Results 23,761-23,780 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Unemployment Levels: Unemployment Levels (12 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: Regional differentials in economic development have many causes, reflecting different demographic, physical infrastructure, natural resources and competitive strengths. Enterprise policy can contribute to reducing regional differentials, but alone it cannot provide the solution to these many elements. The enterprise development agencies under the aegis of my Department focus on nurturing and...

Written Answers — Enterprise Support Services: Enterprise Support Services (12 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: Driving export growth is central to our economic recovery and it is a key focus of the Government's Action Plan for Jobs. Enterprise Ireland (EI) has established a new Potential Exporters Division, a key measure in the Action Plan for Jobs. Its role is to stimulate greater activity within companies across all regions and to reorient those demonstrating real growth potential from the domestic...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (12 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 20 together. The Government is tackling unemployment generally through the twin strategies of the Action Plan for Jobs and Pathways to Work. The aim of the Action Plan for Jobs is to support the creation of 100,000 net new jobs by 2016, while the objective of Pathways to Work is to provide those who are unemployed with the appropriate training and...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (12 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: The European Progress Microfinance Facility is a European Investment Fund (EIF) initiative to support entrepreneurship and employment through microfinance activities. Capped guarantees may be provided to eligible intermediaries partially covering their portfolios of micro-loans, or loan facilities may be availed of to increase lending to micro-enterprises. Initial engagement has taken place...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (12 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: As part of the Forfás Annual Employment Survey, the overall cost per job is calculated each year by reference to the cost of jobs created in companies supported by the Enterprise Development agencies, during and sustained to the end of a seven-year period. The accepted accounting measure for cost per job is 'Cost per job Sustained'. This is calculated by taking into account all direct...

Written Answers — Credit Guarantee Scheme: Credit Guarantee Scheme (12 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 24 together. The Report and Final Stage of the Credit Guarantee Bill 2012 was completed yesterday (Wednesday 11th ) in the Dáil. As the proof of the Bill has been passed by Both Houses of the Oireachtas, it must now be submitted by the Bills Office to the President for signature. The President is required to sign the Bill within seven days of...

Written Answers — Job Protection: Job Protection (12 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 114 together. The process regarding the sale of Bank of America's (BOA) Irish and UK credit card businesses is on-going. Negotiations regarding the sale of the MBNA Ireland portfolio have culminated in its recent sale by BOA to Apollo Global Management, a leading global alternative investment manager headquartered in New York. This transaction...

Written Answers — Research and Development: Research and Development (12 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: A wide range of programmes are being delivered by the Enterprise Agencies - Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland, to promote research & development and innovation and give Irish enterprise a competitive edge in the global market place. Enterprise Ireland in particular, has a range of programmes and soft supports focusing on research, & development and innovation to...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (12 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: The draft heads of the Consumer and Competition Bill, approved by Government in July 2011, are currently with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel for drafting and notwithstanding the pressure of legislative priorities across the whole of Government, I hope to publish the Bill later this year.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (12 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: Enterprise Ireland (EI) operates a wide geographical network of offices across the globe (currently 29) which are central to serving Irish indigenous industry and delivering on an export led recovery for Ireland. EI's overseas staff are fully integrated into a coherent global view of client companies' business strategy and are part of integrated global sector teams working with clients,...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (12 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: This Government is fully committed to its role of facilitating employment creation. Since coming into office, we have been working hard to create the improved economic conditions which will support the maintenance of existing jobs and the creation of new ones. Our objective is to put the country back on the road to economic recovery and full employment. The Action Plan for Jobs, launched in...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (12 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: The European Progress Microfinance Facility is a European Investment Fund (EIF) initiative to support entrepreneurship and employment through microfinance activities. Capped guarantees may be provided to eligible intermediaries partially covering their portfolios of micro-loans, or loan facilities may be availed of to increase lending to micro-enterprises. Initial engagement has taken place...

Written Answers — Enterprise Support Services: Enterprise Support Services (12 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: There are various supports currently available to businesses which may wish to operate from a cloud computing platform. Enterprise Ireland proactively supports the development of its client companies in meeting the challenges posed by Cloud Computing through the application of a range of existing financial supports including: · Feasibility study grants to investigate business...

Written Answers — Community Enterprise Centres: Community Enterprise Centres (12 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: I recognize the importance of a business development function within community enterprise centres and I recently announced funding to support the appointment of Business Development Managers to 37 community enterprise centres as part of a €2m Programme managed by Enterprise Ireland. This announcement follows on from a Government commitment under Action Point 2.5 of the Action Plan for Jobs...

Written Answers — Job Initiatives: Job Initiatives (12 Jul 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. It also sets out measures that will enhance linkages...

Written Answers — Live Register: Live Register (12 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: In common with other Government Departments, my Department looks to the International Labour Organisation(ILO) measurement of unemployment in the Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS), as the primary measure of unemployment. The QNHS uses the International Labour Office (ILO) standards for the measurement of employment and unemployment. These standards establish objective criteria which...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (12 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: The information compiled by the Enterprise Development agencies does not include details of the types of jobs created in Cork. However, I can provide the Deputy with information regarding jobs in Enterprise Development agency-supported companies based in Cork, which are compiled in the Forfás Annual Employment Survey. Because the figures are compiled on an annualised basis, the figures for...

Written Answers — Cross-Border Enterprise Initiatives: Cross-Border Enterprise Initiatives (12 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: In general, the report is an extensive piece of work which identifies current cross-border economic realities and places them in their historical context. Its focus on a possible framework for cross border development is welcome and is an important contribution to both Governments' consideration of the issues involved. However, the question of establishing a border development zone raises...

Written Answers — Unemployment Levels: Unemployment Levels (12 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: The budgetary allocations of the Enterprise Agencies take account of a range of factors, including the anticipated demand for key programmes and services, as well as new policy initiatives by the Government. The Government's Infrastructural and Capital Investment Programme 2012-2016 which was published on 10 November 2011 has a particular relevance for my Department in terms of supporting job...

Written Answers — Job Statistics: Job Statistics (12 Jul 2012)

Richard Bruton: The figures in respect of jobs in Enterprise Development agency-supported companies and those supported by the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) are compiled in the Forfás Annual Employment Survey and the CEB Annual Employment Survey respectively on an annualised basis. The figures in respect of jobs created and lost in Enterprise Development agency-supported companies in 2011 are set...