Results 20,221-20,240 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Industrial Disputes (17 Sep 2014)

Richard Bruton: The industrial dispute at Greyhound Household has been ongoing since 17 June 2014. This dispute, centres around the terms and conditions of certain employees of the company linked to cost reduction proposals. The dispute has been the subject of conciliation efforts in the Labour Relations Commission, where agreement was not reached, and a subsequent Labour Court recommendation. In its...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: County and City Enterprise Boards (17 Sep 2014)

Richard Bruton: The number of grant applications received by both Limerick City and County Enterprise Board for each month in 2012, 2013 and from January to March 2014 are shown in the following table. Since the establishment of the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) in April LEO Limerick no longer keep separate records for the City and County areas, as they are now dealing with Limerick as a whole. - 2012...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Local Enterprise Offices Remit (17 Sep 2014)

Richard Bruton: Support for job creation and retention for the micro-enterprise sector is provided by the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs). The LEOs are the first-stop-shop front line service assisting in delivering business growth and jobs. They pull together all the players – other Government Departments and Agencies - to support everyone with a good business idea and strengthen the enterprise sector...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Functions (17 Sep 2014)

Richard Bruton: I understand that the Deputy is seeking confirmation relating to services which are provided to my Department in the absence of a tendering process. Having regard to the example provided by the Deputy, my Department does not have in place any administrative arrangements, of this nature, as opposed to contracts for service. It should be noted that my Department does avail of certain...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Supports (17 Sep 2014)

Richard Bruton: The recent public announcement by Rexxam Electronics, based in Drogheda, that it had made the decision to close later this year with the loss of all 67 jobs, is very much regretted and I sympathise with the employees affected, who have given loyal service to the company. This Japanese-owned company is a manufacturer of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and 90% of its business was from one...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Strategy Statements (17 Sep 2014)

Richard Bruton: My Department’s current Statement of Strategy covers the period 2011-2014 which is available on my Department's website. Under the Public Service Management Act 1997 Departments are required to produce a new Statement of Strategy every three years and within six months of the appointment of a new Minister. Over the coming months my Department will develop a new Statement of Strategy....

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Legislative Measures (17 Sep 2014)

Richard Bruton: I am committed to delivering a world-class workplace relations service. The Workplace Relations Bill 2014 will give statutory effect to the reforms which I am currently introducing to the State’s existing employment rights and industrial relations structures. This legislation provides a statutory basis for a new structure which will see the existing five workplace relations bodies...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Legislative Measures (17 Sep 2014)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 405 and 406 together. In addition to enhancing the service provided to users, the reform of the Workplace Relations Bodies will reduce staff numbers and the associated costs of delivering the service. At the end of 2010, before the beginning of the reform process, there were 249.06 whole time equivalents in the workplace relations bodies. The current...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (17 Sep 2014)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that the enactment of the Workplace Relations Bill 2014 will not change the current position whereby employees using the services of the various workplace relations bodies can avail of trade union representation if they so choose.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Workplace Relations Services Issues (17 Sep 2014)

Richard Bruton: The initial consultation that I undertook in relation to my proposals to reform the State’s employment rights and industrial relations structures was completed in September 2011. The many positive suggestions that emerged from that process influenced the proposals set out in the Blueprint to Deliver a World-Class Workplace Relations Service(Blueprint) which I published in April 2012. ...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Workplace Relations Services Issues (17 Sep 2014)

Richard Bruton: The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) will have statutory jurisdiction for facilitating the resolution of disputes under approx. 40 separate pieces of employment, equality and industrial relations legislation, in accordance with best international practice and in compliance with international human rights standards. To ensure that the WRC delivers its services to the highest standards, the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Equality Issues (17 Sep 2014)

Richard Bruton: Under the existing workplace relations structures the Equality Tribunal has jurisdiction to investigate and decide upon complaints of discrimination under equality legislation (i.e. the Employment Equality Acts, the Equal Status Acts and the Pensions Acts). The Equality Tribunal is independent in the exercise of its quasi-judicial function and I have no direct involvement in its day to day...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Legislative Measures (17 Sep 2014)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 411 and 412 together. I believe that for a workplace relations system to have credibility it must be supported by proportionate, effective and efficient compliance and enforcement measures. The current system of enforcement of employment rights awards is cumbersome, expensive and not fit for purpose. For this reason, provision has been made in the Workplace...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Legislative Measures (17 Sep 2014)

Richard Bruton: The aim of the Workplace Relations Bill is to create a modern, user-friendly, world-class employment workplace relations system that will provide significant benefits for its users and society as a whole. The focus will be on resolving the workplace disputes as quickly and inexpensively as possible. The legislation makes provision for the establishment of a range of services (including...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (17 Sep 2014)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 414 and 415 together. The Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States and the Republic of Colombia and the Republic of Peru, is an Agreement within the meaning of Article 29.5.2 of the Constitution. Ratification by Ireland is therefore subject to prior approval of Dáil Éireann. It is my intention to seek the necessary...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (17 Sep 2014)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 416 and 418 together. The 6thround of the TTIP negotiations took place in Brussels from 14– 18 July, and a summary of the state of play of the negotiations after that round is available at: . The 7thround of the TTIP negotiations is scheduled to take place in the US from the 29 September to 3 October. This will be the last round before the current...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (17 Sep 2014)

Richard Bruton: According to my Department’s records, since the start of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations in July last year, I have met on two occasions with representatives of the agri-food sector, and hosted a seminar in Dublin Castle on the 20thJune 2014. All members of the Oireachtas Committees on EU Affairs, Foreign Affairs and Trade and Jobs, Enterprise and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (17 Sep 2014)

Richard Bruton: The EU Commission is responsible for negotiating free trade agreements, including investment provisions, which comprehends investor state dispute settlement. While there are no such agreements yet concluded and signed, the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, the end of the negotiations on which is expected to be announced at next week’s EU-Canada Summit, will be the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Data (17 Sep 2014)

Richard Bruton: EU studies point to long term evidence from the EU which shows that a 1% increase in the openness of the economy leads to an increase of 0.6% in labour productivity. They also show that more trade is essential to job creation: About 30 million jobs in the EU depend on sales to the rest of the world, and on average, each additional €1 billion of exports supports 15,000 additional jobs...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Ireland Funding (17 Sep 2014)

Richard Bruton: Matters around decisions on whether to provide grant aid to the organisation concerned are a day to day operational matter for Enterprise Ireland. As such, I have no role in that regard. In particular, information about grants to companies cannot be disclosed, for commercial reasons, until a grant has been paid. Nevertheless, I understand from Enterprise Ireland that they are liaising...