Results 12,921-12,940 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regional Development (17 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: As I have outlined previously, the new Regional Enterprise Strategies which my Department is leading on will be underpinned by consultation with the key stakeholders in each region. These stakeholders include public sector bodies, business people, industry representatives, educational institutions and other parties who have a role to play in the economic development of the regions. Over the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Action Plan for Jobs (17 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: I and my Department formally began the process of developing Action Plan for Jobs 2015 in July this year. The next Action Plan will be informed by the work of the National Competitiveness Council but we are also continuing the process of previous years whereby direct input from industry and wider stakeholders is sought and considered. One of the factors that has made the APJ process such a...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation (17 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: The Consultative Committee on Jobs in the Green Economy was established in 2013 arising from a commitment in Delivering our Green Potential,the Government’s Policy Statement on Growth and Employment in the Green Economy.The Committee was established to help identify emerging opportunities for Ireland in the Green Economy and any enablers or barriers to seizing those opportunities. The...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Exports Growth (17 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: I understand that the Deputy’s question refers to contract manufacturing. The national accounts show that exports grew by 13.0 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter of this year, with goods exports up nearly 16 per cent. This was not matched by proportionate import growth, despite the growth in domestic demand in the same period. As a result net exports increased by 11.0 per...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: International Agreements (17 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: The last round of negotiations between the EU and the US on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership took place during the week beginning 29 September last, the report of which can be found on the EU Commission’s website at: I understand that the eighth round is scheduled to take place during the week of 2 February 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (17 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: Ireland’s robust suite of employment rights legislation is underpinned by a proactive labour inspectorate. The National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) has a team of inspectors, and in 2013 NERA carried out over 5,500 inspections. Where NERA encounter the sub-contractor model, the question may arise as to whether individuals are employees or self-employed. NERA Inspectors are...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Bodies (17 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: The Workplace Relations Bill provides for the establishment of a statutory Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) with a full range of functions formerly carried out by the Labour Relations Commission (LRC), including Rights Commissioner Service, the Equality Tribunal, the Employment Appeals Tribunal and the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA). The Bill will also provide for the Labour...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation (17 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: The importance of innovation and technology to Ireland’s on-going and future economic recovery is well recognised by the Government as being crucial to growth in both our indigenous and FDI sectors. Evidence, from both the EU and internationally, shows that the Government’s strategy of accelerating the economic and societal return on our STI investment is paying off. Globally,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Action Plan for Jobs (17 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: The 2014 Action Plan for Jobs was published last February and builds on the 2012 and 2013 Action Plans. This year’s Plan includes 385 actions for delivery across all Government Departments and 46 agencies. The 385 actions are broken down into quarterly milestones for delivery, and these are reported on every three months. The Quarterly Progress reports are published on my...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: International Agreements (17 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership was discussed at the last EU Council of Trade Ministers on 21 November which I attended. The Council was briefed by Commissioner Malmström and took stock of the current state of play. The Council adopted a set of policy conclusions that give clear, unambiguous and reasoned political support for the TTIP negotiations. The conclusions...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Action Plan for Jobs (17 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: The introduction of an Integrated Licence Application Service was a disruptive reform in the Action Plan for Jobs 2013 with the delivery of such a service to the retail sector by Q4 2013. A Steering Group, chaired by the Minister for Business and Employment, with membership from the key licensing authorities, including Revenue, Local Authorities, Inland Fisheries, Irish Film Classification...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation (17 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: Foreign Direct Investment has been and continues to be an integral part of Ireland’s economic development strategy. Foreign owned firms contribute substantially to Ireland’s exports, jobs, expenditure in the Irish economy and to Exchequer funds. FDI plays a key role in the development of “new” sectors in Ireland, in enhancing our research, development and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pension Provisions (17 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: I understand the Alliance of Retired Public Servants was set up in the recent past to oppose cuts to Pensions. I fully appreciate the concerns of retired and deferred members of pension schemes whose schemes are being restructured, particularly where such restructuring may impact on existing or potential pension benefits. The question of whether it is appropriate that pensioner groups have...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permit Applications (17 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: Nursing is an eligible occupation for consideration for an employment permit, and is currently included on the Highly Skilled Eligible Occupations List in Regulations pursuant to the Employment Permits (Amendment) Act 2014. Occupations on this list are those deemed to be highly skilled, in short supply, and necessary for economic or social development in the State. The Highly Skilled...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: International Agreements (17 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: I am aware of the Istanbul Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence. My Department was represented at the July 2014 meeting of the Council of Europe Inter-Departmental Group at which the Department of Justice and Equality gave an update on the status of Ireland’s ratification of the Istanbul Convention. I am not aware of any matters within...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (17 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: Work which I am currently undertaking on the reform of the State’s employment rights and industrial relations structures is at an advanced stage. Provision has been made in the Workplace Relations Bill 2014 for a range of enhanced compliance measures, including the use of Compliance Notices and Fixed Payment Notices. The Bill also makes provision for the introduction of a more...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Site Visits (17 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: I am informed by IDA Ireland that during 2014 there have been 8 site visits to Westmeath and no site visits to Longford. Longford and Westmeath are marketed as part of IDA Ireland’s Midlands Region, which also includes the counties of Roscommon, Laois and Offaly. The Region is marketed as having a strong cluster in Medical Technology and Life Sciences and is home to key clients such...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Losses (17 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: The information requested by the Deputy, as ascertained from the Annual Employment Survey undertaken by Forfás (now incorporated into my Department), is given in the following table. As clearly illustrated, there were very significant net job losses in the Manufacturing Sector for the years 2009 and 2010, as had also been the case in the previous few years also. This negative trend was...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Losses (17 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: Enterprise Ireland’s mission is to support indigenous industry, working 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...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Foreign Direct Investment (17 Dec 2014)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71, 72 and 75 together. The Forfás Annual Employment survey reports on the job gains and losses in companies supported by the industrial development agencies. Data is gathered on an annualised basis and is aggregated at county level. Data for 2014 will not be available until early in 2015. Details of the number of jobs gained and lost in companies...