Results 23,941-23,960 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (14 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: A preliminary assessment of the implications of ratifying the International Labour Organisation's Convention 189 on Domestic Workers is currently being finalised by my Department. This assessment includes an Article-by-Article examination of the extent to which domestic legislative provisions already provide for the rights and entitlements enunciated in each Article, as well as the extent to...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (14 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: I thank Senators for very interesting contributions. I agree entirely with Senator Barrett that we need to achieve much more competition in the Irish economy. We have had a real problem with competition in the economy for a number of years but the problem has not been the lack of power in the hands of the Competition Authority to analyse nor the lack of power to publish outcomes of cases....

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (14 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: I forgot to respond to Senator Kelly who, in fairness, raised issues which are unrelated to competition law. Revenue is, if one likes, the supreme monopoly. It will be a relief to people that we do not have two Revenue commissions in the State. The Senator raised a dilemma. If the Revenue Commissioners fail to intervene and allow a person to run up debts to the Revenue and others, their...

Seanad: Lagan Brick Dispute: Statements (14 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Senators for raising this issue. I met the Lagan Brick workers when I was there last month. The workers have been involved in a protest outside the company's premises in a dispute over the decision by the company to close its operation on 15 December last, with the loss of 29 jobs. The union wanted to retain maximum employment in the plant and secure satisfactory redundancy...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (13 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: On 1 December 2011, the Minister wrote to employers' representative bodies to confirm that legislation to transpose the EU Directive on Temporary Agency Work was in the process of being finalised and to alert representative groups that Hirers and Agencies should make the appropriate arrangements to ensure that the principles of equal treatment were put in place from 5th December 2011 for all...

Written Answers — Job Protection: Job Protection (13 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: I understand that the High Court appointed a provisional liquidator to the company concerned on 6 June last. The assets, goodwill and undertaking of the business were advertised for sale on 8 June. One of the powers given by the Court to the liquidator was to grant a license to continue to trade in the short term. A license agreement was concluded between the liquidator and a new company on...

Written Answers — Public Service Remuneration: Public Service Remuneration (13 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: Senior County Council officials and Senior Bank officials do not come under the aegis of my Department. With regard to senior officials in semi-State companies, there have been no bonuses paid to senior officers in State agencies in 2011.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (13 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: Details of specific payments of the nature referred to by the Deputy for the three years from 2009 to 2011 are set out in the following tables. 2011 Name of Organisation Purpose of Payment Amount Paid Tyndall National Institute Core Grant €3,000,000 National Irish Safety Organisation (NISO) Development and delivery of FETAC (Level 4) accredited course on Basic Health and Safety...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (13 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: There are no agency or contract staff currently employed in my Department except for the following staff appointed by me and the Ministers of State at my Department, i.e. · 2 Special Advisers · 1 Personal Assistant in each Minister's Office · 1 Personal Secretary in each Minister's Office · 2 Civilian Drivers for each Minister Staff who occupy the posts listed above are paid an...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (13 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: I have listed the board members below for each of the boards under the aegis of my Department. The annual fees payable to board members by category of Board are as follows. Category 1 Chairperson €29,888 Directors €14,963 Category 2 Chairperson €20,520 Directors €11,970 Category 3 Chairperson €11,970 Directors €7,695 Category 4 Chairperson €8,978 Directors...

Job Losses (13 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and note Deputy Conlan also has raised concerns with me about this matter. I am really disappointed to hear of any job losses and am highly conscious of the effect those losses will have on the individuals concerned. I certainly wish to assure people the State agencies will be available to support people in any way they can. As for the substance...

Job Losses (13 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: I appreciate the scale of the shock involved but I must be honest and admit I do not know the detailed business background. I reiterate that this business does not come under my agencies and would not be eligible for State support in any form because of its nature. The liquidator acts under the guidance of the court which provides a forum whereby the working out of the issues between the...

Job Losses (13 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: I will.

Seanad: Business Undertakings (Disclosure of Overpayments) Bill 2012: Second Stage (13 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: I thank Senator Rónán Mullen for raising this issue and tabling the Bill. We all need to look at areas where, perhaps, the business environment can be improved. However, at a time when many enterprises are already complaining about excessive regulatory burdens, my Department must be extremely careful to ensure the imposition of a new regulatory burden is justified and proportionate. The...

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (12 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: As I have pointed out in response to Parliamentary Questions No. 445 of 18 April 2012 and 55 of 2 May 2012, the role of the Labour Court under the Industrial Relations Acts, 1946 to 1990, is to facilitate the settlement of industrial disputes and its authority in this regard stems from the voluntary nature of the process. Since the primary purpose of the Labour Court under the Industrial...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (12 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: My officials inform me that they have no record of a permit being applied for in respect of the named individual. I wish to advise the Deputy that it is current Government policy to issue new employment permits only in respect of: · highly skilled, highly paid positions or; · non-EEA nationals who are already legally resident in the State on valid employment permits or; · where there...

Written Answers — Haulage Industry: Haulage Industry (12 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 297 and 298 together. The Health and Safety Authority, an agency under the ageis of my Department, are named as a Competent Authority in relation to ADR (European Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road) under the European Communities (Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment)...

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (12 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Youth Employment Levy was introduced in 1981 and was subsequently amended in 1989 and re-named the Employment and Training Levy. The Employment and Training Levy was set at 1% of an individual's total income with some exceptions. The levy was abolished with effect from 6 April, 1999. Only relatively small residual amounts of money under the Levy continue to be collected by the Revenue...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (12 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: The following table outlines the names and salary details of the two Special Advisors appointed by me as Minister for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation. Name Annual Salary Mr. Ciaran Conlon €127,000 Mr. Conor Quinn €83,337 In line with the Guidelines for Ministerial Appointments, sanction for a higher rate of salary for Special Advisers may be granted by the Minister for Public...

Written Answers — Credit Availability: Credit Availability (12 Jun 2012)

Richard Bruton: Banking policy is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan TD. Minister Noonan commissioned Mazars to conduct a new survey in April 2012 on the demand for credit by SMEs and I look forward to the publication of this independent report shortly. This report will further enhance the ability of the Government to understand the business environment in which...