Results 2,401-2,420 of 12,402 for speaker:Louise O'Reilly

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: White Paper on Enterprise Policy: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (8 Mar 2023)

Louise O'Reilly: I thank our witnesses for coming in this morning, and for all of their work. I would like to ask about concerns regarding the concentration risks in the multinational sector. This is a bit of an economic anomaly, and it is something we in Sinn Féin have highlighted for a number of years. The current volatility - I am going to use that word - in the tech sector is a worrying example of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: White Paper on Enterprise Policy: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (8 Mar 2023)

Louise O'Reilly: It is. Mr. Hegarty raised the issue of clustering. Clusters are brilliant where they work. Mr. Hegarty also mentioned wind energy. His comments are very welcome. Indeed, the Chairperson launched our report this morning on that exact topic, so it is good to see everyone pointing in the one direction when it comes to renewables. In terms of clustering, are there are examples where it is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: White Paper on Enterprise Policy: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (8 Mar 2023)

Louise O'Reilly: In the absence of the top-down approach, and I am not saying one approach is right or wrong, what is driving it? Is it happening organically? If it is, should we say that this is excellent or can more be done? We are all agreed it is a good idea. Can more be done to drive the establishment of clusters and their expansion? I am not necessarily wedded to one model or another. In the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: White Paper on Enterprise Policy: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (8 Mar 2023)

Louise O'Reilly: Thank you. With regard to the early stages when Irish businesses export, and they have to export, the White Paper indicates a focus on strengthening the Irish-owned exporting sector, particularly from the existing large cohort of non-exporting SMEs. Given that Irish companies have to export at an earlier stage in their life cycle than those in other European countries, can the witnesses...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: White Paper on Enterprise Policy: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (8 Mar 2023)

Louise O'Reilly: Some would never be exporting.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: White Paper on Enterprise Policy: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (8 Mar 2023)

Louise O'Reilly: I apologise for jumping around the place, but a number of questions arise. With regard to the green transition, specifically green energy, is the Department confident that we will reach our potential in terms of renewables? What opportunities does it see in terms of jobs in the domestic economy for developing and building technology and equipment relating to offshore wind energy? We all...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: White Paper on Enterprise Policy: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (8 Mar 2023)

Louise O'Reilly: When was that task force established? Was it recently?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: White Paper on Enterprise Policy: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (8 Mar 2023)

Louise O'Reilly: Are there any milestones in terms of reports, interim reports, goals or actions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: White Paper on Enterprise Policy: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (8 Mar 2023)

Louise O'Reilly: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: White Paper on Enterprise Policy: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (8 Mar 2023)

Louise O'Reilly: Absolutely. As I said, the Chair launched our report this morning. We are all pointing in the one direction.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: White Paper on Enterprise Policy: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (8 Mar 2023)

Louise O'Reilly: MS Teams can be a nuisance. Turning to investment in research and development, the White Paper tells us innovation is the best way to generate "sustainable long-term" productivity growth. Who is going to argue with that? I agree with that of course. I think we all would. Analysis of European and global indicators, however, shows that Ireland is drifting in the wrong direction on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: White Paper on Enterprise Policy: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (8 Mar 2023)

Louise O'Reilly: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: White Paper on Enterprise Policy: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (8 Mar 2023)

Louise O'Reilly: Regarding targets, Mr. Hegarty was previously asked about jobs and employment targets. I could make a very political point about the Government setting targets and failing to meet them, but I will not. I will refer to the situation of targets not being set. As I said, we are drifting. We have gone from 12th to 19th in the international Institute for Management Development competitiveness...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: White Paper on Enterprise Policy: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (8 Mar 2023)

Louise O'Reilly: I thank Mr. Hegarty. I have one remaining very brief question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: White Paper on Enterprise Policy: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (8 Mar 2023)

Louise O'Reilly: Regarding the expansion of SMEs, will Mr. Hegarty chat to us briefly about what can be done to deliver improvements in terms of what needs to be undertaken to address the situation where we have SMEs that sell up rather than scale up? This is a problem. It is something I have been doing a fair amount of work on. What can be done by the State to encourage our SMEs to scale up and not just...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: White Paper on Enterprise Policy: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (8 Mar 2023)

Louise O'Reilly: Has the Department any timelines for that work? It is incredibly important and I would be concerned that this might drift. I fully appreciate that everyone is busy. I have outlined about 90 priorities this morning and I know everything cannot be a priority. In terms of this element, though, what stage is the working group at and how is this going to work?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: White Paper on Enterprise Policy: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (8 Mar 2023)

Louise O'Reilly: That is by the end of June.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Consultations (8 Mar 2023)

Louise O'Reilly: 56. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 138 of 15 December 2022, the name of the company that won the tender for research to examine the potential social, economic and environmental implications of a transition to reduced working time, including a four-day workweek; the value of the funding; and if he will make a...

Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (7 Mar 2023)

Louise O'Reilly: I am grateful for the opportunity to make a contribution to this debate. I support the concerns and criticisms raised by my colleagues. While we will be supporting this Bill, the manner in which it has been rushed before the House is unsatisfactory and it is not an acceptable way to legislate on any issue, let alone one as important as this. The genesis of this legislation is a failure to...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (7 Mar 2023)

Louise O'Reilly: Perhaps we may allow our business and deliberations to be informed by one simple phrase, namely, "Trans rights are human rights". I wish to ask the Taoiseach about the thousands of adult education tutors employed by education and training boards, ETBs, across the country who still have no permanent contracts. Unlike other educators within the public sector, they have no incremental pay...