Results 21,221-21,240 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Legislative Process (29 Jan 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Dering the period of the 32nd Dáil, my Department did not send any pieces of legislation, including heads of bills, to EU institutions before their publication.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Consumer Protection (29 Jan 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Directive 2009/48/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2009 on the safety of toys, transposed into Irish law by S.I. No. 14 of 2011, places the onus on economic operators – manufacturers, distributors, importers – to ensure that only safe toys are placed on the market. If economic operators become aware that products on the market present a potential...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permits Applications (29 Jan 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The Employment Permits section of my Department inform me that an application for a General Employment Permit for the person concerned was received on 12th December 2018. It is currently taking 6 weeks to process applications for trusted partners and 15 weeks for standard applications. My Department is taking a number of steps to improve these processing times. Ireland operates a...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (24 Jan 2019)

Heather Humphreys: My Department and its offices and agencies continue to work intensively on a cross-government basis to help prepare businesses for all Brexit scenarios, including a No Deal Brexit. Along with my Ministerial colleagues, Pat Breen and John Halligan, I am actively involved in the contingency work on Brexit preparedness that has been ongoing since the UK decision to leave the EU in 2016. Work on...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Supports (24 Jan 2019)

Heather Humphreys: My Department and its agencies are working to provide extensive supports, schemes and advice to ensure that businesses are prepared for Brexit. These measures aim to assist businesses in identifying key risk areas and to facilitate the practical actions to be taken in response to the UK's exit from the EU. The Brexit Loan Scheme provides affordable working capital to eligible businesses...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Protected Disclosures (24 Jan 2019)

Heather Humphreys: My Department did receive complaints from an individual who made a protected disclosure in 2015 concerning NERA. The individual complained to my Department about the outcome reached by an external professional investigator, commissioned by my Department to investigate the substance of the individual’s disclosure and report back to the Department. The...

Seanad: Consumer Protection (Gift Vouchers) Bill 2018: Second Stage (23 Jan 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I am pleased to bring the Consumer Protection (Gift Voucher) Bill 2018 to the House. The Bill proposes to amend the Consumer Protection Act 2007 to provide additional protections for consumers who receive gift vouchers. There are few people either inside or outside the House who have not given or received a gift voucher at some time. Industry estimates suggest that the annual value of gift...

Seanad: Consumer Protection (Gift Vouchers) Bill 2018: Second Stage (23 Jan 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I thank all Senators who spoke on the Bill for their constructive and helpful contributions to the debate. I also welcome the Senators' expression of support for the contents of the Bill. As I mentioned earlier, the Bill deals with an issue of considerable importance for consumer welfare and businesses that provide goods or services to consumers. It is clear that consumers deserve greater...

Seanad: Consumer Protection (Gift Vouchers) Bill 2018: Second Stage (23 Jan 2019)

Heather Humphreys: They can buy them. They are supposed to ensure the money is spent in a given town. Many are for one year only. The business model is based on the voucher expiring after one year. I will revisit it. It is very useful that the Senator raised the issue. I will follow up on it. I cannot give an answer. They are very successful for towns so we have to find a way to make sure it works well...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Staff Data (23 Jan 2019)

Heather Humphreys: In my Department, there are a number of staff assigned to work as Labour Inspectors, within the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). Labour Inspectors deliver an enforcement, and information service in relation to employer obligations and employee rights/entitlements/protections. In this regard, details of the estimated full year cost of recruiting an additional 12 Labour...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Ireland (23 Jan 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Since meeting with representatives of the site's new owners last September the IDA has been provided with new marketing information for the Liffey Business Campus. The Agency's staff also met with the new owners in December. Additional marketing material is currently being prepared and the IDA are continuing to actively market the site to both...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permits Applications (23 Jan 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that it has no record of any application for an Employment Permit in respect of the named individual.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Staff (23 Jan 2019)

Heather Humphreys: In July 2018, and again in September 2018, a number of decisions were made at Cabinet relating to Brexit preparedness and contingency planning, including the phased recruitment of staff, as required. The Government has already sanctioned €4m for the commencement of a phased process for the recruitment of additional staff to carry out the greatly increased volumes of import controls...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Data (22 Jan 2019)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 270 and 271 together. The Expert Group for Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) published ‘Digital Transformation: Assessing the Impact of Digitalisation on Ireland’s Workforce’ in December 2018. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of digitalisation on job roles and sectors across the economy in Ireland and to highlight the opportunities...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Small and Medium Enterprises Data (22 Jan 2019)

Heather Humphreys: In Budget 2019 I announced an additional €2.75m to Enterprise Ireland for the creation of new ‘Regional Innovation and Technology Clusters’ linking the Institutes of Technology with industries, sectors and skills.  This new fund will help to build on existing facilities, expertise and supportive capabilities across the regions. This will support SME productivity...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Action Plan for Jobs (22 Jan 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Action 28 of the Action Plan for Jobs 2018 called for the identification of 'relevant policy issues for cohorts with low participation rates based on analysis of patterns of labour market participation'. This action was fulfilled in H2 of 2018 under the guidance of an interdepartmental steering group. My Department understands that increasing participation rates for different...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: North-South Implementation Bodies (22 Jan 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The former CEO of InterTradeIreland (ITI), Mr Thomas Hunter McGowan, resigned on 16 October 2017.  Due to the absence of the Northern Ireland Executive, it has not been possible for ITI to appoint a new CEO, as appointments to North-South bodies at this level require the approval of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC). In the interim, Mr Aidan Gough, Director of Strategy and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Agencies Funding (22 Jan 2019)

Heather Humphreys: My Department's gross allocation for 2019 is €952.2m. This represents an increase of €79.2m (+9.1%) on our 2018 allocation of €871m and includes a record Capital budget increase of €65m (+11.7%) and an additional €14.2m (+4.5%) in Current funding.  The additional current funding secured in Budget includes an additional €8m package to support our...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement Funding (22 Jan 2019)

Heather Humphreys: The funding allocation for the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) in respect of 2018 and 2019 is set out in the following table. Year 2018 2019 Funding allocation €5.057m €6.057m The distribution of the funding allocations across my Department’s Vote, including that of the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, is determined through the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: State Aid (22 Jan 2019)

Heather Humphreys: Investment in Rosslare Europort is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. However, in relation to State Aid, my Department and its agencies are providing extensive supports, schemes and advice to ensure that businesses are prepared for Brexit.  Officials from my Department are part of the Technical Working Group on State aid which also...