Results 23,121-23,140 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Small and Medium Enterprises (24 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: I am acutely conscious of the extreme problems which SMEs are experiencing with respect to credit. International surveys show demand in Ireland is largely the same as in other EU countries, but refusal rates are highest in Ireland. The data on new credit from the banks is particularly disappointing. We need a transformation in our banks from the old model based on property and commission...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Small and Medium Enterprises (24 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: The micro and small business sector is central to Ireland’s overall economic recovery and future growth. The purpose of restructuring the current model for the delivery of State supports to that sector is to rejuvenate and enhance the national model so as to ensure that the micro and small business sector is properly positioned to be a lead player in relation to job creation and to the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Development Capital Scheme (24 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Development Capital Scheme is aimed at addressing a funding gap for mid-sized, high-growth, indigenous companies with significant prospects for jobs and export growth. Initially, the Government allocated €50 million of exchequer funding with the intention of leveraging a further €100 million of private sector investment. In April last year, I launched an 'expression of...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (24 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: The EU is of huge significance in terms of global trade and investment. It is the largest exporter and source and recipient of foreign direct investment. Consequently, under Ireland’s Presidency of the EU, we attach great importance to promoting the EU’s external trade agenda. The overarching theme of the Irish Presidency will be the contribution of trade to growth, jobs and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Action Plan for Jobs (24 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: My Department and its agencies are working together to address the unemployment problem that is currently experienced in counties Cavan and Monaghan by implementing the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs which aims to create 100,000 net new jobs over the period 2012 to 2016. IDA Ireland has statutory responsibility to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to Ireland. At the end of...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Action Plan for Jobs (24 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Action Plan for Jobs contained over 270 individual actions to be delivered in 2012, spanning all Government Departments and 36 State Agencies. The 270 actions are broken down further into approximately 480 Quarterly milestones or “measures” which are reported on at the end of each Quarter. These Quarterly Progress Reports are published on my Department’s website, ....

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Foreign Direct Investment (24 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: Attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to Ireland has been one of the key pillars of Ireland’s industrial policy over the last 40 years. Ireland’s competitive advantage in this regard has been gained by the pursuit and implementation of a range of inter linked measures which include: The creation of the European Single Market which ensures that foreign owned companies...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Support Services (24 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: My Department works across Government to ensure that we create the right business environment for all enterprises to trade and create jobs. In general, the business operating environment in Ireland is the same for indigenous enterprises as it is for multinationals. Through the Action Plan for Jobs 2012, we are focusing on policies that will support start-ups and help indigenous...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Support Services (24 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: The development agencies are unable to directly support exports under EU State Aid rules. Enterprise Ireland works with approximately 3,000 clients providing both soft and financial support to assist in enhancing their capability and employment potential. Enterprise Ireland clients have Development Advisors who work with them to identify what supports are most appropriate to assist their...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Manufacturing Development Forum (24 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Action Plan for Jobs 2012 included a series of actions to address the Manufacturing Sector, in order to exploit the advances in manufacturing technology, and to build and maintain a strong base of manufacturing activity. This developed as a result of the challenges facing the sector and of the imperative of supporting the employment levels in that sector. A key proposal in the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Foreign Direct Investment (24 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: I am informed by IDA Ireland that, having regard to its statutory responsibility for attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to Ireland, it will continue to promote Kerry as part of its marketing efforts, in response to specific client queries and also on an opportunistic basis. At the end of 2012 there were 12 IDA Ireland supported companies in Kerry with total employment of circa 1,600...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Budget Submissions (24 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: The Enterprise Development Agencies, i.e. the IDA, Enterprise Ireland, Forfás and Science Foundation Ireland, made a joint Pre-Budget 2013 Submission to my Department. Many IDA client companies are members of representative organisations. These representative organisations make an annual Pre-Budget Submission to the Minister for Finance on behalf of their members, examples would...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Competitiveness (24 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: North South economic co-operation is and will remain a priority of mine and of the Government. To this effect, there is on-going dialogue between relevant Ministers and officials, North and South, to promote economic development, job creation and innovation, in the border region. From my own perspective, I attend meetings in the Trade and Business development sectoral format of the North...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pharmaceutical Sector (24 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: In 2012, there was a reduction in employment levels in some pharmaceutical companies in Ireland due to the expiry of patent protections combined with increased competition from overseas sites. IDA has been working for many years to diversify the pharmaceutical base here in Ireland. Patents on several blockbuster drugs expired over the last decade and, notwithstanding these developments,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Mentoring Strategy (24 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 46 together. I would like to acknowledge the importance of mentoring as a means of supporting start-up businesses and of sustaining and growing existing businesses. The mentoring programmes operated by the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) and by Enterprise Ireland (EI) are a key element of the supports currently provided by those agencies to...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Local Enterprise Offices (24 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 43 and 49 together. The micro and small business sector is central to Ireland’s overall economic recovery and future growth. The purpose of restructuring the current model for the delivery of State supports to that sector is to rejuvenate and enhance the national model so as to ensure that the micro and small business sector is properly positioned to...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation (24 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: My Department, and the relevant State Agencies under its remit, have a clear focus on the role of innovation as a key driver of business success and growth.Enterprise Ireland, IDA and Science Foundation Ireland, provide a range of innovation and technology development programmes that deliver financial, technical and experiential support. These programmes help companies become more innovative,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Skills Shortages (24 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: Net-outward migration flows have contributed to the reduction in the labour force over the course of the recession. Between April 2008 and April 2012 the CSO estimate that there was net-outward migration of 41,000 for the 15+ age group. As of April 2012, net-outward migration for the working age population was 34,000, made up of an outflow of 87,000 and an inflow of 53,000. Not...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Competitiveness (24 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: Certain operating costs for business are largely outside the control of Government. For example, fuel and energy prices are primarily driven by external factors such as global fossil fuel prices. In addition, currency exchange rates are important in creating relative price differences that can lead to higher costs for businesses in one jurisdiction compared to the other and this can have a...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Industrial Development (24 Jan 2013)

Richard Bruton: In accordance with the commitment given in the 2012 Action Plan for Jobs, IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland have established a senior management team to drive effective collaboration on key priorities such as including more Irish companies in the global supply chains of multinational companies. IDA Ireland has confirmed that its focus is on ensuring that each engagement with a client...