Results 24,561-24,580 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, under the recently launched the Action Plan for Jobs, I propose to establish a new "one-stop-shop" small and micro-enterprise support structure. These "One Stop Shops" will be called "Local Enterprise Offices" and will build on the significant work done by the CEBs to date. The new structure will be achieved through the dissolution of the existing CEBs and the...

Written Answers — Competition Authority: Competition Authority (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: I am aware that the Competition Authority, as the statutory independent body responsible for enforcing competition law in the State, has received information relating to alleged anti-competitive behaviour in the concrete industry. Section 29 (3) of the Competition Act 2002 provides that the Authority is independent in the performance of its functions. Under section 30(1)(b) of that Act, the...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Industrial Relations (Amendment) (No.3) Bill 2011 was published on 22 December 2011. The Bill has completed Second Stage in the Dáil and is currently awaiting Committee Stage. The main purpose of the Bill is to implement the commitment in the Programme for Government to reform the Joint Labour Committee system. The reform of the legal framework for our statutory wage setting mechanisms...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: Competition policy in a small open economy is vital for all sectors of the economy but particularly so in the locally traded sector, including services, since it is the locally traded sector that determines Ireland's competitiveness. Studies have shown the link between competition and productivity growth with evidence coming from the comparison of the economic performance of countries with...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: State assistance for micro and small businesses and services in Ireland is currently delivered principally by the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) and Enterprise Ireland (EI), operating as agencies under the aegis of my Department. Enquiries and applications for the range of financial and non-financial supports available are made direct to the relevant Agency and each application is...

Written Answers — State Bodies: State Bodies (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 296 and 297 together. There are 13 State Bodies (1 of which comprises the 35 County and City Enterprise Boards) under the aegis of my Department which are subject to the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. These are: 1. Forfás, 2. Enterprise Ireland, 3. National Standards Authority of Ireland, 4. 35 County and City Enterprise Boards...

Written Answers — Pricing Orders: Pricing Orders (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: Since the repeal of the Restrictive Practices legislation, no statutory basis exists for me, as Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, to make a minimum pricing order. I am aware of concerns raised about the high level of consumption of alcohol and the consequential detrimental effects caused to individuals and to society in general. In that regard, I note the recent publication of...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: I intend publishing the Consumer and Competition Bill later this year. I look forward to the active and constructive engagement of Members of this House during its consideration of the Bill. Wide-ranging public consultations have already taken place on most of the constituent parts of the proposed Bill. A public consultation on possible changes to the Competition Act 2002 was previously...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: I do not accept the Deputy's concerns that the consumer protection actions and activities will be watered down as a result of the merger of the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency. The decision to merge the two bodies is aimed at ensuring improved co-ordination of these two policy areas. Enforcing both competition and consumer law will give the newly merged body synergies...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: Member States are required to adopt legislative measures giving effect to the Consumer Rights Directive by 13 December 2013 and to apply those measures by 13 June 2014. As I indicated on the launch of the report of the Sales Law Review Group on 18 October 2011, I have decided to use the opportunity presented by the requirement to transpose the Directive to update and consolidate the...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 302 and 303 together. I am assuming that the Deputy's question refers to the provision of fees for the use of means of payment at Article 19 of the recently adopted Consumer Rights Directive. This provides that: Member States shall prohibit traders from charging consumers, in respect of the use of a given means of payment, fees that exceed the cost borne by...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 305 to 307, inclusive, together. 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. It does not directly provide microfinance to either Member States' Governments or entrepreneurs. Instead,...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: The objective of the Action Plan for Jobs is to transform the operating environment for business in order to support enterprise growth and enable job creation. The Government will achieve this objective by systematically removing obstacles to competitiveness, promoting innovation and trade, supporting new and existing businesses to develop and expand, and by deepening the impact of foreign...

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Director of Corporate Enforcement is independent in carrying out his statutory functions and is subject to strict confidentiality conditions in relation to those functions. The Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement publishes an Annual Report in relation to the work of the Office including statistics on the number of civil and criminal enforcement cases brought forward by the...

Written Answers — Business Regulation: Business Regulation (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: Last year, I secured the agreement of Government to draft legislation to ease the regulatory burden on co-operative societies and to make it easier to start up and run a co-operative as an alternative form of enterprise organisation. I hope to publish this Draft Bill during 2012. I expect that the amendments I am proposing will make the co-operative model more attractive for those wishing to...

Written Answers — Business Regulation: Business Regulation (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Companies Acts contain provisions governing the activities of receivers and liquidators, including provisions in relation to fees. In a members voluntary winding up, the members in general meeting, appoint the liquidator and fix his or her remuneration. If the company does not fix the liquidator's remuneration, it may be fixed by the High Court. In a creditors' voluntary winding up,...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: I can advise the Deputy that the total cost of photography incurred by my Department since coming into office is €2,031. The list of occasions for which photographers were booked and the breakdown of invoiced costs to date associated with each occasion that a photographer was used are as follows: Small Business Advisory Group Launch - €409; Irish Ambassadors for Female Entrepreneurship -...

Written Answers — Trade Data: Trade Data (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: Trade data for the full year 2011 is not yet available from the Central Statistics Office. The requested data in respect of 2010 is set out in the table with the top 40 countries ranked in order of our total trade (exports plus imports) and showing the relevant surplus (or deficit) in each case. For the calendar year 2010, Ireland's total exports (Merchandise and Services) were...

Written Answers — Ministerial Transport: Ministerial Transport (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that I do not have the use of a State car but instead I use my private car for official business. This arrangement is in accordance with the Government Decision of the 15th March 2011 which in effect extended to Cabinet Ministers the arrangements which have been in place for Ministers of State with regard to the use of private cars in place of State cars. Under...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: An apprentice within the meaning of or under the Industrial Training Act 1967 or the Labour Services Act 1987 is paid by the employer during the on-the-job phase of apprenticeship training. Outside of those sectors covered by a Registered Employment Agreement, apprenticeship wage rates are not legally enforceable. The actual rate paid to such apprentices may vary depending on the occupation...