Results 21,541-21,560 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Joint Labour Committees Abolition (6 Feb 2014)

Richard Bruton: On 28 January last, I signed Orders to give effect to recommendations of the Labour Court Review of the ten existing Joint Labour Committees, which I had published in October 2013. The Orders provide for: 1. The abolition of two Joint Labour Committees - Dublin Hotels - Law Clerks 2. Amendments to the existing Establishment Orders in respect of: - Contract Cleaning - Hairdressing -...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Microenterprise Loan Fund Application Numbers (5 Feb 2014)

Richard Bruton: As at 31 January, 2014 Microfinance Ireland (MFI) has received a total of 414 applications. Of these applications, 153 have been approved for loans ranging in value from €2k up to €25k and a total loan value of €2.37m being invested in microenterprises, supporting 338 jobs. Since the Fund launched, the marketing and communication strategy for MFI has been continuously...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Companies Law (5 Feb 2014)

Richard Bruton: The power of the Registrar of Companies to strike a company off the Register is found in Section 12 of the Companies (Amendment) Act 1982, as amended and Section 311 of the Companies Act 1963, as amended. A company, following strike off ceases to exist as a legal entity as and from the date on which notice of its strike off is published in the Companies Registration Office Gazette. The...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights Issues (5 Feb 2014)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will appreciate, I cannot give legal advice in the context of answering a Dáil question and the interpretation of the law is a matter for the Courts and relevant quasi-judicial bodies. The National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) is mandated to secure compliance with employment rights legislation. Under the current reform programme NERA’s Information Unit has...

Companies (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (4 Feb 2014)

Richard Bruton: I wish to share time with Deputies Damien English, Áine Collins, Tom Barry and Paul Connaughton.

Companies (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (4 Feb 2014)

Richard Bruton: I would like to thank Deputy Donnelly and those who have worked with him on this Bill for bringing it forward. I can see that a lot of work has gone into it. I have had an opportunity to meet Deputy Donnelly and there is absolutely no doubt about the bona fides of what he is trying to do. This debate is timely because we continue to have a serious challenge in this area. I took up this...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Office of Public Works Properties (4 Feb 2014)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 269 and 284 together. The lease on Carrisbrook House has been held by IDA Ireland since September 2013 following the completion of the assignment of properties from Forfás to IDA Ireland. The Israeli Embassy is currently the only occupant of the premises, on a sub-lease which expires in 2025, with lease break provisions in 2015 and 2020. I understand...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Microenterprise Loan Fund Expenditure (4 Feb 2014)

Richard Bruton: Microfinance Ireland (MFI) was established to manage and control the Microenterprise Loan Fund Scheme under the Microenterprise Loan Fund Act 2012 and opened for business in October 2012. MFI was established under this legislation to be an independent private company, a subsidiary of Social Finance Foundation, with its own Board of Directors. Therefore, I am not involved in the day to day...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Consultancy Contracts (4 Feb 2014)

Richard Bruton: The Credit Guarantee Scheme (CGS) was established under the Credit Guarantee Act 2012. The Scheme launched in October 2012, in response to numerous calls from business interests. It is a novel Scheme in an Irish context which is currently developing a position in the Irish financial arena. Consultancy fees have been spent on the development and design, and the establishment and ongoing...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Data (4 Feb 2014)

Richard Bruton: The Central Statistics Office (CSO) views the United Kingdom as a whole for services trade data. Therefore, it is not possible to provide separate Great Britain and Northern Ireland figures for services trade. Merchandise trade figures are however available from the CSO for Northern Ireland and are as follows: Year Exports (€m) % Change on Previous Year Imports (€m) %...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Agencies Mergers (4 Feb 2014)

Richard Bruton: Legislation to enable the amalgamation of the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency is currently being drafted and is due to be published shortly. Since the proposal to amalgamate the two agencies was announced, both of the agencies have being working together to plan for the merger. In that regard a number of working groups drawn from staff of both agencies have been...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Redundancy Payments Waiting Times (4 Feb 2014)

Richard Bruton: Under the Protection of Employment Act 1977, companies proposing collective redundancies must enter into consultation with the employee representatives at least 30 days before anyone receives notice of redundancy. They must also notify the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation of the proposed redundancies at least 30 days before any employee receives notice of redundancy. The...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Appointments to State Boards (4 Feb 2014)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 276 and 277 together. I can confirm that neither my Department nor I have engaged the services of any external professional consultants in connection with the appointment of persons to State Boards.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ILO Convention Ratification (4 Feb 2014)

Richard Bruton: At an informal meeting of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs on the subject of domestic workers, which I chaired in Geneva last June at the time of the 102nd International Labour Conference, I announced that Ireland would ratify the ILO Convention No. 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers. I intend to ratify the Convention as soon as the European Council Decision which confirms that...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regional Aid (4 Feb 2014)

Richard Bruton: With regard to Question No. 98 of 17 October 2013, the Deputy will recall that, at the time, I responded that due to the significant volume of information to be gathered and collated, that it was not possible to collate the information required in the timeframe given. I am now in a position to reply to the Question and I extend my apologies for the delay in doing so. Enterprise Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Microenterprise Loan Fund Applications (4 Feb 2014)

Richard Bruton: The Microenterprise Loan Fund Scheme facility was introduced in October 2012 following demands from business interest for the introduction of supports for microenterprises in a difficult economic environment. It has now developed a presence in the Irish financial market. As of 27 January 2014 MFI, has approved 153 applications to the value of €2.37m supporting 338 jobs. The latest...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permit Applications (4 Feb 2014)

Richard Bruton: An Employment Permit application was refused in respect of the person named by the Deputy on 30 January 2014 in light of the level of remuneration offered in respect of the stated employment. Levels of remuneration are a key indicator of the skills and experience required for a job and assist in determining the necessity for employing a foreign national. Therefore, in order to ensure that...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Organisation of Working Time Act (4 Feb 2014)

Richard Bruton: Workers entitlement to public holidays are determined by the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997. The benefit is decided by the employer in advance of the public holiday and can be one of the following: a paid day off on the day; a paid day off within a month; an additional day of annual leave; an additional days pay. Under the Protection of Employees (Part-time Work) Act 2001, part-time...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Public Procurement Contracts (4 Feb 2014)

Richard Bruton: The Action Plan for Jobs includes a number of measures to support SMEs to access public procurement opportunities. These measures are being delivered by various bodies, including Enterprise Ireland, InterTradeIreland, the newly-formed Office of Government Procurement (OGP) and my own Department. Enterprise Ireland and the OPG work on an on-going basis to encourage SMEs to register on the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Site Visits (4 Feb 2014)

Richard Bruton: I have been informed by IDA Ireland that there were 62 agency sponsored site visits by potential investors to County Waterford from 2010 to 2013 inclusive. Details of these site visits made to Waterford in each of the years from 2010 to 2013 are set out in the following tabular statement. There are currently 28 IDA client companies employing over 5,000 people in Waterford city and county....