Results 22,721-22,740 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Companies Bill 2012: Second Stage (23 Apr 2013)

Richard Bruton: I apologise to the House. I am not reading quickly enough. Part 18 makes provision for companies limited by guarantee, not having a share capital. Such companies are known as CLGs. The law in Volume 1 applies to CLGs as it does to the new model private company limited by shares, subject to the exceptions set out its table of disapplications and adaptations made in this Part. Since...

Companies Bill 2012: Second Stage (23 Apr 2013)

Richard Bruton: This reduces the burden and expense for companies that previously may have had to secure court approval for certain transactions. Additionally, it simplifies and streamlines the current methods of effecting such transactions. To ensure balance, it incorporates safeguards in respect of directors' liability if the procedure is used inappropriately. Greater detail on the summary approval...

Companies Bill 2012: Order for Second Stage (23 Apr 2013)

Richard Bruton: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Companies Bill 2012: Second Stage (23 Apr 2013)

Richard Bruton: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I understand my speech is being circulated along with an information pack of supplementary documentation that has been made available to Deputies. I am introducing the biggest Bill in the history of the State.

Companies Bill 2012: Second Stage (23 Apr 2013)

Richard Bruton: We are starting in the foothills of a very big debate. This is a landmark project. It is the result of many years of detailed and comprehensive work by officials in the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, the Company Law Review Group and the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. It is the largest substantive Bill in the history of the State, spread out over 25 Parts and 17...

Other Questions: Foreign Direct Investment (23 Apr 2013)

Richard Bruton: I am surprised by the Deputy's comments. A 20% increase in employment in IDA Ireland companies is a good performance in my book. It probably exceeds the performance achieved in most, if not all, other counties. It is a strong performance. I agree that we continually need to examine our strategy and IDA Ireland will undertake an indepth analysis of our FDI strategy to inform its...

Other Questions: Foreign Direct Investment (23 Apr 2013)

Richard Bruton: IDA Ireland is the statutory body charged with the attraction of foreign direct investment to Ireland and its regions. I have been informed by IDA Ireland that in County Donegal it supports 14 companies which employ 2,228 people in software development, systems development and the medical technology industry. This represents an increase of 403 persons at work in IDA Ireland companies in the...

Other Questions: Job Creation Issues (23 Apr 2013)

Richard Bruton: A job.

Other Questions: Job Creation Issues (23 Apr 2013)

Richard Bruton: The European Union has set aside money for the youth guarantee scheme. It might be better for Deputies to table questions to the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, on the operation of the scheme. I understand programmes will be developed at EU level, with national governments seeking to develop initiatives within programme guidelines. As always, EU funds will be...

Other Questions: Job Creation Issues (23 Apr 2013)

Richard Bruton: Stability, jobs and growth are the central themes of the Irish Presidency of the European Union. The issue of employment creation is one that is challenging all member states across the Union. During our Presidency we have made progress in a number of areas that can create the right environment for growth and employment. For example, agreement has been reached on the youth guarantee which...

Other Questions: Job Creation Issues (23 Apr 2013)

Richard Bruton: One should consider the potential of the US trade agreement. If it can be negotiated and successfully launched, the figures indicate that 500,000 jobs could be created across the European Union and, proportionately, 4,000 in Ireland. Obviously, this will take time to deliver. Similarly, completion of the trade agreements with Japan and Canada will be significant in terms of job creation....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Company Closures (23 Apr 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy is raising a very large question in terms of the development of ocean energy resources which is, more properly, the area of my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. As I said in my initial reply, this sector has significant potential. It is also one in which the risk is very high. When allocating funds, any State body must do so in the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Economic Competitiveness (23 Apr 2013)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy knows, the Government has a series of initiatives in the area of water and waste which are designed to produce a more cost-effective and efficient delivery of water and waste to the industrial sectors. The report seeks the rapid implementation of those. In the case of electricity, while the Deputy might be better tabling a question to the Minister with responsibility for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Economic Competitiveness (23 Apr 2013)

Richard Bruton: The IDA is very much aware of this and its chief executive, Mr. Barry O'Leary, has pointed out that there are now potential scarcities in respect of high-quality office space for new developments in Dublin. The issue is whether the margin is there for speculative building and whether it is willing to do that at this point. I know the IDA has, in certain cases, lodged and obtained planning...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Company Closures (23 Apr 2013)

Richard Bruton: As Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, I regret any job losses. It is an unfortunate reality that businesses can find themselves in difficulty for a wide range of reasons. The company in question was an ocean energy research project in the pre-commercialisation stage of development. The Deputy will be aware that policy responsibility for energy research falls within the remit of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: EU Directives (23 Apr 2013)

Richard Bruton: Absolutely. I thank the Deputy for her commendation of the officials in my Department, who have done a great deal of work. As she probably knows, painstaking work is required to get these things over the line. I will convey her remarks to my officials. It is clear that abuses have developed in this area. The NGOs have been extremely exercised about it, and rightly so. The directive...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: EU Directives (23 Apr 2013)

Richard Bruton: I will have to get back to the Deputy on the wider sectors she mentioned. I understand there has been broad-based support from the Council, the Parliament and the NGOs for what has been achieved here. One always has to get all of one's supporters together in order to get an item such as this through. I know my Department was keen to deliver this and I congratulate those involved in getting...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Economic Competitiveness (23 Apr 2013)

Richard Bruton: A Forfás report that was published recently, Costs of Doing Business in Ireland 2012, indicates that business costs have decreased significantly in recent years, with overall prices in the economy falling back to levels last experienced in 2002. This is an important report in the context of our need to continue to build an export-led recovery. It examines the relative importance of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: EU Directives (23 Apr 2013)

Richard Bruton: I am pleased to say that a preliminary first reading agreement was achieved on 9 April last by the Irish Presidency of the Council on the draft EU accounting directive, which we had set as a priority during the Irish Presidency and which is an important item of EU legislation. The EU Committee of Permanent Representatives approved this preliminary agreement at its meeting on 17 April, thus...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Bank Lending (23 Apr 2013)

Richard Bruton: My Department has introduced a range of targeted initiatives to support an additional flow of credit into the economy by filling gaps where specific market failures exist. The credit guarantee scheme and the microenterprise loan fund are among those initiatives. The credit guarantee scheme has been live since 24 October and is intended to address market failure affecting commercially...