Results 2,201-2,220 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I will tell Deputy Smith why, exactly. A total of 187,000 people in this country are employed by foreign direct investment companies. I make no apologies for that or for those 187,000 people. Every time I take parliamentary questions I am asked about the number of site visits and how many IDA Ireland companies are opening up in various counties. Most Deputies are looking for that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Deputy Smith has mentioned Amazon, Coca Cola and Uber. They are not minimum-wage companies.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: What I will state in addition is they are mobile investments. Each country is fighting and killing itself to try to get these really good well-paid jobs into the country. I have stood in the premises of some of these companies to announce jobs and have seen parents crying because their children have got jobs. They are absolutely ecstatic. This applies especially in regional and rural...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The figure was 135,000.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Senator Davitt asked about the 135,000 jobs to be delivered by 2020. At the moment, we are delivering approximately 1,000 jobs a week, approximately 52,000 a year. On that basis, the 135,000 jobs can be delivered.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I will give some figures for the regions but I want the Senator to understand that they are regional plans for several counties together, for example, Waterford and Wexford together and the four Border counties are together. I have spent all summer visiting the regions to see how it is implemented and will bring that information to Cabinet and it will then become public. I am passionate...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I will mention two sentences about hedging. Enterprise Ireland, EI, has approximately 18,000 companies and it has contacted each of them. It has set up an webinar, put up a questions and answers facility on its website and it has spoken to the really vulnerable companies. A small percentage have hedged in this respect. I have spoken to different Irish export companies. They are watching...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am coming to the region, not the county.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I will answer that question because we did not answer Deputy Neville's question. The Deputy asked why some sites were selected for advance facilities. A key component of IDA Ireland's property strategy is that provision for prospective investors, and such facilities were constructed and completed in Athlone and Waterford. When examining the suitability of a site for an advance facility,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Yes. Thank you, Deputy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Was it the question about the credit guarantee scheme?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: In total since 2012, €50 million has been lent to small and medium enterprises under the scheme supporting 2,500 jobs. We can get the 2015 figure and forward it to the Deputy. We are a little disappointed with the credit guarantee scheme and we are looking at other ways to make sure small and medium enterprises can draw down the money that is available. The Deputy asked me if the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: That is it. There will be full expenditure use on the capital side. There might be a small saving on the current side due to staff vacancies being filled. We may seek additional funds for next year due to the increased demand to support new jobs.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: They are, yes. As I said, they delivered 7,122 jobs in 2015.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Yes. They invite me down to see these enterprises. Is the Limerick LEO a good one?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: They are very good. I ask members to refer people who are thinking of starting microenterprises to their local enterprise office. The Deputy asked about Brexit.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Funding will be part of the 2017 Estimates process but I am pleased that we are providing IDA Ireland with an extra €500,000 in current moneys this year. That is extra money. We will also look to ensure IDA Ireland has the resources and the people on the ground in the countries from which we are hoping to attract foreign direct investment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I met members of the chambers of commerce from Dundalk, Newry and Drogheda. I also met the people who were implementing this action plan and heard about the issues they wanted to raise. Brexit was a major focus on the day. They were not looking for money. They were looking for supports. Representatives of InterTradeIreland were present also. They were very worried in terms of the grant...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Please remind me if I leave out questions. First, Deputy Donnelly asked whether I would like to see less spending. I would not because we need to create jobs. While the unemployment figures have fallen to approximately 178,000 people, that still is quite challenging and, consequently, I will not ask for the departmental figures to be downgraded. We need-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (22 Sep 2016)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I do not. The Department is extremely careful with money. All the moneys are audited and we get good value for money from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. My view is that more money is needed for the IDA and Enterprise Ireland, which would be money really well spent. A question was asked as to whether programmes and local enterprise offices, LEOs, are evaluated. All...