Results 24,901-24,920 of 26,653 for speaker:John McGuinness

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (10 Feb 2009)

John McGuinness: The role of Meath County Enterprise Board (CEB) is to provide support for micro-enterprises in the start-up and expansion phases, to promote and develop indigenous micro-enterprise potential and to stimulate economic activity and entrepreneurship at local level. The CEB deliver a series of Programmes to underpin this role and can provide both financial and non-financial assistance to a...

The Economy: Statements (Resumed) (28 Jan 2009)

John McGuinness: I agree with some of what Deputy Michael D. Higgins said about our past, from which we can learn. If we are to make the correct decisions on policy and direction for the future, then we must reflect on what happened in the past; we must understand how we got there and be careful how we move on. To that degree, we are informed by what has happened. Regarding the protection of the 800,000...

The Economy: Statements (Resumed) (28 Jan 2009)

John McGuinness: It is high time that planning and development charges and rates be reduced significantly and for a new structure to bring about a uniform approach across the counties. Much work can be done in our changed circumstances. There is an appetite for change, an understanding that we are in a difficult position and an acceptance that we can only get out of it by working together. I appeal to the...

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (27 Jan 2009)

John McGuinness: The 35 County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) were set up in 1993 to provide support for micro-enterprises in the start-up and expansion phases, to promote and develop indigenous micro-enterprise potential and to stimulate economic activity and entrepreneurship at local level. The CEBs deliver a series of Programmes to underpin this role and they can provide both financial and...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (18 Dec 2008)

John McGuinness: As the Deputy will be aware, the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (2007-2013) contains a financial instrument, the SME Loan Guarantee Facility, that aims to improve the financial environment for SMEs by facilitating their access to debt and equity finance. The total indicative budgetary appropriations for the financial instruments under Competitiveness and Innovation...

Written Answers — Small and Medium Enterprises: Small and Medium Enterprises (17 Dec 2008)

John McGuinness: The State development agencies under the aegis of my Department such as Enterprise Ireland, the County and City Enterprise Boards and FÁS provide financial and non-financial assistance to small and medium enterprises to assist in their development and growth. Business advice, mentoring and management capability and development programmes are provided as part of this assistance. The UK...

Written Answers — Companies Regulations: Companies Regulations (16 Dec 2008)

John McGuinness: As the term deregister is not used in the Companies Acts it is not clear what procedure the Deputy is referring to. The procedures for winding up and dissolution of a company are outlined in Part VI of the Companies Act 1963, as amended.

Written Answers — Prompt Payment System: Prompt Payment System (10 Dec 2008)

John McGuinness: As already outlined to this House in reply to a similar question from the Deputy on 20 November last, the Tánaiste has met with the Small Firms Association (SFA) and with the Irish Small and Medium Sized Enterprises Association (ISME) to discuss their concerns on a range of issues impacting on small business as a result of the current economic situation. I am very much aware of the...

Written Answers — Small Business Sector: Small Business Sector (10 Dec 2008)

John McGuinness: The role of the 35 County and City Enterprise Boards is to provide support for small businesses with 10 employees or fewer in the start-up and expansion phases, to promote and develop indigenous micro-enterprise potential and to stimulate economic activity and entrepreneurship at local level throughout the country. The CEBs deliver a series of Programmes to underpin this role and they can...

Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)

John McGuinness: We already had a debate like this a short time ago. We certainly had it again during the course——

Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)

John McGuinness: We had the debate earlier, in a different form, but with the same issues. Today during Question Time we dealt with some of the issues that were raised here. Although Deputy Penrose may disagree with my views on the public sector, nonetheless there is commentary within the OECD report which suggests certain changes should be made and that certain reforms are necessary. All I ask is that the...

Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)

John McGuinness: ——and how short of policies we are.

Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)

John McGuinness: I reminded Deputy Costello during the course of that debate that it depends on how one looks at one's glass. Nobody in the House recognises that these difficult——-

Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)

John McGuinness: ——times are not experienced only by Ireland. They are worldwide. Every country has experience of that at one stage or another. I explained this. The Government is measured by how it manages the economy, how it puts in place the policies and the funding to deal with the issue, and by the confidence it has in different sectors. In the sector for which I am responsible, namely, the...

Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)

John McGuinness: The question is what we do now. In my view, small and medium enterprises, county enterprise boards and Enterprise Ireland are central to what we must do as we move into better times. To do that we must restore confidence within those companies. We must ensure credit is made available. It is no harm in the course of this debate, whether it comes from this side of the House or the other, to...

Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)

John McGuinness: We should criticise them in particular for inviting in companies which, after meeting with their bank managers, go away with much less than they brought. That is unforgivable in the economic situation we are experiencing. It shows that we must understand we are all in this together. It is not just Government policy that will take us out of this and it is not just the banks on their own...

Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)

John McGuinness: They are doing just that. We must not only talk about this here but must have a policy concerning it. We must do this in conjunction with the European Investment Bank and with the banks in this country. That is central to the county enterprise boards. If that encouragement comes from us, confidence can be built. We have made choices in the course of this situation. Deputy Costello...

Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)

John McGuinness: When one adds in the cost of travelling North and including the basket it cost €67 against the cost of doing the same shop in the South at €32. This should be made known to the consumer

Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)

John McGuinness: Issues must be explained beyond the rhetoric of Opposition politics——

Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)

John McGuinness: ——to the consumer so they understand fully whether they are getting value for money.