Results 21,761-21,780 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Appeals Tribunal (18 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware from previous engagement on this matter, I am aware of the issues involved in this case and also wish to note the Deputy's commitment to the matter. As I indicated in a previous reply I have reviewed the case and am pleased to inform the Deputy that I have recently written to the person involved outlining the further options open to her. As this issue is now...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Site Visits (18 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: I have been informed by IDA Ireland that there were 22 agency sponsored site visits by potential investors to County Westmeath in 2010, 15 in 2011, 7 in 2012 and, to date in 2013, there have been 9 visits. These site visits were from new companies visiting the location for the first time and from senior executives of existing companies. As Ireland competes for high quality investments,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Proposed Legislation (18 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: The County Enterprise Boards (Dissolution Bill) 2013 has passed all stages in Seanad Éireann and it is expected that the Bill will come before Dail Eireann in early 2014. In parallel with the passage of the Bill through the Houses of the Oireachtas practical arrangements continue to be put in place to ensure a smooth transition from the current CEB structure to the envisaged LEO...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Ministerial Advisers Remuneration (18 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: The salary details of the two Special Advisors appointed by me as Minister for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation in line with the Guidelines for Ministerial Appointments and as sanctioned by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform are set out below. There are no Special Advisers appointed by my Department’s Ministers of State. Position Name Salary Scale Special Adviser...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pharmaceutical Industry (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Pharmaceutical Industry is an enormously important and highly valued sector in Ireland, employing 25,000+ people directly in Ireland with an equivalent number employed in service provision to the sector. Employment figures in this sector for the period 2003-2012 are provided in Table A. Ireland has an enviable history of success in this field, attracting some of the world’s...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Small and Medium Enterprises Supports (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Government Decision of April 2012 to reform the national micro and small business support infrastructure sees the dissolution of the 35 existing County Enterprise Boards and the transfer of their functions, assets and liabilities to Enterprise Ireland. The functions will then be carried out by the Local Authorities on behalf of Enterprise Ireland through the establishment of Local...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Integrated Licensing Application System (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: The number of licences needed by a retail unit will vary very considerably with the nature of the activities it engages in and the services it provides. The Forfás report on “The Review and Audit of Licences”, which assessed 159 licences across key sectors of the economy, estimated that a medium sized supermarket may require up to 20 licences issued by different licensing...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Small and Medium Enterprises Supports (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: I understand from the Deputy's question he is referring to the Schemes launched by my Department, to support an additional flow of credit into the economy by filling gaps where specific market failures exist – the SME Credit Guarantee Scheme and the Microenterprise Loan Fund. The SME Credit Guarantee Scheme has been live since 24th October 2012 and is intended to address market...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Decentralisation Programme Expenditure (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: The location of my Department’s offices is as set out in tabular form, together with the number of staff (in full-time equivalent terms) in each location. The Patents Office was established in Kilkenny under a decentralisation programme in the late 1990s; the Carlow office was established under the Government’s decentralisation programme in 2004. Location Number of Staff ...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Company Closures (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 279 to 281, inclusive, together. The principal focus of engagement between the State and the overseas companies located here in Ireland is through IDA Ireland. That Agency keeps in regular contact with its client companies, to ensure that any concerns or issues can be addressed promptly, to seek to enhance opportunities for the companies, to embed and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights Issues (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to reform the current law on employees' right to engage in collective bargaining (the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2001), so as to ensure compliance by the State with recent judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. With this in mind, in late 2012 I wrote to stakeholders inviting their observations on the matter....

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Small and Medium Enterprises Supports (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: As of 6th December 2013 Microfinance Ireland (MFI) has approved 137 applications to the value of €2.12m. My Department publishes quarterly progress reports on the Microenterprise Loan Fund on my Department’s website www.enterprise.gov.ie. The progress report detailing the analysis and performance for the quarterly period ending 30th September 2013 is available on my...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: Records indicate that the amount spent by my Department on externally delivered software supports, systems development, website supports, helpdesk supports and other IT consultancy in each of the years is as follows: Year Amount 2010 €3,658,005 2011 €2,933,832 2012 €2,997,635 2013 (to 12 December) €2,624,447 It is expected that the 2014 amount will be...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Legal Costs (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: I am interpreting the "cost of legal action against the Department" to mean legal costs incurred by my Department in cases where legal action has been taken against my Department. Year Total Cost € 2011 387,459.03 2012 684,460.96 2013 80,499.08

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: My Department does not generally renegotiate external IT support and consultancy contracts, although the option to do so has been used in some cases and has resulted in some efficiencies. Contracts are normally placed for a fixed period or for a defined piece of work. If further support or development is required when a contract expires, this would normally be the subject of a new tender...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (17 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: Whilst remuneration of staff of my Department and under my remit is conducted in line with Government policy and the appropriate instructions from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, in view of the significant period of time for which the Deputy has sought information, I must advise that it is not possible to provide a detailed response within the deadline and a follow-up...

Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (12 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: To address Deputy Timmins, it is beside the point that we are favouring foreign direct investment, FDI, over small to medium-sized enterprises, SMEs. Virtually all of the initiatives in the Action Plan for Jobs are aimed at SMEs, for example, micro-finance, the loan guarantee, the reform of the wage settlement mechanisms, the establishment of local enterprise offices, LEOs, the creation of...

Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (12 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: Leaving aside Forbes magazine, we are one of the best countries in the world for start-ups thanks to the strong business and tax environment that we have created. Through Enterprise Ireland, we have support mechanisms that SMEs in many European countries would give their right arms to have. They do not have substantial state agencies that invest in hundreds of companies at the seed and...

Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (12 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: They certainly had the opportunity. We asked the CLRG, which involves business organisations as well as congress, trade unions and people in the legal profession, to consider this specific matter and revert to us with proposals. An effort was made to ensure that everyone with relevant expertise got an opportunity to be involved. We have not been inundated by complaints about the structure...

Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (12 Dec 2013)

Richard Bruton: I move amendment No. 2:In page 13, between lines 26 and 27, to insert the following:"(3) Every regulation under this section shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made and, if a resolution annulling the regulation is passed by either such House within the next 21 days on which that House has sat after the regulation is laid before it, the regulation...