Results 23,061-23,080 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Reform of National Micro and Small Business Support Structures: Discussion (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for her comments. We are not moving immediately to a stand-alone mentoring system outside the service. We provide for mentoring within a network overseen by Enterprise Ireland's centre of excellence. There will also be Enterprise Ireland's own mentoring service. I envisage a natural evolution of an improved service in the development of the mentoring service over time....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Reform of National Micro and Small Business Support Structures: Discussion (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: First, I have absolute confidence in Deputy John Perry. Not only is he totally committed to the small business sector, he also knows a great deal about what is happening in that sector. For a long number of years he has been pointing to the vulnerability of some elements of the small business sector, particularly the retail area and the over-shopping that was allowed to be developed during...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Reform of National Micro and Small Business Support Structures: Discussion (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I provided a submission for the joint committee which, I presume, has been circulated to members. I will not read it, rather I will deal with the broad issues involved. Perhaps members might then raise whatever concerns they harbour. The programme for Government contains a commitment to reforming the system of supports for small and micro businesses. This is also a central plank of the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: A Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement between the EU and Canada has been under negotiation since 2009. There is a very real prospect that deal could be concluded shortly. This should open up opportunities for Irish and EU businesses, and provide economic benefits in the medium to longer term. As with any set of negotiations, each side has its own set of interests. Throughout the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Local Enterprise Offices (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: The ultimate aim of the reform of the micro and small business support infrastructure is to rejuvenate and enhance the current national model. This will ensure that the micro and small business sector is properly positioned to be a lead player in relation to job creation and to the economic recovery process. This new model is designed to deliver enhanced tailored supports to the highest...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Capital Expenditure (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: My Department’s Exchequer allocation supports the transition to an economy based on exports, enterprise and innovation through Capital funding to its Agencies and Programmes such as IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, the County Enterprise Boards, Shannon Development, InterTrade Ireland, INTERREG, the National Standards Authority of Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland, the Programme for...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Contracts of Employment (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: Generally a contract of employment will contain a specific retirement age and this is a matter of contract between the relevant parties. I understand that the Department of Social Protection is chairing an inter-Departmental Group on Working and Retirement issues, on which my Department is represented. This Group has been initiated to consider cross-departmental policy issues that will...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Capital Expenditure Programme (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Gross Exchequer Capital Allocation for 2013 for my Department is €458 million. This Capital funding is primarily expended through various agencies under the remit of my Department, including IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland, Shannon Development, Inter Trade Ireland, INTERREG, the National Standards Authority of Ireland, and the 35 City and County...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Funding (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation funds only one programme open to the type of organisations in question, namely in the area of Consumer Support. It is an annual programme and funding is provided to support appropriate projects which enhance the capacity of organisations in the area of consumer protection. Funding of €47k was provided for in 2012.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: EU Conventions (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: I welcomed the adoption of the Decent Work for Domestic Workers Convention and Recommendation at the International Labour Conference of the International Labour Organisation. The issue of ratification by Ireland of Convention No. 189 on decent work for domestic workers is being considered in the context of our standard approach to the ratification of international instruments. Ireland does...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Support Services Provision (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: The enterprise support agencies of my Department, in particular Enterprise Ireland and the County and City Enterprise Boards, provide a suite of programmes to assist companies to develop their enterprises and support both start up and established businesses. All companies eligible for support from the Agencies have the same access to State services regardless of their location or status. ...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permit Criteria (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: An application for an employment permit was refused in this instance on 4th April 2012 as new employment permit applications are currently only considered for highly skilled, highly paid positions or for positions where there is an officially recognised scarcity of supply in relation to a particular qualification or occupation type. New and renewal applications may also be considered in...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Expenditure (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: There are strict procedures governing the approval of attendance at seminars/conferences by staff of my Department. These include that the topic of the event must be directly relevant to the officer's official duties and the numbers attending must be kept to a minimum. Prior approval of attendance must be given by the officer's Principal Officer (or higher) and by the Department's Learning...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Consumer Protection (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: Member States are required to adopt legislation giving effect to all of the provisions of Directive 2011/83/EU on Consumer Rights, including those relating to purchases over the Internet, by 13 December 2013. They are further required to apply those measures from 13 June 2014. Shortly after the adoption of the Directive, I stated my intention to give early effect to the provisions of...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Public Sector Pension Numbers (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Labour Court (Members) Superannuation Scheme has 8 pensioners recruited pre 1995 currently in receipt of pensions. They range in age from 63 to 84. Their pensions are in the following parameters: €15,000 - €16,000 1 €17,000 - €18,000 1 €20,000 + 6 The Competition Authority (Chairman and Members’) Superannuation Scheme, 1996 has 3 pensioners...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Microenterprise Loan Fund Applications (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: Loans of up to €25,000 are available to microenterprises with viable business plans and repayment capacity that have been refused access to credit from the banks. MFI is conscious of the need to promote the availability of its funds to small and medium sized enterprises and will be embarking on a media campaign to raise awareness of the Scheme across the country. Quarterly progress...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights Issues (5 Feb 2013)

Richard Bruton: Best practice for employers seeking to manage employee absence includes putting in place clear, written guidelines to cover situations when an employee is unavoidably absent from work due to illness. Such guidelines should specify how and when the employee should inform the employer of his/her absence; the circumstances in which an employee must provide a certificate from a medical...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Agencies (31 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: The following table sets out the details. Name of Board Current No of Vacancies Length of time vacancy unfilled No of vacancies advertised through PAS(Public Appointments Service) No of Applications Received National Standards Authority of Ireland 1 14 April 2012 0 N/A Enterprise Ireland 1 23 July 2012 1 45 Shannon Development 4 2 since April 2011 and 2 since April 2012 2 71...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Employment Rights Issues (31 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: The EU Working Time Directive provides for a number of exclusions from its scope. The original 1993 Working Time Directive (93/104/EC), which was transposed into national law by the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, applied to all sectors of activity, both public and private, within the meaning of Article 2 of the Framework Health and Safety Directive 89/391/EEC. Article 2.2 of that...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights Issues (30 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: There is no prescribed quota in place in relation to the employment of persons over the age of 45 years in the Irish workforce. Certain employers, however, may have a preference for employing mature or more experienced workers. On the other hand, if an employer imposes a restriction on the employment of persons of a certain age, this may be a matter within the remit of employment equality...