Results 14,681-14,700 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Losses (20 Jan 2016)

Richard Bruton: Clearly my first thoughts are with the workers affected by the announcement of job losses at the company. The decision announced on 12 January is part of a company-wide restructuring particularly of its manufacturing base which the company has undertaken following the loss of contracts for private label water which has led to serious underutilization of capacity. I have spoken to...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Export Controls (20 Jan 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department is responsible for controls on the export of military items from Ireland. Under Irish law, military export licences must be sought in respect of the goods and technology, and any components thereof, listed in the Annex to the Control of Exports (Goods and Technology) Order, S.I. 216 of 2012 which reflects the EU Common Military List. Export licences to a value of...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Company Closures (20 Jan 2016)

Richard Bruton: Since news of the Clerys insolvency broke, I have maintained that we must be careful not to take rushed steps to amend the law and to create unintended consequences. Last week Minister Ged Nash and I announced that we have appointed two experts to examine the legal protections for workers, specifically in situations where valuable assets in a company are separated from the operating entity,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Jobs Data (20 Jan 2016)

Richard Bruton: Employment data for the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Employment Survey is collected and reported annually. Earlier this month, IDA Ireland announced the highest level of employment in its clients in its 67 year history, with 187,056 people now employed in companies supported by the agency. The following table sets out the employment data on jobs created and lost for the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Local Enterprise Offices (20 Jan 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are now the ‘first-stop-shop’ State support service for micro and small businesses in each local area. The LEOs provide advice and direction, covering all government supports and requirements, to anyone who wishes to start or expand a business. They can also provide funding for projects that meet certain criteria, in certain circumstances, and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Targets (20 Jan 2016)

Richard Bruton: Earlier this week we launched the fifth Action Plan for Jobs. A key objective of the Action Plan for Jobs process has been to rebuild our economy based on enterprise and entrepreneurship, talent, innovation and exports and provide a solid foundation for future growth. Irish industry has to been to the forefront of the economic recovery, with our enterprises and entrepreneurs innovating,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Foreign Direct Investment (20 Jan 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 86 together. There are many factors that make Ireland competitive and attractive for Foreign Direct Investment and contribute to a decision of a multinational company to locate here. These include the high-quality of education and skills development, our innovation ecosystem, the ease of doing business here and our openness to trade, along with our...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Targets (20 Jan 2016)

Richard Bruton: Enterprise 2025is our 10 year jobs and enterprise strategy, which sets out the roadmap to build a sustainable economy and have 2.18 million people at work by 2020, which means 200,000 net additional jobs by 2020; this would mean more people at work than at any time in the history of the State. Earlier this week we launched the fifth Action Plan for Jobs. A key objective of the Action Plan for...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Research and Development Supports (20 Jan 2016)

Richard Bruton: High-quality, innovative and internationally competitive Irish companies are fundamental to Ireland’s future prosperity. This requires us to have sharp and adaptable businesses in a wide variety of sectors which are in a position to win export sales, thus creating jobs in Ireland. In order to ensure that all sectors of the economy continue to compete effectively in European and global...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Industrial Development (20 Jan 2016)

Richard Bruton: Ireland’s improving competitiveness performance since 2011 has been central to securing the recovery in economic growth and employment. Improved competitiveness has made Irish firms more cost competitive internationally and made Ireland a more attractive location in which firms can locate and expand their operations. The Government’s Action Plan for Jobs, which is co-ordinated...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Small and Medium Enterprises Supports (20 Jan 2016)

Richard Bruton: Firstly, I would like to draw the Deputy’s attention to the cross-Government initiative on supports to small business. Businesses can access the ‘Supporting SMEs’ online search tool that was launched last year. The search tool includes information on the range of Government supports, incentives etc. for accessing finance and credit. By answering eight questions, a small...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Growth (20 Jan 2016)

Richard Bruton: Enterprise 2025, the Government’s long-term enterprise policy was launched in November last year. It is an ambitious strategy, with the objective of delivering growth over the next decade that is sustainable, led by strong export performance, builds on our sectoral strengths, and that is underpinned by innovation, productivity, cost effectiveness and competitiveness. We aim to build...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regional Development (20 Jan 2016)

Richard Bruton: The availability of competitively priced world class infrastructure (energy, telecoms, transport, waste and water) and related services is critical to support economic growth and enterprise development. The recent economic recovery, return to growth, and the creation of more than 135,800 jobs since the first Action Plan for Jobs was launched, have all been supported by Ireland’s...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Skills Development (20 Jan 2016)

Richard Bruton: As the economy expands and grows, there is a growing skills demand from employers across many sectors of the economy, in both the public and private sectors. The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) advises the Government on the current and future skills needs of the economy and has quantified the current and future skills requirements in a number of sectors and occupations. The...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (20 Jan 2016)

Richard Bruton: I thank Senator Bacik for introducing the Bill and other Senators for participating in this debate. I have not opposed the Bill because a fresh examination of this issue is timely. I understand the motivation outlined by Senator Bacik and others to protect vulnerable workers. The Bill seeks to establish the rights of self-employed individuals to be represented by a trade union for the...

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership: Statements (21 Jan 2016)

Richard Bruton: I am glad to have the opportunity to participate in this debate on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership because it is an important negotiated trade agreement on which we are embarking. Ireland is a small trading economy and is more dependent on exports than any other economy in the European Union. Our exports of goods and services represent about €200 billion, which is...

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership: Statements (21 Jan 2016)

Richard Bruton: Okay. The agreements are very restricted. Added to this, the European Union and the Commissioner have consulted widely, both with Parliament and member states, and added further protection to copperfasten the full protection of a government’s right to regulate within the agreement, making sure the way in which the arbitration courts work is transparent, ensuring those who are...

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership: Statements (21 Jan 2016)

Richard Bruton: On a point of information, they voted to allow the modified ISDS to go ahead based on the Commissioner's new proposals.

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership: Statements (21 Jan 2016)

Richard Bruton: I thank all those who contributed to the debate. Very few spoke in favour of the agreement, which is disappointing. We should all have concerns and Deputy Fitzmaurice said we need to protect our defensive interests. There are sectors that are vulnerable to change, agriculture and beef in particular, although the dairy sector sees huge opportunities in this. We have to be very careful...

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership: Statements (21 Jan 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy was not here for the whole debate. There were many such criticisms. In Ireland 187,000 people are employed in multinationals. Most of them set the standards in respect of the quality of the working environment. Most are exacting about the quality of consumer and environmental standards they observe in running their businesses because they recognise that success, and that of any...