Results 22,141-22,160 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Public Relations Contracts Expenditure (26 Sep 2013)

Richard Bruton: The names and business addresses of the providers of public relations services used by my Department and the Offices of my Department, the details of the services supplied by each and the expenditure on each since 9 March 2011 to date are as follows: Year Name and Address of PR Services Provider Details of Services Supplied Cost 2011 Barberry Limited trading as Keating &...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Appeals Tribunal (26 Sep 2013)

Richard Bruton: I am aware of the difficulties experienced on occasion by workers in seeking to enforce awards that have been made in their favour by all of the Employment Rights bodies including the Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT). In terms of the enforcement of EAT awards the holder of an award or their trade union may seek to enforce the award themselves through the Circuit Court or they may seek, in...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Staff Data (26 Sep 2013)

Richard Bruton: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to 2011 and currently in 2013 is as set out in tabular format below. However, in the time available to my Department, it has not been possible to assemble the information in respect of 1981. I will, of course, arrange to supply the Deputy with the 1981 information as soon as possible. Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Meetings (25 Sep 2013)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 to 98, inclusive, together. It is normal practice within my Department that where a business meeting takes place with an external body, a summary record of the meeting will be retained. In the case of all official meetings with external parties, it is routine practice for a Minister to be accompanied by officials, regardless of the external party concerned.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: European Competitiveness Council: Discussion (24 Sep 2013)

Richard Bruton: These are EU-wide rules. When a region migrates from A to C, there is a period during which it has a higher level of transitional aid. At the end of a regional aid programme, the transitional support goes. The Senator has correctly indicated that there are small, medium and large areas, with different approaches for each. For the small ones there is more generous regional aid permitted...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: European Competitiveness Council: Discussion (24 Sep 2013)

Richard Bruton: It is worth saying that with internationalisation, we are doing really well. We have put in a first-time exporters' division, which is getting pick-up from companies which have never looked at exporting before.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: European Competitiveness Council: Discussion (24 Sep 2013)

Richard Bruton: On the small business envoy, it will work with all government bodies to encourage the principle of thinking small first. First my Ministers of State, Deputies Sherlock and Perry, and I have used our action plan for jobs as our route to get cross-government thinking about a lot of issues. This has been effective in developing sectoral opportunities. For example, the health innovation hub...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: European Competitiveness Council: Discussion (24 Sep 2013)

Richard Bruton: I think it will be brought before the Seanad next week.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: European Competitiveness Council: Discussion (24 Sep 2013)

Richard Bruton: It is scheduled.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: European Competitiveness Council: Discussion (24 Sep 2013)

Richard Bruton: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: European Competitiveness Council: Discussion (24 Sep 2013)

Richard Bruton: On procurement, the data on procurement that has been provided would indicate that the situation is not quite as bleak as the Deputy suggested. The data indicates that while 98% of contracts went to Irish companies some of the larger contracts did not. As such, the situation is that more than 95% of all contracts went to Irish companies. That is not a hugely negative figure. Consolidation...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: European Competitiveness Council: Discussion (24 Sep 2013)

Richard Bruton: On the last occasion, the figure was below 50%. We now have 1% more population coverage. As I mentioned to Senator Cullinane the BMW region previously in category A has transitioned to category C. We are entering into discussions with regional authorities about the detail of the map. That discussion will take place at regional level so that there will be full consultation. This is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: European Competitiveness Council: Discussion (24 Sep 2013)

Richard Bruton: In terms of internationally mobile investment, the Deputy is correct that in this area the type of projects we are winning are more concentrated on cities. In developing an effective regional strategy, we need to have a more effective driver of indigenous growth and to work with our companies. This is the reason I regard the manufacturing initiative important. We have a good spread of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: European Competitiveness Council: Discussion (24 Sep 2013)

Richard Bruton: There is no disputing that. Manufacturing used to employ much more than 300,000 people. There has been a long-term decline in the sector. As the Senator knows, we have instituted a manufacturing forum and are implementing a policy to promote manufacturing. The recession had a significant impact on job losses. However, the past three quarters have seen industry starting to add employment....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: European Competitiveness Council: Discussion (24 Sep 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy is overstating what I said. There is a shift.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: European Competitiveness Council: Discussion (24 Sep 2013)

Richard Bruton: I am not aware of any direct approach to the Department or its agencies. Such approaches would come through the Department of Finance. It was based on revenue rules and not specific issues. All of our agencies' state aid programmes are entirely within recognised state aid provisions. I hope I have dealt with the questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: European Competitiveness Council: Discussion (24 Sep 2013)

Richard Bruton: I am never satisfied with any of the performances in any area. We always want to do better. We will establish the local enterprise office network, which is a new integration of local authorities and city and county enterprise boards and we hope it will be a win-win development. The resources of the local authority will be engaged in the business agenda and a good first-stop-shop will be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: European Competitiveness Council: Discussion (24 Sep 2013)

Richard Bruton: I gave the figures earlier to Deputy Calleary.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: European Competitiveness Council: Discussion (24 Sep 2013)

Richard Bruton: There is scope to build further on both of these schemes and we want to do so. As I stated to Deputy Calleary, we are reviewing the credit guarantee scheme to examine whether some of the terms should be improved. The roll-out of the local enterprise offices is very much designed to do more than promote micro-finance, for which they will be the primary interlocutors. They are the first...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: European Competitiveness Council: Discussion (24 Sep 2013)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Calleary for complimenting the staff at my Department. They have put in a huge effort at a time when all sections of the Department face the pressure of declining resources. Politicians have the advantage of sitting at the top of that success, but every achievement is like an iceberg: most of the work is well below the waterline and no one sees it. Deputy Calleary is right...