Results 2,021-2,040 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (3 Nov 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Details of my availability and the meetings I have had have been put up on the web, so the Deputy can check the meetings that I have had. As I said, in our Department we have a business Brexit response, we have a co-ordination group and a departmental Brexit group. I do not have the details, the specific numbers, in respect of the Deputy's questions but I would be more than happy to write...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (3 Nov 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank the Deputy. As I said, I will write to the Deputy to make sure he gets the exact number-----

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (3 Nov 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: ----of meetings. With regard to Cabinet Sub-committee meetings on Brexit, I do not have the figure before me but I sit on a number of Cabinet committees, including the Sub-committee on the Economy, Trade and Jobs, the Sub-committee on Infrastructure, Environment and Climate Action and the Sub-committee on European Affairs.

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (3 Nov 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: For my part, I have met the Commissioners, Ms Bieńkowska and Dr. Malmström, in Brussels. I have told them about the unique position that Ireland has and the unique relationship that Ireland has with Britain. I believe that they understood that relationship. Obviously, everything now has to be worked out. We are awaiting the UK to invoke Article 50. Then it will have to...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (3 Nov 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: First, it is Enterprise Ireland that will be working sector by sector, and it has been doing that.

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (3 Nov 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: It has contacted each of its 1,400 clients. That is what is needed, a bespoke response to the different clients. Enterprise Ireland has outlined its five pillars of support, namely, information and guidance, market diversification support, international sector clustering strategy, UK market support, and competitiveness and market development supports. There is significant potential to...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (3 Nov 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: It is an agency under my Ministry.

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (3 Nov 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: That is known.

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (3 Nov 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I work closely with Enterprise Ireland. I probably talk to the people there once every two days. We have meetings every fortnight at which Enterprise Ireland gives the Department's officials the exact details on the ground with the companies. It is not hearsay and it is not someone talking in the pub. From a strategic perspective, Enterprise Ireland has a two-pronged approach, that is,...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (3 Nov 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Enterprise Ireland has 1,400 client companies and it has contacted them. They have had face-to-face meetings. It is certainly not making it up. It is aware of what exactly is needed. I will answer questions that I think need to be answered. It is important that the companies are lean, competitive, up to date and able to respond to the challenges and the competitiveness issues, such as...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (3 Nov 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I will answer that. I have not made arrangements but we will be doing so.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: UK Referendum on EU Membership (3 Nov 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: 4 o’clock I have only one minute and five questions to reply to so I will talk to the Deputy later. First, I met Minister Fox and Minister Davis, and I intend to meet them again. I invited them to Ireland and they cordially accepted. The Deputy also asked about job announcements. That is up to the companies. They decide that in their boardrooms outside this country. IDA...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: UK Referendum on EU Membership (3 Nov 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: We meet once a fortnight, the minutes of the meeting are taken and we work on the action points that come out of the meeting. We are coming close to a point where we will be able to discuss exactly what we need to do. In terms of the targeted response, Enterprise Ireland, together with the other stakeholders I mentioned, namely, the Small Firms Association and the Irish Exporters...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: UK Referendum on EU Membership (3 Nov 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: IDA Ireland co-operates with Invest Northern Ireland, INI - the equivalent body in Northern Ireland - in the context of regional and all-island economic development, recognising appropriate opportunities to pursue mutually beneficial cross-Border co-operation. Where appropriate, IDA Ireland and INI co-operate on company visits where both jurisdictions are being considered by foreign...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (3 Nov 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank Deputy Durkan for the question. The question he asked is not exactly what is on the Order Paper but I will come back to it. I will now answer the question I was asked. My Department is actively managing our response to Brexit to take full account of any potential positive consequences, and to safeguard against any negative developments. In this regard, I am working closely...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (3 Nov 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: To be honest, the biggest threat for our companies is uncertainty. We are not sure what is happening. That was very evident yesterday when I met the various Ministers in London. When there is the threat of uncertainty, businesses do not know whether they should invest and take on more staff. All of that feeds into people not investing in companies. Obviously, currency fluctuation is a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: IDA Site Visits (3 Nov 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I hear the Deputy very clearly but it is not all about site visits. Many of the foreign direct investment, FDI, companies already here decide themselves, with the help and support of the IDA, to increase the workforce and there will not be a site visit. I made the point very strongly that the FDI companies decide where they want to go. I was on a trade mission recently in the west coast of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: IDA Site Visits (3 Nov 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: There were 40 site visits to Limerick by 40 different companies. That does not take into account the companies that are there already that might be thinking of expanding. To date, in 2016 up to the end of the third quarter, there have been 39 site visits. That is a huge improvement. Deputy Quinlivan, who is in the Chamber, has attended many of the job announcements there. Limerick is a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: IDA Site Visits (3 Nov 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Companies talk to us about the airport, the Limerick Institute of Technology, the University of Limerick and the wonderful talent pool in the area. I have spoken to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport about those roads. I will check out the question of the Aer Lingus connectivity fund. I assure the Deputy Limerick is doing pretty well and there seem to be more job announcements...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: UK Referendum on EU Membership (3 Nov 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am engaged strongly with Enterprise Ireland, EI, and IDA Ireland to ensure that Irish jobs are protected, promoted and preserved. I am in ongoing communication with these agencies, and chair my Department’s Brexit co-ordination group which includes the chief executive officers, CEOs, of the agencies. Enterprise Ireland is working with its 1,500 clients who export to the UK studying...