Results 24,821-24,840 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Financial Resolutions 2012 (Resumed) (6 Dec 2011)

Richard Bruton: I move the following Financial Resolutions:

Financial Resolution No. 12: Life Assurance Policies and Investment Funds (6 Dec 2011)

Richard Bruton: I beg the Deputy's pardon. It is €81 million in 2012 and €83 million in a full year.

Financial Resolution No. 12: Life Assurance Policies and Investment Funds (6 Dec 2011)

Richard Bruton: Deputy Jonathan O'Brien spoke about the cut in stamp duty and the provision whereby a person who buys a property now and keeps it for a certain period can get a holiday from capital gains tax. The property sector has collapsed and with it activity in the construction sector has dropped by approximately 90%. There has been a huge lay-off of employees in this sector and it is operating far...

Financial Resolution No. 12: Life Assurance Policies and Investment Funds (6 Dec 2011)

Richard Bruton: It is the reference point. The year 2003 is the reference point.

Financial Resolution No. 12: Life Assurance Policies and Investment Funds (6 Dec 2011)

Richard Bruton: My understanding is that the 2003 Act is the parent Act and indexation applies to this allowance. Effectively, the difference between the €183,688 and the €250,000 is the indexation since 2003 to 2011. I do not have the answer to the question on An Post products, but I presume that savings bonds, being an An Post product, were given a tax free status, much like that Government paper...

Financial Resolution No. 13: General (6 Dec 2011)

Richard Bruton: I move: THAT it is expedient to amend the law relating to inland revenue (including value-added tax and excise) and to make further provision in connection with finance. This is a general resolution to underpin all the others.

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (6 Dec 2011)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 125 and 132 together. I am indeed aware that the United Nations has designated 2012 as the International Year of Co-operatives, and earlier this 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...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (6 Dec 2011)

Richard Bruton: My Department has not made any payments to community and voluntary groups in Galway City and Council to date this year.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (6 Dec 2011)

Richard Bruton: Since the establishment of the Irish Financial Services Centre in 1987, successive Ministers who have held the Company Law elements of my present portfolio have been responsible for the enactment of legislation relating to collective investment schemes used by the Investment Funds Industry, either as stand alone instruments or as part of more comprehensive Acts. Examples include the...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (6 Dec 2011)

Richard Bruton: I set out below the numbers of staff of my Department who were approved for a pay increment in 2010 and 2011 together with the number of staff who will be due to be considered for the payment of an increment in 2012. The payment of increments is subject to satisfactory performance under the Performance Management Development System (PMDS) and compliance with sick leave regulations. To provide...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (6 Dec 2011)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 129 to 131, inclusive, together. The introduction of a Statutory Sick Pay scheme, along the lines of those which operate in many other European countries, is one of the issues that has been considered by the Government in the context of reducing public expenditure. As I mentioned in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 79 of 22 November 2011 to Deputy...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (6 Dec 2011)

Richard Bruton: To the end of November 2011, my Department has incurred VAT of approximately €798,500 at the standard rate of 21% on goods and services delivered in the year to date to the approximate value of €3,802,600. Based on an a similar level of expenditure in 2012, a 2% increase in the standard rate of VAT, would see my Department incurring an estimated extra cost of €80,000 in the coming year.

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (6 Dec 2011)

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 in my Department informs me that it has no record of an application in this case. I wish to advise the Deputy that it is current Government policy to issue new employment permits only in...

Written Answers — Skills Shortages: Skills Shortages (6 Dec 2011)

Richard Bruton: The position in relation to the company mentioned by the Deputy is that Enterprise Ireland has provided €60,000 of training assistance towards the development of management structure capable of running a large IT organisation. In relation to the 90 jobs recently announced by the company, no funding was provided by Enterprise Ireland for these jobs. As is always the case, decisions in...

Written Answers — Enterprise Support Schemes: Enterprise Support Schemes (6 Dec 2011)

Richard Bruton: Subject to certain eligibility criteria new and developing micro-enterprises may qualify for financial support from the CEBs in the form of priming, expansion/development and feasibility/innovation grants. The CEBs give priority to enterprises in the manufacturing or internationally traded services sector and must always give consideration to any potential for deadweight and displacement...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (6 Dec 2011)

Richard Bruton: This is a matter in the first instance for the Minister of Justice Equality and Defence. While my Department has a responsibility for providing redress mechanisms for alleged breaches of employment law, this does not extend to the area of forced labour or slavery, which are serious criminal offences and by definition are outside normal employment relationship.

Written Answers — Corporate Enforcement: Corporate Enforcement (6 Dec 2011)

Richard Bruton: The Company Law Enforcement Act 2001 established the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement and strengthened the legislative provisions dealing with insolvent companies. The Director has powers to initiate company investigations, prosecutions, restrictions and disqualifications with a view to curbing abusive practices by directors. Section 56 of the Company Law Enforcement Act 2001...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (6 Dec 2011)

Richard Bruton: I welcome the successful outcome of discussions at the International Labour Conference (ILC) that lead to the adoption of a new International labour standard aimed at ensuring Decent Work for Domestic Workers. The final text of the draft Convention was one that the Irish Government was in a position to support and the Convention on Decent Work for Domestic Workers now becomes ILO Convention...

Written Answers — Liquor Licensing Laws: Liquor Licensing Laws (6 Dec 2011)

Richard Bruton: Pricing strategies, including selling below cost, in any business are a legitimate marketing tool and are the normal outcome of the competitive process. I have no direct function in relation to pricing strategies which are a matter for the retailer and are not an offence unless they involve abuse of a dominant position. The sale of alcohol is essentially regulated by the liquor licensing...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (1 Dec 2011)

Richard Bruton: Some issues impacting on SMEs have already been addressed in the Jobs Initiative which includes the following key initiatives: The design of a Temporary, Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme. An initiative on a Microfinance Fund; The extension of the 15-day prompt payment arrangements across the wider public sector in Ireland for invoices received after 1 July 2011; In January the Government...