Results 24,581-24,600 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Social Insurance (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: Further consultation on this issue was signalled in the budget speech of the Minister for Finance. As the Deputy knows, illness benefit comes from the social insurance fund, which is funded by PRSI contributions from employers and employees and by the Government and administered by the Department of Social Protection. Exchequer spending on illness benefit more than doubled in the ten years...

Social Insurance (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: I would certainly be concerned about any measure that would increase costs for employers. That is a view I hold personally. Equally, however, I recognise that the management of very high illness claims within our welfare system is something that needs to be addressed. Many of those problems are most acute in the public service, not in the private sector. Figures suggest that absenteeism...

Social Insurance (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: There is no doubt that the issue of people drifting into long-term disability or invalidity benefit is also a source of worry. There are issues such as how we manage sickness and how we can ensure people take up opportunities, even if they are receiving sick payments, rather than drifting into long-term reliance on social welfare. A consultative process is under way. The contribution that...

Social Insurance (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: Any report that has an input into an ongoing discussion at Government level is not normally published, so I do not intend to-----

Social Insurance (21 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: Interactions between an agency and a Minister engaged in a consultative process are not necessarily published. I do not believe this documentation, which has an input into the consultative process, should be published at this stage. However, I will answer questions for the Deputy at any point.

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (16 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Labour Relations Commission, Employment Appeals Tribunal and the Labour Court are bodies that act independently in carrying out their functions. Although coming within the overall remit of my Department, as independent bodies I have no involvement in their day-to-day operations or cases coming before them for hearing. However, having made enquiries, I understand that a claim was lodged...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (16 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 102 and 103 together. As this is a day to day operational matter for the Enterprise Board concerned, I have asked that the relevant Unit based within Enterprise Ireland compile the information required, which will then be supplied direct to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Company Audits: Company Audits (16 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 109 together. Exemption from audit applies to certain private limited companies. The scope for companies to have an exemption from the requirement to have an audit carried out is set out in EU legislation (4th Directive). Community or voluntary groups or schools may be incorporated as companies, but this may not always be the case, as some may choose...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (16 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 106 together. Enterprise Ireland monitors the employment trends in the companies it supports through the Annual Employment Survey, conducted in conjunction with Forfás. The results of this survey are released each January. This information is collected at county level and it is not possible to provide it with a geographical breakdown within the...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (16 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: The table identifies the number of persons employed in my Department broken down by the salary bands supplied. The numbers include departmental staff in the following Offices of the Department: The Companies Registration Office The Registry of Friendly Societies The Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement The Labour Court The Labour Relations Commission The National Employment Rights...

Written Answers — Business Regulation: Business Regulation (16 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: The Industrial and Provident Societies Acts (1893–1978) is the legislation under which most co-operative organisations operate in Ireland. However, a co-operative may also register as a company (in which case the terms of the Companies Acts (1963-2009) apply. Credit Unions, which are savings and loans co-operatives, were a category of industrial and provident society, but since the Credit...

Action Plan for Jobs 2012: Statements (16 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: A service level agreement type of model will be used.

Action Plan for Jobs 2012: Statements (16 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: I thank the House for making time available to debate this matter. No case is more compelling in Ireland at the moment than that of addressing the jobs crisis. Everyone elected to the Chamber is aware that in the past three years almost 350,000 jobs have been lost. Sadly, most of these have been lost by people under the age of 30 years. These are the people who will drive the economic...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (15 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: The total number of staff in the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement is 48.9 full-time equivalents including 10.1 full-time equivalent Garda staff seconded from the Department of Justice and Equality. Sixteen staff are involved with the Office's investigation into events at Anglo Irish Bank.

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (15 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: My Department is currently undertaking a review of the resources of the Competition Authority. I expect this review to be completed by the end of March 2012. This review will have to take account of Government policy to reduce the size and cost of the public sector through the Employment Control Framework.

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (15 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: My Department processes applications in respect of the different types of employment permits and all applications are processed in line with the Employment Permits Act 2006. The Employment Permits Section has indicated that they cannot consider applications for employment permits for foreign nationals who are currently in the State on a working holiday authorisation (WHA) issued by...

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (15 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. Contact details for each of the CEBs can be obtained through their national website www.enterpriseboards.ie. Enterprise Ireland's HPSU Team is located at...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (15 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: Job creation is at the top of the Government's agenda. Since we came into office, we have been working hard to create the improved economic conditions which will support the maintenance of existing jobs and the creation of new ones. Our objective is to put the country back on the road to economic recovery and full employment. The Action Plan for Jobs, which I launched last Monday, outlines...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (15 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: One of the objectives of the Competition Act 2002 is to prohibit activities which prevent, distort or restrict competition in trade in the State. In that context, the Competition Authority is the statutory body responsible for the enforcement of competition law in the State. Section 29 (3) of the Competition Act 2002 provides that the Authority is independent in the performance of its...

Written Answers — EU Presidency: EU Presidency (15 Feb 2012)

Richard Bruton: Preparations for the Irish Presidency have been ongoing in my Department for some time now. The Department has been inputting into two Inter-Departmental Planning Groups dealing with planning and logistics, the Inter-Departmental Committee for Coordinating the Presidency chaired by my colleague Ms Lucinda Creighton T.D. Minister of State for European Affairs and the Inter-Departmental...