Results 23,361-23,380 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Competitiveness (22 Nov 2012)

Richard Bruton: Companies compete for business in all markets, domestic and overseas, primarily on the basis of their product or service offering. Issues that influence a company’s ability to compete successfully and win business include price, quality, innovative nature of the offering and customer service. Competitiveness in the broad business environment is determined by a variety of factors,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation (22 Nov 2012)

Richard Bruton: There are already a number of schemes in place to reduce the cost to employers who take on new employees from the Live Register, including the Employer’s PRSI Exemption Scheme and Revenue’s Job Assist scheme. The Employer Job (PRSI) Incentive Scheme exempts employers from liability to pay their share of PRSI for eligible employees for a period of up to 18 months. Revenue...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Farm Safety (21 Nov 2012)

Richard Bruton: The legislation covering occupational safety and health is the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. Agriculture and farming, like all occupations, come under the powers of that Act. The Health and Safety Authority, an agency under the aegis of my Department has responsibility for workplace health and safety, is responsible for the enforcement of legislation in this area and has an...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Industrial Development (21 Nov 2012)

Richard Bruton: The development of Additive Manufacturing has been slower than had been predicted some years ago and its adoption by industry worldwide has been relatively low, due to its cost and complexity. Additive Manufacturing involves the production of a component, part, tool or even an assembly, using a layer-upon-layer method of fabrication. While it can cut product development costs and timescales...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (21 Nov 2012)

Richard Bruton: Currently domestic workers in Ireland are protected by virtue of the fact that the full suite of employment rights legislation, including that of redress for violations of their employment rights, apply to domestic workers in the same way as they apply to other categories of employees in Ireland. Also NERA has carried out a programme of inspections involving Domestic Workers as well as...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (21 Nov 2012)

Richard Bruton: The purpose of the Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Act 2006, which implements EU Directive 2002/14/EC of the 11 March 2002, is to provide for the establishment of a general framework setting out minimum requirements for the right to information and consultation of employees in undertakings with at least 50 employees. It provides a general right to information and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (21 Nov 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Act 2006 came into operation on 24 July 2006. The purpose of the Act, which implements EU Directive 2002/14/EC of the 11 March 2002, is to provide for the establishment of a general framework setting out minimum requirements for the right to information and consultation of employees in undertakings with at least 50 employees. It...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Youth Enterprise Initiatives (21 Nov 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Government established the Microfinance Loan Fund on 27 September 2012 to improve access to credit for entrepreneurs and micro-enterprises and to facilitate the growth and expansion of viable businesses from all industry sectors which have been refused access to credit by banks. The Fund has a significant entrepreneurship focus. It will add value to other Government schemes of support for...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Industrial Development (21 Nov 2012)

Richard Bruton: In accordance with the Industrial Development Acts, the management of IDA Ireland’s industrial property portfolio, including the purchase and sale of land, is a day-to-day operational matter for the agency. I have been in discussion with IDA Ireland about this matter and the Agency has explained to me that, in order to fully align with the strategic objectives set out in its strategy...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Competitiveness (21 Nov 2012)

Richard Bruton: The most recent report published by the National Competitiveness Council (NCC), in July of this year, was “Ireland's Competitiveness Scorecard”. This report provides a comprehensive benchmark of Ireland’s competitiveness performance compared to many of its trading partners and competitors, using over 125 statistical indicators drawn from a range of national and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Competitiveness (21 Nov 2012)

Richard Bruton: The European Commission’s Competitiveness Report 2012 was published on 19 October last. The report analyses competitiveness across the European Union as a whole and examines the related challenges and opportunities faced by European enterprises. The focus of the report is on the potential for Europe to benefit from the globalisation of trade. The report concludes that European...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Action Plan for Jobs (21 Nov 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Action Plan contains 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 Quarterly deliverables or “measures” which are reported on at the end of each Quarter. Approximately 60% of the measures in the Action Plan for Jobs are for delivery by my Department or its...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation (21 Nov 2012)

Richard Bruton: I have repeatedly stated that Governments do not create jobs, successful businesses do. This is why I see my job, and that of my Department, as doing everything possible to help more businesses succeed. In that respect, my Department's Mission is to support the creation of sustainable jobs by promoting the development of a competitive business environment in which enterprises will operate to...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Semi-State Sector Remuneration (21 Nov 2012)

Richard Bruton: The details of salaries of semi-State and State agency executives and employees, are a day to day matter for the respective agencies. I have asked the Agencies to respond directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Semi-State Sector Remuneration (21 Nov 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 120 together. The details of pensions of former semi-State agency executives or employees are a day-to-day matter for the respective agencies. I have asked the Agencies to respond directly to the Deputies concerned.

Seanad: Action Plan for Jobs: Statements (20 Nov 2012)

Richard Bruton: Senator Mary White raised the issue of 8,500 vacancies even though we have high emigration and high unemployment. The action of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, to double the output in the ICT area is an important response. Senator Clune referred to conversion courses. Equally, students and parents must take note. At the start of this decade 9.5% of students...

Seanad: Action Plan for Jobs: Statements (20 Nov 2012)

Richard Bruton: It is a useful office and its impact continues to be important because the banking system is not fixed. What is strong in the action plan for jobs is that we have looked to other sectors. For instance, the health sector set up a health innovation hub to examine how it could bring in innovative companies to get their first sales within the Irish health system which would then be a reference...

Seanad: Action Plan for Jobs: Statements (20 Nov 2012)

Richard Bruton: Perhaps I will just make a few brief opening comments in order that Senators will have more time to offer their own observations. The first point I wish to make relates to why we brought forward the action plan for jobs. I need not inform Senators that the background to its introduction lay in the sheer economic mayhem that impacted upon employment in recent years. In the space of three...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permits (20 Nov 2012)

Richard Bruton: A work permit application in respect of this person was received in my Department on 9th November 2012. My Department’s policy in this regard strikes a balance between the needs of the proposed employer and the employment rights of the employee. The application was refused on 15th November 2012 as the salary stated in respect of the proposed employment was not in accordance with the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Support Services (20 Nov 2012)

Richard Bruton: Supporting new and existing indigenous and foreign-owned businesses, across all regions, is central to our plans for recovery, growth and jobs. The Action Plan for Jobs contains a number of measures which are aimed specifically at the facilitation and incentivisation of national enterprise development from start-ups to growth companies. The Enterprise Development agencies, under the aegis...