Results 181-200 of 5,809 for speaker:Alan Dillon

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Data (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: One of the goals of the EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages, under Article 4, is to increase the number of workers covered by collective bargaining on wage setting. The Directive requires Member States with a collective bargaining coverage below 80%, such as Ireland, to provide “for a framework of enabling conditions for collective bargaining” and to publish an action plan...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Data (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: Ireland operates a managed, vacancy-led employment permits system maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. This approach complements the policy objective of Government to upskill the resident population at all levels. Where specific skills prove difficult to source within the European Economic Area (EEA), and where the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Trade Unions (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: It has been the consistent policy of successive Irish Governments to promote collective bargaining through the development of an institutional framework supportive of a voluntary system of industrial relations that is premised upon freedom of contract and freedom of association. There is an extensive range of statutory provisions designed to back up the voluntary bargaining process. The...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Data (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Trade Union Act, 1941 requires any body of persons which wishes to carry on negotiations on the fixing of wages or other conditions of employment to hold a negotiation licence granted by my Department Within one month after 31st December each year a trade union which is the holder of a negotiation licence shall send to my Department a statement of the number of its members on the 31st...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Relations (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Private Members Bill 2021 lapsed with the dissolution of the last Dáil. It could not be supported by Government as the proposed changes would fundamentally undermine the very concept of industrial relations, a process essentially involving workers and their employers. My Department’s...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Schemes (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: Social enterprises are an important and growing part of Ireland’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, creating jobs and stimulating local economic activity and are recognised as an integral part of Ireland’s broad enterprise policy landscape. Responsibility for social enterprise is within the remit of the Department of Rural and Community Development. There are a wide range of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Inquiries (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: Ireland operates a managed, vacancy-led employment permits system maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. This approach complements the policy objective of Government to upskill the resident population at all levels. Where specific skills prove difficult to source within the European Economic Area (EEA), and where the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Inquiries (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: My Department’s new Portal-based employment permits IT system – ‘Employment Permits Online’ was launched on the 28th April 2025. The previous employment permit service utilised older technologies which were no longer fit for purpose. The new modern cloud-based system will transform the way in which employment permits are submitted, processed and issued. It will...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: Ireland operates a managed, vacancy-led employment permits system maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. This approach complements the policy objective of Government to upskill the resident population at all levels. Where specific skills prove difficult to source within the European Economic Area (EEA), and where the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Inquiries (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Employment Permits Act 2024 introduced a provision that allows a permit holder to change a pending application from a general employment permit to a critical skills employment permit. This provision reduces the administrative burden on both the department and users of the system by eliminating the need for re-submitting of applications in this situation. This change is part of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Inquiries (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: While the Employment Permits Act 2024 introduced a provision that allows a permit holder to change a pending application from a general employment permit to a critical skills employment permit, it is not permitted to make such a change once a permit has been issued. A new application would be required in that case. The Department's website provides information on applying for an employment...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: This Government is fully committed to supporting workers. Legislation in this area is kept under active review to reflect national and international developments, including at European Union, Court of Justice, and International Labour Organisation level. Measures taken since 2020 include the following:The Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025 was published on 1 April 2025 and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (29 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: Ireland operates a managed, vacancy-led employment permits system maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. This approach complements the policy objective of Government to upskill the resident population at all levels. Where specific skills prove difficult to source within the European Economic Area (EEA), and where the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Arts Policy (10 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: I again thank the Deputy for raising this important Topical Issue matter this evening. I will certainly relay his comments to the Minister. I am encouraged by what the Deputy said about the importance of the youth culture card. Every organisation providing a range of programmes, events and resources for young people, including both in-person and online events, needs to be supported. ...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Arts Policy (10 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I am taking it on behalf of the Minister for arts, Deputy O'Donovan. Having worked with the Deputy on the tourism and arts committee for five years during the previous Dáil term, I know how important this issue is and what a champion Deputy Byrne is for the arts and cultural sector. What he has raised today is significant and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Recycling Policy (10 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: The regulation of textiles has become a priority focus for the EU in recent years. There are two significant pieces of relevant legislation in development or recently implemented. First, since 1 January 2025, the waste framework directive requires all member states to have a separate collection system for textiles. Ireland's system consists of a network of local authority and charity bring...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Recycling Policy (10 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: I acknowledge the Deputy’s work with Liberty Recycling. Since January of this year, Ireland has understood and tried to transpose the EU law that is required by every member state. We currently have a system in place for the separation and collection of textiles, and the bring banks are a significant part of that. I understand that significant improvements are required. I am aware...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Recycling Policy (10 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: As I said in my earlier contribution, we have drafted the national policy statement and roadmap for circular textiles, which will be important in supporting the transition. That will soon go out to consultation. On the Deputy’s point, we have a real challenge around fast fashion and how we address it. The current system needs to be enhanced. We need to continue to work with local...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Data Centres (10 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank the Deputy for the question. The programme for Government acknowledges the increased energy cost pressures on households and businesses, and aims to bring forward a number of measures to help contain energy costs. These include bringing forward taxation measures to help contain energy costs. We have established a cross-government energy affordability task force to identify, assess...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Data Centres (10 Apr 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank the Deputy. I disagree with his comment that data centres create only a few jobs. The role that data centres play in the economy is significant for large tech and foreign direct investment, FDI. We will continue to support our commitment to working with key stakeholders in that area, including the IDA, to identify and support new approaches. That is important. We need to...