Results 20,981-21,000 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Supports (7 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Brexit represents a significant challenge for businesses in Ireland, which cannot be underestimated. That’s why my Department started developing supports for businesses from the time when Brexit first became a possibility. Government’s priority is to ensure that businesses around the country can manage risks and avail of any opportunities. This has informed the range of advisory...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Data (7 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The recently published Q4 2018 CSO Labour Force Survey employment figures are overall very positive. Figures show that overall, employment continues to grow strongly with 50,500 jobs created in the year from Q4 2017 to Q4 2018. This brings total employment to 2,281,300, the highest number at work ever recorded. The additional jobs created in 2018 in the West and the Midlands regions are set...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permits Applications Data (7 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I am very well aware of the skills shortages currently being experienced in some sectors of the economy. The issue is all the more pressing given the strong economic growth being experienced and high demand being placed on a number of sectors to respond to a range of needs across the economy. Officials of my Department and I have also met with sector representatives to discuss the labour...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: State Bodies Code of Conduct (7 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies provides the overarching policy by which all State bodies, including the enterprise agencies under my remit, are governed. This Code is designed to ensure that both commercial and non-commercial State bodies meet the highest standards of corporate governance. It provides a framework for the application of best practice and is...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Supports (7 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I can assure the deputy that my Department and I are in ongoing dialogue with colleagues in the European Commission DG Competition in relation to the issues arising for Ireland in the context of various Brexit scenarios and the potential severe impacts on the Irish enterprise base, jobs and regional economies. Specifically, on 24th January 2019, I met with Commissioner Vestager, the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (7 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Organisational reforms in the ODCE were commenced in 2012 to enhance the capability of the Office to investigate complex breaches of company law and to ensure a more efficient and effective use of its resources. These include: - Reorganising the structure of the Office; - Recruiting additional expertise, including 8 Forensic Accountants, a Digital Forensic Specialist, 2 Enforcement Portfolio...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regional Development Policy (7 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: As Minister, regional development is one of my absolute priorities. I am focused both on sustaining existing employment in the regions whilst also working to significantly grow both job creation and investment in every county of the country. The recent annual results of the IDA have shown that we are making significant progress in increasing foreign direct investment (FD) supported jobs...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regional Enterprise Development Fund (7 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: In April 2018, I asked all the Regional Action Plan for Jobs Implementation Committees to start a process to refresh and refocus all Regional Plans to ensure their relevance and impact out to 2020, so that they continue to deliver jobs across the country, in every region, and can be robust to address the challenges we face, including Brexit. The outcome of this refresh process is nine new...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regional Enterprise Development Fund (7 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: In April 2018, I asked all the Regional Action Plan for Jobs Implementation Committees to start a process to refresh and refocus all Regional Plans to ensure their relevance and impact out to 2020, so that they continue to deliver jobs across the country, in every region, and can be robust to address the challenges we face, including Brexit. The outcome of this refresh process is nine new...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Personal Injuries Commission (7 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The Personal Injuries Commission (PIC) made a total of 14 recommendations across its two reports, which are aimed at positively impacting the overall Irish claims environment. The First Report of the PIC, published in December 2017 made four recommendations. - In regard to recommendation one – the adoption of a standardised approach to the examination and reporting of...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (7 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The Government established an Interdepartmental Task Force, chaired by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, to examine allegations of exploitative practices in the fishing sector. The 'Atypical Scheme for non-EEA Crew in the Fishing Industry' (‘Atypical Scheme’) was established with an objective to provide a way to minimise the potential for abuse of non-EEA...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Supports (7 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 115, 129 and 130 together. My Department has developed a suite of supports for businesses impacted by Brexit and while it was thought unlikely the State would need to activate rescue and restructuring support it was considered prudent to design a Rescue and Restructuring (R&R) scheme as part of our overall contingency plan for Brexit impacted...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regional Development Policy (7 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I am currently in the process of launching the new Regional Enterprise Plans in every region, with eight Plans launched to date, with the ninth Plan (South-East) scheduled to be launched by the end of this month. The Regional Enterprise Plans to 2020 are enterprise focused documents that are the result of a refresh and refocus of the Regional Action Plans for Jobs to ensure their relevance...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (7 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: My Department, and its agencies have, and continue to be, centrally involved in supporting businesses to prepare for the challenges of Brexit. Actions to get Ireland Brexit ready have already been taken by the Government, with dedicated measures announced in Budgets 2017, 2018 and 2019.  Over the course of the last three budgets I have introduced, through the enterprise agencies, an...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation (7 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The feasibility of power communications technologies as a means of providing quality broadband infrastructure in the regions is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment but clearly, reliable high-speed broadband is essential to increase the attractiveness of regional areas for investment. Delivering improved connectivity can enhance the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Preparations (7 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: My Department continues to work with IDA Ireland to attract new foreign direct investment (FDI) - Brexit-related or otherwise - to Ireland. The Agency’s Brexit-strategy has involved significant engagement with potential clients, both in the UK and elsewhere, who are considering expanding or locating in Ireland. This strategy has been supported by a multi-media...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Data (7 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The Mid-West region has shown excellent progress in employment levels since the launch of the Regional Action Plan for Jobs 2015-2017.  From Q1 2015 (baseline year) to Q4 2018, a total of 14,700 more people are now in employment in the Mid-West region. From Q1 2015 (baseline year) to Q4 2018, unemployment has more than halved in the Mid-West region falling from 12 percent to 5.6...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Data (7 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The recently published Q4 2018 CSO Labour Force Survey employment figures are overall very positive. Figures show that overall, employment continues to grow strongly with 50,500 jobs created in the year from Q4 2017 to Q4 2018. This brings total employment to 2,281,300, the highest number at work ever recorded. The West region has shown excellent progress in employment levels since the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Personal Injuries Assessment Board (7 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) is a self funding agency and does not receive Exchequer funding. PIAB generates a fee income from claimants (€45) and respondents, generally insurers, of €600. When PIAB was established, it was faced with a number of legal cases challenging certain aspects of the legislation and the way in which PIAB operated. It was considered...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Meetings (7 Mar 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 123 to 127, inclusive, together. The remit of my Department involves significant engagement with business in Ireland involving small and large indigenous companies and multinational corporations. Therefore, my Department has had a significant number of meetings and engagements with the companies in question during the seven year period covered by these...