Results 22,661-22,680 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (14 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Government attaches great importance to developing our trade and bilateral links with China. Ireland’s exports to China have expanded very significantly in recent years to the extent that Ireland now has a healthy trade surplus of over €1.7 billion with China, a dramatic turnaround from the position in 2007 when we had a trade deficit of over €2 billion with that...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Industrial Development (14 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: In the time available it has not been possible to provide the information requested. I will forward this information to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights Issues (14 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: The number of awards made by the Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) that have been referred to the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) for enforcement since 2010 is outlined in the table below. The number of cases closed for each year represents the total number of those where resolution/payment has been secured and those where it was not. The success rate by NERA in relation to the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Issues (14 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: The 2013 Action Plan published by the Government in February, sets out a series of measures to support job creation and retention during 2013. The enterprise development agencies under the aegis of my Department are at the forefront of implementing the Action Plan for Jobs across all our regions, including the Longford/Westmeath area. Against this policy background, and as previously...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Copyright Legislation Review (14 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: I refer further to the reply that I gave to the Deputy in February of this year, at which time I indicated that it was anticipated that the Report of the Review Committee would be completed by the end of March 2013. At this time the Committee has evaluated the in excess of 180 submissions received and work on completing the Report is at an advanced stage. I now understand that the most...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (14 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: The following table identifies the persons in whole-time equivalent terms employed in my Department broken down by the salary bands supplied. The numbers include departmental staff in the following Offices of the Department: the Companies Registration Office; the Registry of Friendly Societies; the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement; the Labour Court; the Labour Relations...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Expenditure (14 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: The following tables set out the overtime claimed and paid to persons appointed by each Minister and Minister of State by this Department from 1 January 2007 to date. It should be noted that overtime is not payable in respect of the posts of advisors or civilian drivers. Overtime is not payable to Secretaries General. Appointees of Ministers 2007 to date in Overtime posts: Minister for...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Microenterprise Loan Fund Applications (14 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: A full progress report on the operation of the scheme from 1 October 2012 to 31 March 2013 can be found on my Department's website () and the Microfinance Ireland (MFI) website (). This report indicates that as at 31 March 2013 there were, 149 applications in total, of which 44 loans were approved with 116 jobs supported. 58 loans were declined, 2 were in appeal, 13 were withdrawn and 32...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Support Schemes (14 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: Delivering a National Step Change Initiative for the Manufacturing sector is a key recommendation in the Government's new Manufacturing Strategy, developed by Forfás, and which I helped to launch recently. The proposed National Step Change Initiative is intended to position Ireland's Manufacturing Sector for growth and will involve actions at both the level of the firm and also in terms...

Topical Issue Debate: Workplace Safety (9 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: Ireland is working through the international organisations of which we are a member. Two distinct approaches are being adopted. One is the instrument developed with the help of the ILO, the Bangladesh national tripartite plan of action on fire safety in the ready-made garment industry, which followed an accident in 2012. It was supported by the ILO, on foot of which the mission was...

Topical Issue Debate: Enterprise Support Schemes (9 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: One of the initiatives in the action plan for jobs is to examine whether the Irish Stock Exchange can be a vehicle for exit. There can be an initial public offering, IPO, in which the company places a certain number of its shares on the open market for subscription. This provides an exit to the venture fund, but it is rare in Ireland and in Europe. Ireland and the EU are looking at making...

Topical Issue Debate: Workplace Safety (9 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: The recent collapse of a building in Dhaka that housed a number of garment factories was a tragedy resulting in the loss of more than 900 lives. Today we learned of a fire in another clothing factory in Dhaka in which at least eight people have lost their lives. We all share a sense of shock at these events and wish to extend our sympathies to all who lost family members and loved ones....

Topical Issue Debate: Enterprise Support Schemes (9 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: The issue of funding for early start-ups is one in which my Department takes a very keen interest. Enterprise Ireland is the largest funder in Europe of seed capital to start-ups and has 800 companies in its portfolio. It invests through a mixture of different types of seed capital arrangement, including preference shares or, more often, through joint holdings with venture funds....

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights Issues (9 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 to 107, inclusive, together. The term "au-pair" is not defined in Irish employment rights legislation. A genuine au pair placement falls outside the scope of the employer-employee relationship and, therefore, I do not have any statistics on au pairs. Accordingly, agencies offering genuine au pair placements fall outside the scope of the Protection of...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Banking Operations (9 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: I have not met recently with AIB and therefore I have not raised the adverse impact of changes to cash handling and the additional costs associated on small and medium enterprises. However, I expect to meet the CEO of AIB shortly to discuss a range of issues of relevance to enterprises.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permit Applications (9 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: A work permit application in respect of the person named was refused on 4 February 2013. It was open to the applicant to seek a review of this decision within 21 days of the date of refusal but no such request for a review was received in my Department. New Employment Permit applications are normally only considered where it is established that a minimum salary of €30,000 per annum...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Ministerial Expenditure (9 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: In the time available, it has not been possible for my officials to compile all of the information requested by the Deputy in respect of the period 2007 to date in 2013. However, I will forward the details to the Deputy in writing as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Proposed Legislation (8 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: In its various forms, Crowdfunding allows entrepreneurs and SMEs to solicit capital from funders, using social networks and crowdfunding platforms to finance their businesses and projects. It appears to be affording real opportunities in the area of alternative finance for SMEs. Use of the mechanism appears to have seen substantial growth globally in the recent past and it is seen by many...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Microenterprise Loan Fund Application Numbers (8 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: The information sought by the Deputy in relation to the number of applications received and loans approved under the Microenterprise Loan Fund from 1 October 2012 to 31 March 2013 from counties Laois, Offaly, Kildare and Westmeath is set out in the table. Microfinance Ireland 1 October 2012 - 31 March 2013 - Applications Received Loans Approved Work in progress at 31 March 2013 Declined...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Review and Audit of Licences (8 May 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Forfás report on “The Review and Audit of Licences” recommended the introduction of an integrated licensing system. The Government considers this project to be of significant importance and has positioned it as one of the Disruptive Reforms in the Action Plan for Jobs 2013. Such an integrated licensing system, which will streamline the licensing application process,...