Results 13,381-13,400 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Appointments to State Boards (4 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: No senior civil servants who retired from my Department since 2011 have been appointed, following their retirement, to any of the State boards under the aegis of my Department. However, I would be unaware of whether any such civil servants were appointed to State Boards under the aegis of other Departments.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (5 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: There is no legal definition of the term “au pair” in Irish legislation. However Ireland’s body of employment rights legislation protects all employees who are legally employed on an employer-employee basis, regardless of what title is given to them. Therefore, once it is clear that a person is working under a contract of employment, on a full-time or part-time basis,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Losses (5 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 106 together. My first thoughts are with the workers concerned and their families as they receive this very difficult news. All the supports of the State will be made available to workers as and when needed. I engaged with senior management of the company in question last week and have urged them to reconsider this decision, and asked if there is...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Workplace Relations Services (5 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: The Workplace Relations Bill 2014 provides a statutory basis for a new structure which will see the existing five workplace relations bodies replaced by two. The Labour Relations Commission, the National Employment Rights Authority, the Equality Tribunal, the first instance functions of the Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) and the first instance functions of the Labour Court will be...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Competitiveness (10 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: Productivity levels are an important determinant of what constitute sustainable pay levels in enterprises and productivity growth can support higher pay and allow the benefits of enhanced competitiveness to be shared, and support recovery in the broader domestic economy. For internationally trading enterprises that are price takers productivity and wage relativities with those in competing...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Missions (10 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: In 2011 and 2013, I led trade and investment missions to India, during which new jobs and export markets were won on the trade, investment and education front. Last November, my colleague, Minister of State English, led an education mission to India. Next month, I plan to travel to India to promote Ireland as an investment location. Later this year, Enterprise Ireland will organise a...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Consumer Protection (10 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: Advertisements in print and other media that are directed at consumers are regulated by the Consumer Protection Act 2007. The Act provides that a commercial practice, such as advertising or marketing, is misleading if it includes the provision of false information in relation to a wide range of matters relating to the trader and his or her goods or services, and if that information would be...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (10 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: I am aware of recent media coverage in which Commissioner Hogan was reported as having indicated his intention to bring forward proposals before the end of this year to address certain issues in the relationships between retailers and producers. Until the EU Commission formally issues any such proposal, and the details are known, it would be premature for me to comment at this early stage....

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Support Schemes (10 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: The LEOs are the first-stop-shop front line service assisting in delivering business growth and jobs for the small & micro-enterprise sector. The LEOs are the first port of call in terms of advice, training, sign posting to other support providers and, in certain circumstances, grant support for anyone who wishes to start or expand a business. The LEOs themselves provide a range of...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regional Development (10 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: Last month, the Government announced details of the Action Plan for Jobs: Regionalinitiative which will seek to maximise the strengths and assets of each region to support enterprise growth and job creation. The Regional Action Plans will identify specific measures that can be taken to help each region to realise its economic potential, with a view to increasing the number of people at work...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Site Visits (10 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: IDA Ireland sponsored site visits by potential investors to specific locations in Ireland are only part of the long and complicated process involved in attracting foreign direct investment to this country. These site visits may take place at the beginning or end of the process and in some cases there are no site visits involved. Site visits, when they do occur, involve new companies...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: An Action Plan for Jobs 2015: Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (10 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: I thank the committee for the invitation and for supporting our work on the Action Plan for Jobs over the past four years. This is the fourth action plan. Members will be aware of the backdrop to this, which was to try to achieve a cross-government focus on employment. This is the central challenge we all face. The model has been successful for a number of reasons. It has motivated...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: An Action Plan for Jobs 2015: Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (10 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Calleary for his comprehensive set of questions. It is true that the labour force fell and that we still have emigration. However, the latest figure we have is to April of last year and it shows a 30% decline, so emigration fell from approximately 34,000 to roughly 21,000. I believe the figure has come down since, and is still on the way down, but we await the figure to bear...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: An Action Plan for Jobs 2015: Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (10 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: I will examine the position and will ask my officials to talk to the Deputy further on it. It cuts both ways. Some of these investment funds have bought the loans quite cheaply and on some occasions they are willing to enter into reasonable restructuring arrangements. We are keen to try to fill the gap in so far as we can. I will get an official to track down some of the examples the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: An Action Plan for Jobs 2015: Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (10 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy has asked a number of questions. We are using the CSO data as the authoritative data. The CSO has confirmed that the net figure of 90,000 is the relevant one for the period since the first quarter of 2012. Obviously, the agencies collect other figures. We publish the figures which are independently audited not by the agencies but by means of an independent survey. They are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: An Action Plan for Jobs 2015: Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (10 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: It is the same as in the medium-term economic strategy. Full employment will have been reached when the unemployment rate is between 5% and 6% and there are 2.1 million people at work.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: An Action Plan for Jobs 2015: Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (10 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: That is not the case.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: An Action Plan for Jobs 2015: Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (10 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: We have established the Low Pay Commission with a low pay rather than a poverty mandate. Its job is to have an evidence-based system for increasing the minimum wage as the system can absorb it. Obviously, there is a balance to be struck by it in looking at employment creation on the one side and increasing the minimum wage on the other. That is the balance that will be struck by the fine...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: An Action Plan for Jobs 2015: Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (10 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: Even in those areas one is seeing pay increases. There is a mixture of low and high pay, but that is as one would expect. It is well beside the point to pretend that this is in somehow an increase in low-paid employment. Much of it is in very highly paid professional services, such as ICT. Much of the growth areas are in strong sectors with a good, firm, solid base. It is worth taking a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: An Action Plan for Jobs 2015: Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (10 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: On the cross-Border issue, last week we sat down with InterTradeIreland.