Results 21,701-21,720 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Action Plan for Jobs (16 Jan 2014)

Richard Bruton: Action 126 of the Action Plan for Jobs 2013 entailed the production of a report on consumer costs in Ireland. Forfás finalised the report in Q4 2013 as required under the Action Plan and submitted it to the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation. I intend to bring the report to Government in the near future and it will then be published.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Consumer Protection (16 Jan 2014)

Richard Bruton: My Department’s work on the implementation of the recommendations of the Sales Law Review Group has focused on the provisions to be included in the modernised and consolidated Consumer Contract Rights Bill recommended by the Group. In addition to updating and unifying rights and remedies for all of the main forms of consumer contract in line with the Review Group’s...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Agencies (16 Jan 2014)

Richard Bruton: The National Consumer Agency was allocated an amount of €7.36m for 2013. This included €2.125m in respect of its financial information and education functions which are funded by a levy imposed on regulated financial service providers and reimbursed to the Exchequer when the levy is collected. At the end of December 2013, the Agency had a staff complement of 48.5 whole-time...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Bodies (16 Jan 2014)

Richard Bruton: The following are the State Bodies/Boards under the remit of my Department. No. State Boards 1. Enterprise Ireland 2. IDA Ireland 3. Science Foundation Ireland 4. Shannon Development 5. County and City Enterprise Boards (35) 6. National Standards Authority of Ireland 7. Forfás 8. National Consumer Agency 9. The Competition Authority 10. Irish Auditing and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Data (16 Jan 2014)

Richard Bruton: I have been informed by IDA Ireland that in respect of job announcements, they are tracked on a calendar basis and not by region. In the period from 2008- 2010 there were 176 announcements, while in the period from 2011- 2013 there were 221 announcements, an increase of 25%. IDA Ireland’s announcements in respect of each of the years from 2008 to 2013 are set out in the attached...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Funding (16 Jan 2014)

Richard Bruton: My Department provides funding to two entities who are registered with charitable status as approved by the Revenue Commissioners. The first such body is the Consumers’ Association of Ireland. Funding is provided to the Association to support suitable projects to enhance its capacity to address the needs of consumers. Funding in the amount of €29,000 was provided to the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Irish Language Issues (16 Jan 2014)

Richard Bruton: There are no posts within my Department where a competence in Irish is a prerequisite. In order that my Department can respond to communications received in Irish, arrangements are in place whereby three staff who are competent in Irish have volunteered to assist business units in responding to such communications through Irish. In addition, the Department is committed to exploring the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Retail Sector Issues (15 Jan 2014)

Richard Bruton: The Senator has raised an issue that is narrower than provided for in the response I have here about what is happening in the retail sector.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Retail Sector Issues (15 Jan 2014)

Richard Bruton: Since the abolition of the Groceries Order in 2006, retailers are free to charge what they choose. Therefore, below-cost selling is no longer illegal and I do not have any powers to set minimum prices. The reason the change was made was that the order was seen to uphold high prices rather than promote competition or protect consumers. Robust competition and cutting prices is not illegal....

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Retail Sector Issues (15 Jan 2014)

Richard Bruton: Do I get a chance to respond again?

Topical Issue Debate: Industrial Disputes (15 Jan 2014)

Richard Bruton: As I indicated in my reply, this is an industrial dispute and, of course, my Department, through the IDA, is in daily contact with the company. The services of the Labour Court and the Labour Relations Commission are available to the parties at all times, which are also provided through my Department. We have a well-established voluntary system of industrial relations. It is important to...

Topical Issue Debate: Industrial Disputes (15 Jan 2014)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and I share his concerns about the potential risk to jobs in Killarney as a result of this situation. Liebherr is a major international company which was established in 1958 and which employs 670 people in Killarney and a total of 39,000 worldwide. In addition, it has two hotels employing 200 people. It is estimated that 500 additional local jobs...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regulation of Accountants (15 Jan 2014)

Richard Bruton: Only a minority of Member States of the European Union regulate all accountants by means of legislation. The majority of Member States regulate more specialist roles within the accountancy profession as is currently the case in Ireland and the UK. Regulation of a profession or professional activity is subject to European regulations concerning mutual recognition. The future Professional...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Banking Sector Issues (15 Jan 2014)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 286 and 287 together. I am aware of the legal opinion to which the Deputy refers. The application of international accounting standards is provided for in the circumstances set out in Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 July 2002 (the “IAS Regulation”). The IAS Regulation which sets out the adoption...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Emigration Data (15 Jan 2014)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 288, 289, 291 and 292 together. Lack of employment opportunities during the recession has, no doubt, contributed to emigration in recent years. However, even during the so-called “Celtic Tiger” years, Irish people chose to emigrate for career or personal reasons. It is also a factor that, where a person employed in a multinational company in...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Ministerial Meetings (15 Jan 2014)

Richard Bruton: As far as possible when leading trade missions to support Irish exports, I try to connect with as many members of the Irish business diaspora as possible. These can be an invaluable resource in making business and other connections to help exporters. Irish residents in countries where I lead trade missions would be invited to specific networking events or receptions arranged by the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Portfolio (15 Jan 2014)

Richard Bruton: I am informed by IDA Ireland that the Agency has completed an initial review and has commissioned Consulting Engineers to prepare a detailed remediation/improvement design in line with current lighting standard requirements. The tender for capital improvement works and the co-ordination of the improvement works is in line with public procurement procedures. I understand from the Agency...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Staff Data (15 Jan 2014)

Richard Bruton: In each of the past five years, in order to ensure that my Department could meet its customer service standards, the services of one agency telephonist have been used as part of the staff cohort who answer and transfer calls on my Department’s main switchboard.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Site Visits (15 Jan 2014)

Richard Bruton: I am informed by IDA Ireland that in the past 5 years there has been a total of 8 IDA sponsored site visits by potential investors to County Kildare. Site visits are recorded by IDA Ireland only on a county basis. Detail of the number of site visits conducted in each of the 5 years 2009 to 2013 is set out on the attached tabular statement. When showing locations to potential investors,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Portfolio (15 Jan 2014)

Richard Bruton: Under the Industrial Development Acts the management of IDA Ireland’s property portfolio, including the leasing and rental of business units, is a day to day operational matter for the agency and is not one in which I have a function. I am informed by IDA Ireland that in 1983 the Agency entered into a 35 year lease arrangement on 6 units, each approximately 300 square metres, in...