Results 24,121-24,140 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Commercial Rent Reviews: Commercial Rent Reviews (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: In order to progress the commitment in the Action Plan for Jobs concerning Government charges on business (Action 1.15), I wrote to my Ministerial colleagues in March, asking them to examine all charges which are levied on business by their Departments and associated bodies, with a view to identifying which of these costs can be reduced or frozen to the end of 2013 or beyond. It is a matter...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 289 and 290 together. Action point 1.32 of the Action Plan for Jobs commits to the identification of any sheltered areas of the economy where competition is restricted and the commissioning of studies on such areas where appropriate. In order to meet the Q 1 commitment to identify sheltered areas of the economy where competition is restricted the...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: Loans from the Microfinance Loan Fund will be administered under the remit of the Social Finance Foundation on behalf of the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. The European Progress Microfinance Facility is a European Investment Fund (EIF) initiative to support entrepreneurship and employment through microfinance activities. It was established by the EU Commission in 2010....

Written Answers — Enterprise Support Services: Enterprise Support Services (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 292 to 294, inclusive, together. There are 132 Community Enterprise Centres that have been completed or approved for funding from Enterprise Ireland and their locations are listed in the following tabular statement. The number of businesses supported by each Community Enterprise Centre is a day-to-day operational matter for the centre concerned. However, I am...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: Action 3.4 of the Action Plan for Jobs makes a commitment to "support industry-led clustering in key areas of opportunity, based on new models, industry proposals, and newly developed niche market strategies". In March, a working group comprising officials of my Department, Forfás, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland met to progress development of an approach and a programme to support...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: In the context of regional and all-island economic development, and recognising the opportunity to pursue mutually beneficial cross border co-operation on aspects of economic policy and infrastructure/spatial planning, IDA Ireland cooperates on a number of initiatives with Invest Northern Ireland. Both agencies also share a strategic focus on attracting companies from the targeted sectors of...

Written Answers — Innovation Fund Ireland: Innovation Fund Ireland (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: The management fees associated with investments made under Innovation Fund Ireland are agreed confidentially between the parties involved and are commercially sensitive. I am therefore not in a position to provide this information. The administration of the Fund is carried out by Enterprise Ireland and the National Pensions Reserve Fund as part of their day to day operations and is met from...

Written Answers — Public Procurement: Public Procurement (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: Public procurement affords an opportunity for SMEs to secure new business and grow employment; approximately €14 billion will be spent by public bodies this year in purchasing goods and services. The Government is keen to ensure that SMEs have access to procurement opportunities and the Action Plan for Jobs contains a number of measures designed to improve SME access to those...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 299 and 304 together. The Programme for Government states that: "The Government will promote the development of a vibrant and effective social enterprise sector. We will instruct agencies to view social enterprises as important stakeholders in rejuvenating local economies. We will continue support for social innovation projects for young people through...

Written Answers — Trade Missions: Trade Missions (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: The total estimated net cost of the recent Trade and Investment to China for my Department and agencies under my Department's auspices is €122,400. Given the short timeline since the completion of the trade mission, there are some costs that have yet to be finalised. The cost is broken down as follows: Department/Agency €'000 Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation 3.0...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: Ptolemy is the bespoke administration system of the Irish Patents Office, which facilitates the administration and maintenance of all Patent, Trademark and Industrial Design applications applied for in, or designating Ireland. This encompasses both Irish (national) applications and those filed in the European Patents Office (EPO), OHIM (Community Trademarks) and WIPO (World Intellectual...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: The role of Government is to not to create jobs, but to provide the environment where successful businesses can become established, grow and generate jobs. In addition to taking the policy decisions to underpin a competitive environment for business, the Government provides a range of supports to enterprise across a number of Departments and agencies. Funding for these supports is allocated...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: Following previous representations in December 2011, I had already requested the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) to intervene on my behalf in this matter and seek enforcement of the €50,000 award. In this instance, prior to NERA's involvement, the case had already been brought before the Circuit Court and a Court Order was issued by the Dublin Circuit Court dated 4 May 2011. An...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: My Department currently has 13 State Agencies supporting us in our work. These are: 1. Enterprise Ireland 2. IDA Ireland 3. Science Foundation Ireland 4. Shannon Development 5. County & City Enterprise Boards (35) 6. National Standards Authority of Ireland 7. InterTradeIreland (the North / South Business Development Body) 8. Forfás 9. National Consumer Agency 10. The Competition Authority...

Written Answers — Trade Missions: Trade Missions (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: In March of this year, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny and I led a seven day trade and investment mission to China. The Mission I led incorporated a seven day programme covering Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Beijing. Some 130 Executives from 90 companies accompanied the delegation. During the Mission itself, An Taoiseach and I witnessed significant contract signings from 14 companies...

Written Answers — Youth Employment Action Plan: Youth Employment Action Plan (1 May 2012)

Richard Bruton: In December 2011, the European Commission launched a "Youth Opportunities Initiative" in response to the growing problem of youth unemployment across the EU. The initiative calls on Member States to work on preventing early school leaving, help young people to develop skills relevant to the labour market, ensure the provision of work experience and on-the-job training, and help young people...

Seanad: Protection of Employees (Temporary Agency Work) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (27 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: The matters to which these amendments relate were the subject of considerable debate on Second Stage and Committee Stage. The amendments relate to section 7 of the Bill, as passed by the Dáil. The formulation adopted in section 7 allows reference to two distinct situations, that is, instances where there is a comparable employee against whom the agency worker can be compared and to...

Seanad: Protection of Employees (Temporary Agency Work) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (27 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Senator. Senator Cullinane asked why we are doing what we are doing. As I stated, the original drafter considering the directive sought to use the comparator as a way of providing an interpretation of how the measures should be applied in practice. When the Bill was published in the form making reference to a comparator employee - I refer to an employee in a relevant company...

Seanad: Protection of Employees (Temporary Agency Work) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (27 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: Amendment No. 14 is a saving provision that clarifies the arrangements that exist separately from this legislation and which provide for better terms for agency workers than those provided under section 7 and stand on their own merits. I believe this amendment speaks to some extent to the intent behind amendment No. 16. However, for the reason that amendment No. 16 would provide a different...

Seanad: Protection of Employees (Temporary Agency Work) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (27 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: This amendment provides for the introduction of certain anti-avoidance measures. As such, it was not considered on Committee Stage. It proposes the inclusion of a new section and must, for this reason, be recommitted to the House on this Stage. This amendment is particularly important given the proposed revision of section 7 that deals with conferring on agency workers the entitlement to...