Results 22,941-22,960 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Other Questions: Skills Shortages (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: As Deputy Catherine Murphy stated, there is a problem here. These are creative persons and there are estimates in other countries that one such person has a knock-on impact of approximately five jobs in the rest of the economy because such persons transform the ability of key sectors to perform to a much higher level. We cannot afford to be without these skills. While we plan to double...

Other Questions: Skills Shortages (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: We are working on a significant overhaul of the work permit system. We will make it much more accessible and much easier to deal with. We will broaden the ranges of skills, particularly where ICT staff at present are only regarded as an automatic category if they are working in the ICT sector. We recognise that approximately 75% of them work outside the ICT sector. Therefore, there will...

Other Questions: Skills Shortages (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: What is exciting about what the Minister, Deputy Quinn, and the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, are doing is that they are providing not only the courses, but the connections to employers. For instance, the Momentum initiative is a really good initiative. That provides 6,500 places for persons who will have a placement in an education setting but also a matching placement period in a...

Other Questions: Grocery Industry (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 35 together. The CAI survey showed that comparing 16 items across four different multiples found less than 2% price differential between them. This has also been a feature in surveys by the National Consumer Agency. The CAI suggests that special offers appear to be available rather than price differences to win new customers. It should be said...

Other Questions: Professional Fees (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 22 together. The Action Plan for Jobs 2012 included a specific objective of increasing price transparency by encouraging all professionals - accounting, taxation, legal, etc. - supplying the business sector and consumers to provide price quotations in advance. In pursuance of this objective, the National Consumer Agency was tasked with "conducting...

Other Questions: Professional Fees (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. There is no doubt that professional fees have been a problem area. Neither is there any doubt that the arrival of the troika has seen change, which had languished over many years. Recommendations of the Competition Authority were not implemented, for example. These have, by and large, been implemented or incorporated in the Legal Services...

Other Questions: Professional Fees (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I do not agree with the Deputy. I am aware of the figures he points to that show legal services cost have gone up by 2% while the costs of all professional services have come down significantly. By contrast, taking the example of conveyancing, one could get one quote that is 400% cheaper than another by shopping around. While the average fee level may be going up, there is opportunity for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Industrial Development (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I am informed by IDA Ireland that during 2012, there were five site visits by potential investors from overseas to south Tipperary. Also during 2012, Enterprise Ireland, whose focus is on assisting indigenous companies, dealt with 77 client companies in south Tipperary which employ 2,151 people. South Tipperary forms part of IDA Ireland’s south-east region along with counties...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Industrial Development (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I absolutely agree that our first thoughts must be with the workers. This is a really tough day for them. I have spoken to the company and I am reassured that it will give full support both in terms of the package of support and assistance in terms of retaining. I am also heartened that the company is absolutely committed to this site. As the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Action Plan for Jobs (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: A significant number of training places are available. FÁS provides 90,000 and the VECs provide more than 100,000. SOLAS, which comes under the remit of the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills, Deputy Cannon, will bring a new strategic focus to the delivery of training that is relevant to emerging job opportunities. Much change is ongoing to deliver a more...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Job Statistics (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: Employment in agency-supported companies in Laois and Offaly have been very severely affected by the economic crisis. In the three years 2008 to 2011, the net loss in employment in these companies was 1,247, representing a 21% loss in employment in this group of companies. In 2012, net job loss in agency companies was 64. While this is still disappointing, it represents a substantial...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Job Statistics (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: As Deputy Stanley is aware, at the request of Deputy Charles Flanagan I arranged a delegation involving himself, other Deputies and local authorities to meet the IDA and discuss the challenges. IDA Ireland has a clear strategy. It has invested €3.2 million in the business park in Portlaoise. It is targeting the location on the basis of the scope it has to deliver in the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Job Statistics (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: Is that the case? I do not have the figures to hand.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Action Plan for Jobs (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: In recent months, I have been working with my colleagues in government on compiling the 2013 action plan for jobs. The plan has been approved by the Government and will be launched in the coming days. I should point out that the current plan was introduced against a background of an average of 90,000 jobs being lost in the economy per year. The challenge is to facilitate a transition from...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Action Plan for Jobs (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: The action plan for jobs contains concrete measures that show improvement. Consider the economy's overall employment performance. When we entered into government, the average figure for job losses in the private sector was 90,000 per year. In the past 12 months, private sector employment has expanded by 12,000. This expansion is being driven by the export-oriented sectors on which we have...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Cross-Border Enterprise Initiatives (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: My Department has shared responsibility for the one cross border body with responsibility for enterprise development, InterTradeIreland which is one of the six North/South Implementation Bodies established under the ‘Good Friday Agreement in 1998. Its remit includes work on trade, business development and related matters. The body is based in Newry and is jointly funded in a 2:1...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Retail Sector (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 33 and 46 together. The Government recognises the importance of the retail sector to Ireland’s economy. It is employment-intensive, and covers every community in the country. The combined wholesale and retail sector employs almost 273,000 people in Ireland – that is almost 15% of our total workforce. In recognising the importance of the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regional Development (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: In addition to the work of the enterprise development agencies operating under the aegis of my Department, whose statutory function is, in the case of IDA Ireland, to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and, in the case of Enterprise Ireland, to support indigenous industry, the Action Plan for Jobs forms a key element of this Government's approach to rebuilding the economy and getting...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Issues (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Forfás Annual Employment Survey reports on job gains and losses in companies supported by the enterprise development agencies. The 2012 survey shows that the total number of new jobs created in IDA Ireland’s client companies in the five Border counties of Cavan, Louth, Leitrim, Donegal and Monaghan was 619 while the number of job losses was 264. IDA Ireland has informed me...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Numbers (21 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: Enterprise Ireland has had an active relationship with VistaMed and is working with the company to ensure growth is concentrated in Ireland. In particular, the agency is seeking to ensure that VistaMed becomes the preferred centre for new medical product development within the conglomerate Group and that the maximum number of new jobs is created in Ireland. Enterprise Ireland has...