Results 22,501-22,520 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Competitiveness (20 Mar 2018)

Heather Humphreys: Ireland ranks 17th of 190 economies on their ease of doing business based on 11 different indicators using the World Bank's Doing Business competitiveness ranking. The ambition in Enterprise 2025 Renewed is that Ireland's ranking according to this measure be amongst the top 5 small countries. For this purpose, Ireland is compared against other comparable high income countries, as designated...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Competitiveness (20 Mar 2018)

Heather Humphreys: Competitiveness is challenging to measure. The National Competitiveness Council uses three main competitiveness benchmarks - those of the World Bank, IMD and the World Economic Forum (WEF) which differ in terms of methodology, data sources and country coverage. These indices are not perfect measures of competitiveness and can be somewhat subjective in nature. It is also important to bear in...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Data (20 Mar 2018)

Heather Humphreys: Enterprise 2025 Renewed, launched on 9th March, sets out a target to have 2.3 million people in employment by 2020. The objective is to ensure that, through effective policies, we realise employment growth that is sustainable over the longer term to 2025. Enterprise 2025 Renewed does not set out annual targets. Nevertheless, the Action Plan for Jobs 2018 (launched together with...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Ireland Investments (20 Mar 2018)

Heather Humphreys: In early 2015, Enterprise Ireland launched the Capital Investment Initiative to assist client companies improve productivity and competitiveness through the acquisition of new capital equipment and technology. This initiative, which is targeted at manufacturing and/or an internationally traded services SMEs, provides grant aid of up to a maximum of €250,000. Approved funding under...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Ireland (20 Mar 2018)

Heather Humphreys: Enterprise Ireland’s Strategy 2017-2020 represents a strategic response to Brexit aiming to grow more resilient Irish companies by building scale and expanding reach. To support its Strategy, my Department provided for additional capital monies in 2017 to enable EI implement a variety of initiatives and ramp up its supports to drive improvements in productivity, innovation, management...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission Reports (20 Mar 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I welcome the publication on 6 March 2018 by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) of its report on the personal contract plan (PCP) car finance market. The report contains a number of recommendations, mainly for consideration by the Department of Finance and the Central Bank of Ireland, which, if acted upon, would afford additional protections to consumers in the PCP...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (20 Mar 2018)

Heather Humphreys: Ireland has no Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) since the termination of its BIT with the Czech Republic in 2011. BITs set the terms and conditions for investments between two states. Most of the intra-EU BITs date back to the 1990s when one or both countries were not yet a member of the EU. Their aim was to strengthen investor protection in cases of potential unfair or...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Ministerial Meetings (20 Mar 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I am in regular formal and informal contact with all the Agencies under my Department’s remit. I last met formally with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Julie Sinnamon, and the Chairperson, Terence O’Rourke, of Enterprise Ireland at the Enterprise Ireland Board meeting on 14 February 2018 and was introduced to the full Board. Prior to this date, I met with the CEO and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Development Plan Data (20 Mar 2018)

Heather Humphreys: The National Development Plan 2018-2027 sets out the significant level of investment which will underpin the National Planning Framework (NPF) and drive its implementation over the next ten years. One of the National Strategic Outcomes of the NPF is the achievement of a strong economy, supported by enterprise, innovation and skills. Over the lifetime of the National Development Plan, my...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Promotion (8 Mar 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 234 and 235 together. Promoting diversified export markets in light of the potential impacts of Brexit is a key priority for my Department. With a small domestic market, further expansion in other markets is essential to our continued economic growth. Overall, export growth in Ireland in recent years has been exceptionally strong and exports continue to...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (8 Mar 2018)

Heather Humphreys: The EU has successfully concluded a number of important trade agreements with trading partners and is in the process of negotiating or upgrading its agreements with many more.  Free Trade Agreements are designed to create opportunities by opening new markets for goods and services thereby increasing export and investment opportunities. In relation to the progress of transatlantic...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permits Applications (8 Mar 2018)

Heather Humphreys: The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that an application for a General Employment Permit for the person concerned was received on 11th January, 2018.  A decision was made to refuse the granting of the application on 20th February 2018.  Following a review of this case, a decision has been made to award a General Employment Permit to the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Ireland Portfolio (8 Mar 2018)

Heather Humphreys: The availability of an adequate supply of marketable serviced land and buildings in advance of demand is a key element in the IDA's ability to compete for mobile foreign direct investment. The availability of property solutions allows projects to commence at an earlier date by diminishing much of the difficulties associated with land acquisition, planning and construction. It...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: EU Directives (8 Mar 2018)

Heather Humphreys: My Department accords high priority to ensuring that good performance on the transposition of Directives is consistently maintained. In that regard, transposition is monitored on a regular basis within my Department and I can report that my Department does not have any Directives overdue for transposition. Transposition is monitored through a customised intranet database, which is used as a...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Small and Medium Enterprises Supports (8 Mar 2018)

Heather Humphreys: Small and medium sized enterprises accounted for 99.8% of the total enterprise population for 2015. They also accounted for 69.1% of total persons engaged, with large enterprises (employing 250 or more persons) employing 30.9% of persons engaged. Nearly 28% of persons engaged work in micro companies (under 10 employees) but these companies accounted for over 92% of the 249,000 businesses in...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Workplace Relations Commission (8 Mar 2018)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 242 to 245, inclusive, together. I would draw the Deputy’s attention to the fact that policy responsibility for the social care sector and the issue of payment of overnight workers in that sector is a matter that comes within the remit of the Minister for Health and is a matter that is I understand, being dealt with by that Department. As I mentioned...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permits Applications (8 Mar 2018)

Heather Humphreys: The Employment Permits Section of my Department inform me that a Dependent/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit issued for the person concerned on 6th March 2018.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Examinership Arrangements (8 Mar 2018)

Heather Humphreys: The case referred to has been brought to my attention recently and I refer below to the options available to sub-contractors who experience difficulties in securing outstanding payments which may be due to them under certain construction contracts. The Construction Contracts Act, 2013 falls within the remit of my Department. This legislation applies to certain construction contracts entered...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permits Applications (8 Mar 2018)

Heather Humphreys: An application for a Critical Skills Employment Permit for the person concerned was received on 19 February 2018. The Employment Permits Section of my Department is currently processing standard applications received on 23 January 2018 and this application should be processed within the next 4 weeks.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Severe Weather Events Response (8 Mar 2018)

Heather Humphreys: From a business and enterprise perspective, I welcome that the overall situation across the country continues to improve, with a gradual thaw well advanced in most areas. I welcome also that all motorways and national roads are open and that all public transport services are operating with a small number of diversions or curtailments. Local Authority Crisis Management Teams have now been...