Results 1,381-1,400 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Institutes of Technology (17 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Enterprise Ireland ‘Campus Incubation Programme’ funds the establishment of incubation (innovation) centres at third level institutions in line with the following policy objectives: - to foster entrepreneurship and campus company activity - to realise the commercial potential of Ireland’s research community and - to support balanced regional development ...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation (17 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: IDA Ireland, through its global network, continues to market the former MBNA facility, and Carrick-on-Shannon itself, to a range of potential investors internationally. Enterprise Ireland also markets the facility to its client base. The availability of a skilled pool of former MBNA employees is also being highlighted to potential investors. There have been preliminary inquiries about the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Foreign Direct Investment (17 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1171 and 1175 together. IDA Ireland markets Counties Sligo and Leitrim as part of its North West region. There are currently 38 multinational companies based in the region employing 5,379 people. This represents an increase of 291 jobs over the previous year, which reflects a strong performance by the existing client base. The Advance Technology...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Growth Initiatives (17 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: A key objective of my Department is to support enterprise development in all regions of the country in order to create jobs. Achieving this objective at regional level will require a renewed focus on building on the strengths and assets of each region to develop the attractive and competitive environments for business to start, grow and succeed on international markets and to attract inward...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Housing Issues (17 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Multinational companies have been key contributors to Ireland’s economy for many years. In 2015 alone, they were responsible for the creation of nearly 12,000 additional net new jobs in the country. Total employment by overseas companies in Ireland now stands at over 187,000, meaning that more than one-in-five private sector jobs are now either directly or indirectly the result of...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Initiatives (17 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Over the last number of years the Government has launched a range of tax and other measures to support employment and entrepreneurship in every part of the country. These include the launch of the JobsPlus and the Start Up Refund for Entrepreneurs (SURE) scheme and Budget 2016 in particular focused on incentivising innovative startups, rewarding successful entrepreneurs and sustaining...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Initiatives (17 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Last year, the Government announced details of the 5-year, €250 million Regional Action Plan for Jobs, aimed at accelerating the jobs recovery in every part of the country. Under the Regional Plan, Enterprise Ireland launched a competitive call, the Community Enterprise Initiatives Fund, with a budget of €5 million over two years, which focused on community-driven enterprise...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Competitiveness (17 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Action Plan for Jobs process set out to rebuild our economy based on enterprise and entrepreneurship. The co-ordinated response across all of Government has made significant progress in helping to create jobs and to reduce unemployment across the economy. There are now 1,929,500 people in employment, an increase of 41,300 people at work over the past year (CSO QNHS Q1 2016). Our...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Proposed Legislation (17 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Heads of the Companies (Accounting) Bill were approved by Government and submitted to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel (OPC) in February 2015. An additional set of Heads was subsequently approved by Government and submitted to the OPC in June 2015. I am informed that drafting of the Bill is at an advanced stage. Once I receive the stamped version of the Bill I will bring it to...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (17 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1179 and 1180 together. There is no legal definition of the term “au pair” in Irish legislation, and individuals described as “au pairs”, “nannies” or “child-minders” are not exempted or treated as separate categories of workers under Irish employment law. Ireland’s body of employment rights...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Consumer Protection (17 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The most recent CSO figures (for the 12 month period to April 2016) show that prices in April, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, were 0.1% lower than those in April 2015. The most significant monthly price changes for April 2016 were increases in Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (+0.9%), and Restaurants & Hotels (+0.7%). There were decreases in Furnishings, Household Equipment...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (17 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: There is a robust suite of employment rights legislation in place providing protection for employees, including legislation governing working time and pay. This includes the National Minimum Wage Act 2000, the Payment of Wages Act 1991, the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts 1973 to 2001, the Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work) Act...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Minimum Wage (17 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Domestic workers, sometimes described as “au pairs”, “nannies” or “child-minders” are not exempted or treated as separate categories of workers under Irish employment law. 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....

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Company Restructuring Plans (17 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Since my appointment, I have closely monitored developments in connection with Intel’s recently announced restructuring plans. I understand the company has initiated a process of offering voluntary redundancies to some staff, although the final outcome of this process is not yet clear. I intend to discuss the issue with Intel company representatives in the near future. I have...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Small and Medium Enterprises Supports (17 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1185 and 1187 together. The Government is acutely aware of the importance of the small business sector and its potential for generating employment and our Programme for Government fully recognises this fact. Since 2011, the Government has launched a range of measures to improve the competitiveness of the economy, to provide a range of supports for the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (17 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Ireland’s comprehensive suite of employment rights legislation sets out protections for all workers, including seasonal workers, regardless of the sector in which they work. Seasonal workers are often engaged on a part-time basis, and the Protection of Employment (Part-Time Work) Act 2001 provides robust protections for such workers. It provides that a part-time employee cannot be...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Site Visits (17 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Since the 2014-2020 Regional Aid Guidelines under EU State Aid rules entered into force, IDA Ireland is able to support large companies (those which employ over 250 employees globally) to invest and expand in the Local Electoral Area of Kells through capital and employment incentives. Under these EU rules, this is the only part of Meath where IDA Ireland can provide this type of support to...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (17 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: There is no separate legal definition of the term “au pair” in Irish legislation, and individuals described as “au pairs”, “nannies” or “child-minders” are not exempted or treated as separate categories of workers under Irish employment law. Ireland’s body of employment rights legislation protects all employees who are legally...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Construction Contracts Act (17 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The provisions of the Construction Contracts Act, 2013 will apply to certain construction contracts entered into after the 25th July 2016 in accordance with Statutory Instrument No. 165 of 2016 entitled 'Construction Contracts Act, 2013 (Appointed Day) Order 2016'. From that date the parties to a construction contract covered by the Act must ensure that the contract conforms to its...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Community Enterprise Centres (17 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Last year, the Government announced details of the 5-year, €250 million Regional Action Plan for Jobs, aimed at accelerating the jobs recovery in every part of the country. Under the Regional Plan, Enterprise Ireland launched a competitive call, the Community Enterprise Initiatives Fund, with a budget of €5 million over two years, which focused on community-driven enterprise...