true of every Department, and my Department manages resources as best it can. On the balance between IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, the latter receives a larger capital allocation as it is a much larger agency than the former. That we spend more on Enterprise Ireland than on the IDA is as it should be. The former has capital...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (9 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: There is always scope for more resources. If I had more resources, I would do new things.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (9 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: That is the environment in which we live. My core responsibility is to create 100,000 jobs by 2016. We are well on our way to delivering that. There are always issues around additional resources, but every Department is in the same position. They would like to spend more resources on-----

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (9 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: We always seek more resources.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Supplementary) (9 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: Every Department has ambitions. The troika had slated €2 billion in actual reductions in spending programmes and increases in taxes. Instead, this year, because of our strong performance - not a small amount of it driven by my Department through employment programmes - we were actually able to put €1 billion back into the economy. We have been able to cut universal social...