Results 13,141-13,160 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Other Questions: IDA Site Visits (12 Feb 2015)

Richard Bruton: I am informed by IDA Ireland that the former Johnson & Johnson ALZA plant in Cashel is in the process of changing hands. IDA Ireland understands that discussions between the company, Johnson & Johnson, and a private investment entity are ongoing. IDA Ireland is contacting the new owner through Johnson & Johnson. I have asked IDA Ireland to work with the new owner to...

Other Questions: IDA Site Visits (12 Feb 2015)

Richard Bruton: I assure the Deputy that no effort is spared by the IDA to pursue opportunities for the site. It is state of the art. If there was any slacking on the part of the IDA, the Minister of State, Deputy Tom Hayes, would keep them up to their job. He is regularly in contact about opportunities in the area. The plant is owned by Johnson & Johnson and it is not an IDA plant. There is...

Other Questions: Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (12 Feb 2015)

Richard Bruton: To be fair, that has been reflected in the approach of Commissioner Malmström. There is a whole new approach being adopted, with greater engagement by citizens than has occurred previously in trade negotiations. The purpose of the TTIP negotiations is to generate jobs and growth by reducing barriers to trade and investment. As I mentioned to Deputy Seamus Healy, there is potential for...

Other Questions: Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (12 Feb 2015)

Richard Bruton: There is exactly that. We have had eight rounds and after every round there has been an open and transparent opportunity for people to express views. Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. It is a rolling process. I acknowledged that there are people who are critics but I ask the Deputy to look honestly at what is in the document. I quoted to Deputy Healy what went into the...

Other Questions: Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (12 Feb 2015)

Richard Bruton: One can be sceptical of enterprises and investment, but just a moment ago Deputy Healy stated that there was not enough international investment and that big corporations were not coming in and investing enough.

Other Questions: Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (12 Feb 2015)

Richard Bruton: Investment is good for countries, but it will only come if there is a reasonable level of protection. That is why these things have been there. Investors must be protected from arbitrary actions by Governments or other bodies such as courts. That is why investment protection is part of these agreements. Ireland has not needed it because it has a strong Constitution that provides that to...

Other Questions: Industrial Development (12 Feb 2015)

Richard Bruton: I am informed by IDA Ireland that it owns two land banks in County Tipperary with potential for use for inward investment in the future. One of these is located in Ballingarrane, Clonmel, and consists of approximately 20 hectares, or 49 acres, while in Tipperary town there is a site of approximately 3 hectares, or 7.42 acres, available. I am informed by IDA Ireland that pending the...

Other Questions: Industrial Development (12 Feb 2015)

Richard Bruton: First, the Deputy needs to understand the Government does not allocate enterprises or jobs to counties, towns or regions. Enterprises make decisions. To improve the attractiveness of certain regions, additional supports can be made available by IDA Ireland. In the south east and mid-west, additional support is provided by IDA Ireland to enterprises that wish to locate there. The supports...

Other Questions: Industrial Development (12 Feb 2015)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy insists on repeating what is simply an untruth. Some 20% of the money being made available is being made available to advance facilities — nine in each of the six regions, including the Deputy's own, the south east, and the south west.

Other Questions: Industrial Development (12 Feb 2015)

Richard Bruton: However, he wants to list every town and village and say it has been excluded.

Other Questions: Industrial Development (12 Feb 2015)

Richard Bruton: That is not the way in which decisions about investment are made in this country. I am long enough in this House to recall when decisions were made in the way the Deputy talks about, whereby buildings would be pushed up in wildernesses and stand there as white elephants because of the waste of public money. What is happening now is that IDA Ireland is making strategic decisions. It will...

Other Questions: Industrial Development (12 Feb 2015)

Richard Bruton: Enterprise is about strong commitment and people being courageous enough to make investments. The Government and IDA Ireland are in place to support them, as is Enterprise Ireland. That is the strategy that will build employment, not that of the Deputy.

Other Questions: Credit Availability (12 Feb 2015)

Richard Bruton: The Government has made a range of financial supports available to Irish SMEs to support growth and job creation in the economy. These include seed and venture capital schemes, development capital schemes, the innovation fund, Microfinance Ireland, the credit guarantee scheme and three funds put in place by the National Pensions Reserve Fund. In addition, the Strategic Banking Corporation...

Other Questions: Credit Availability (12 Feb 2015)

Richard Bruton: I agree that access to finance is vital to the growth of the economy, but it is worth observing that the reported refusal rate of banks has more than halved, down from 30% to 14%. Applicants appeal decisions to the Credit Review Office, CRO. Between the CRO and the banks, 70% of decisions are being overturned where applicants challenge them. That is important for applicants. Between all...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Company Closures (12 Feb 2015)

Richard Bruton: I am very disappointed that this company, which was established in Waterford only a few months ago, is now closing. IDA Ireland approved a grant assistance package for the company. However as no grants were paid, there is no liability attaching to the agreement with the IDA. In all instances where financial assistance is approved by the IDA for a company, the Agency and the client enter...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Local Enterprise Offices (12 Feb 2015)

Richard Bruton: On the establishment of the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) in April 2014, all existing County and City Enterprise Board (CEB) staff transferred to the new LEOs. In addition, the Local Authorities made over 60 staff available to work in the 31 LEOS. As a consequence, while there was a small number of retirements amongst staff of the LEOs during 2014 there are in fact no LEO currently...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Local Enterprise Offices Remit (12 Feb 2015)

Richard Bruton: The Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Tipperary replaced the County Enterprise Boards (CEBs) for North Tipperary and South Tipperary on 15 April 2014 to become the first-stop-shop for micro- and small-enterprise development within the County. Enterprise Ireland (EI) is responsible for allocating budgets to individual LEOs and CEBs for both current administration and capital requirements. I...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Industrial Relations (12 Feb 2015)

Richard Bruton: 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 access to the State’s industrial relations machinery in pursuing pension scheme grievances is an issue...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Targets (12 Feb 2015)

Richard Bruton: The Strategy for the Manufacturing Sector, which I commissioned, and which was published in April 2013, identified that an additional 20,000 jobs can be created in the sector by 2016. A complementary report on the skills needs for the sector, which I had commissioned at the same time, was published by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, and it identified a series of actions to enhance...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation (12 Feb 2015)

Richard Bruton: I am informed by IDA Ireland that the former Johnson and Johnson/Alza plant in Cashel is in the process of changing hands. It is my understanding that discussions between the company (J&J) and a private investment entity are currently on-going. IDA Ireland has asked J&J to connect them with the new owner and the company has committed to do so at an appropriate time. IDA Ireland is...