Results 1,441-1,460 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permits Applications (31 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The application referred to by the Deputy was refused on 4 May 2016 as, amongst other things, the requirements of the Labour Market Needs Test were not met. The applicant sought a review of this decision and this request was received in my Department on 13 May 2016. My Department is currently examining review requests received on the week commencing 18 April 2016 and this request will be...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Ireland Properties (31 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am informed that Enterprise Ireland understands, following the fire at the Glanbia factory in Rooskey in 2007, that the factory and site was sold to a private company. Enterprise Ireland held discussions with the promoters of a new project for the site in 2013 and provided some mentor expertise. However the project did not subsequently proceed. Should a relevant opportunity be identified...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Zero-hour Contracts (31 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Since 2012, the Action Plan for Jobs (APJ) has put in place a comprehensive set of measures agreed by Government to promote job opportunities and employment growth in all parts of the country. 155,000 more people are at work since the launch of the first Plan in 2012. This increase has been in full-time jobs rather than casual or temporary jobs, with full time jobs accounting for most of the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Report (31 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Low Pay Commission which is independent in the performance of its functions was established on a statutory basis in July 2015. Its principal function is to annually examine and make recommendations, which are evidence based, on the national minimum hourly rate of pay. As well as making recommendations to me regarding the national minimum hourly rate of pay, by 19 July 2016, the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Proposed Legislation (31 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am not in a position at this stage to say when the proposed Consumer Rights Bill referred to in the Deputy’s question will be brought to Second Stage. My predecessor published the draft Scheme of a comprehensive, consolidated Consumer Rights Bill for public consultation in May 2015 and indicated that he hoped to submit the draft Scheme to Government for approval in early 2016. In...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Consumer Protection (31 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is the designated competent authority in Ireland for the purposes of EU Directive 2013/11/EU of 21 May 2013 on alternative dispute resolution (ADR) which was transposed into Irish law by S.I. No. 343 of 2015. A dispute resolution entity established in this State which intends to qualify as an ADR entity under regulation 7.1 of S.I....

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Support Schemes (31 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: Grant Payments (31 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: Employment Rights (31 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I can confirm that correspondence from the organisation concerned was forwarded on to my Office recently. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Data (31 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I propose to take Questions Nos. 907 and 908 together. An “agency worker” means an individual employed by an employment agency under a contract of employment by virtue of which the individual may be assigned to work for, and under the direction and supervision of, a person other than the employment agency. Under the EU Directive on Temporary Agency Work, temporary agency...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Expenditure (31 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The estimated expenditure provision for professional fees, including but not limited to legal, IT-related, accountancy, and other advisory and consultancy costs for 2016 for my Department is €5.3 million. It is important to recognise the uncertain nature of legal fees which can vary from year-to-year, and will be dependent on caseload, complexity, duration and outcome. The...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Expenditure (31 May 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The total Travel and Subsistence costs incurred by the Department and its offices in 2015 was €1,451,940.18. This includes all national and international travel expenditure incurred by Ministers, their staff, and the staff of the Department and its Offices which include: - Companies Registration Office - Employment Appeals Tribunal - Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement...

Workers' Rights: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (1 Jun 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Give Deputy Michael Healy-Rae a chance.

Workers' Rights: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (1 Jun 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Yes.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Ministerial Responsibilities (1 Jun 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Government recently appointed two Ministers of State to my Department. John Halligan T.D. serves in my Department as Minister of State with special responsibility for Training and Skills. Pat Breen T.D. serves as Minister of State with special responsibility for Enterprise and Small Business. Research and development, science and innovation are important priority areas for my...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Unemployment Levels (1 Jun 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I propose to take Questions Nos. 219 to 222, inclusive, together. The recent economic crisis hit the South East’s job numbers badly with the loss of 37,800 jobs from Q1 2007 to Q1 2012. However, through the focused collaborative approach and a range of reforms delivered in the region over the recent years, the unemployment rate has fallen from a peak of 20.1 per cent in Q1 2012 to...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Intellectual Property Management (1 Jun 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: An independent Copyright Review Committee was established by the then Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in May 2011 to examine the Irish copyright framework from the perspective of removing any obstacles to developing and growing innovation. The Report of the Copyright Review Committee entitled “Modernising Copyright” was published in October 2013. In its Report,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Targets (1 Jun 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Ireland’s return to economic growth has demonstrated our ability, through concerted efforts across Government to focus actions on those areas that help to create jobs. We have made substantial progress since the Action Plan for Jobs process was first introduced in 2012. We can point to the considerable strides made in reducing the unemployment rate from 15.1% at the start of the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Competitiveness (1 Jun 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Improving Ireland’s competitiveness position is a key economic priority for Government. As set out in 'A Programme for a Partnership Government', our objective is to protect our national competitiveness from unsustainable cost growth and to deliver a job-fit business environment which ranks in the top tier globally. Core inflation (consumer prices excluding food and energy) has...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission (1 Jun 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The independence of the Low Pay Commission is firmly established in the National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Act 2015 (the Act). The Commission can only operate in accordance with that statutory remit and make recommendations to the Minister in accordance with the criteria that are clearly and explicitly set out in the Act.