Results 24,261-24,280 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Job Vacancies: Job Vacancies (24 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: A report produced in January by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) entitled Addressing High-Level ICT Skills Recruitment Needs confirms that Ireland is a successful major centre for ICT operations with around 75,000 people employed in 8,000 companies. Indeed, ten of the top ICT companies in the world having substantial operations in Ireland. The research undertaken by the...

Written Answers — Enterprise Support Services: Enterprise Support Services (24 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: Subject to certain eligibility criteria, City and County Enterprise Boards (CEBs) can provide direct financial assistance to a project promoter in the form of Priming, Expansion/Development Grants and Feasibility/Innovation Grants. The CEBs also provide a range of indirect non-financial assistance such as business advice, mentoring, management capability training and development programmes....

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (24 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: I have no function in relation to the issue of planning permission. The matter referred to should be addressed to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. While my Department or its agencies have no function as regards resolving the problem at the location concerned, I have asked the agency to contact the food company concerned to discuss any potential enterprise...

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (24 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: 6153The provision of the information in relation to the Deputy's question is a day to day operational matter for the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) operating under my Department's remit. I have therefore asked that the relevant Business Unit based within Enterprise Ireland who perform an administrative coordination function in respect of the CEBs, to compile the information...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (24 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: 6153I appointed two former public servants to act as Civilian Drivers at my Department. Both drivers are paid €631.75 per week in line with Ministerial Guidelines. Three other former Civil Servants are re-engaged by my Department on the following basis: - A former Assistant Secretary in this Department is serving on the NERA Advisory Board. The only payments made for participation on...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (19 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 105 together. The following table identifies the names and salary details of the two Special Advisors appointed by me as Minister for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation. Name Appointment Date Salary Scale Mr. Ciaran Conlon 29th March 2011 €127,000 Mr. Conor Quinn 30th March 2011 €80,051, €83,337, €86,604, €89,898, €92,672, €95,55 (After...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (19 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that this Work Permit application was refused on 10 April 2012 on the grounds 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; · positions requiring specialist or scarce...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (19 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: The sectors covered by the JLCs are characterised by a large number of small employments in which collective bargaining is not well established and wages tend to be low. In many of the sectors covered by JLCs there is no effective alternative mechanism by which employees and employers can engage in collective bargaining at local level on equal terms. The Duffy/Walsh Report concluded that the...

Written Answers — Enterprise Support Services: Enterprise Support Services (19 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: As Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, I fully appreciate the concern felt in regard to the situation at the company in question. I know that last year, some 70 full time jobs were lost at the company due to the loss of a longstanding overseas contract. I understand that due to the company's reduced level of activity, their current business model is not viable and a decision was...

Written Answers — Industrial Disputes: Industrial Disputes (19 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: Workers at the Lagan Brick factory in Kingscourt, Co Cavan 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 at the plant and secure satisfactory redundancy terms for any workers that would lose their jobs. Subsequently,...

Written Answers — Job Protection: Job Protection (18 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 434, 451 to 453, inclusive, 457, 470 and 473 together. Vodafone Ireland announced on 22 March last that it had completed a review of the company's current contracted mobile call centre operations. The company has stated that, following this review, it will be adopting a new model for its mobile customer care, resulting in a move to a new provider,...

Written Answers — Credit Availability: Credit Availability (18 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Temporary Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme is to operate under the De Minimis State Aid rules as agreed by the Government in November. The De Minimis State Aid framework provides a basis for swift implementation of such a Scheme. Operating within the scope of the De Minimis State Aid regulations places limits on the range of options available in terms of the extent and pricing of the...

Written Answers — Job Protection: Job Protection (18 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: The position is that Vodafone tendered for its Mobile Customer Service work in 2012. Rigney Dolphin was the incumbent provider with 290 full-time-equivalent positions at Vodafone's offices in Dundalk and Dublin. A French company, Teleperformance (also Vodafone's UK provider) won the new tender. Teleperformance has operations in Newry, Co Down. I understand that this change has arisen out...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (18 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that this Work Permit application was refused on the 10 April 2012 on the grounds 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; · positions requiring specialist or scarce...

Written Answers — Industrial Disputes: Industrial Disputes (18 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 438 and 455 together. Industrial action by 110 workers at the Irish Cement production plants at Platin, Co Meath and Castlemungret, Co Limerick began on 3rd April last. I understand that the Labour Court's most recent Recommendation of January 2012 in relation to this dispute was the culmination of a protracted dialogue between the company and the group of...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (18 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: Since the publication of the proposed Directives in November 2011, discussions have been underway at working group level on the full proposal, including Chapter 9 of the proposed Accounting Directive. The proposals being discussed include the introduction of a system of reporting by multinational companies of payments to governments, including taxes, royalties and bonuses which will show a...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (18 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Programme for Government contains a specific commitment to enact legislation to regulate certain practices in the grocery goods sector. I intend to give effect to this commitment by including an enabling provision in the legislation currently being prepared by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to merge the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority, which will allow...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (18 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: A Bill entitled the "Protection of Employees (Temporary Agency Work) Bill, 2011" designed to give effect to the EU Directive on Temporary Agency Work, completed passage in the Dáil in mid-February, 2012. The Bill is currently under consideration in the Seanad and is scheduled to complete all stages in that House by the end of April 2012. Thereafter, it will be returned to the Dáil for...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (18 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: My Department is in on-going contact with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, whose remit covers Irish Aid, in relation to the proposed Directives in question. Discussions are continuing at EU level and it is hoped that there will be a positive outcome to these proposals.

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (18 Apr 2012)

Richard Bruton: The achievement of balanced regional growth continues to be a core objective of Government. Promoting entrepreneurship and facilitating the key infrastructural needs of Irish enterprise across all regions is vital to ensuring a vigorous pipeline of new business leaders, new business ideas and entrepreneurial activity. Enterprise Ireland activity in Co. Kerry is focussed on the creation of...