Results 24,921-24,940 of 26,653 for speaker:John McGuinness
- Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: Retailers, the business sector from which I have met many people, local authorities, chambers of commerce, their national representative groups and Government all have a role to play in this. I have every intention of ensuring we deal with the banks and the organisations and that we encourage people to shop locally, or in the South. We must show them the results of the market assessments...
- Small and Medium Enterprise. (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: The Deputy would be well able for us.
- Departmental Bodies. (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: The Deputy will appreciate that I have no role or function in the day to day operations of Enterprise Ireland and Shannon Development. My Department has responsibility for ensuring that corporate governance procedures, systems of financial control and reporting relationships are in place within those organisations. Both Enterprise Ireland and Shannon Development have confirmed that they...
- Departmental Bodies. (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: With regard to Shannon Development the same applies. We receive reports and it is monitored. Enterprise Ireland has 31 offices throughout the world so its activities must be taken into account with regard to its cost base and what value we get for it. With regard to missions abroad and what they achieve for business in Ireland I believe they give value for money in this context and I have...
- Departmental Bodies. (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: I do not accept what the Deputy states. These organisations and Departments come before the Committee of Public Accounts and every year their accounts are examined.
- Departmental Bodies. (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: It did not take that for this to happen. It has been happening and is happening in every State agency. Enterprise Ireland and Shannon Development have the same controls within their systems and have reported to my Department. I am answering the question before me on these organisations. I gave a reply on Shannon Development and Enterprise Ireland.
- Departmental Bodies. (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: Enterprise Ireland has 1,151 activities abroad in more than 30 offices.
- Departmental Bodies. (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: Whether there are controls within the organisations is reflected in the context of their annual reports and the audit procedure within the Committee of Public Accounts and the Comptroller and Auditor General.
- Departmental Bodies. (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: I am satisfied that I have received reports that they are working well.
- County Enterprise Boards. (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: The 35 county and city enterprise boards, CEBs, are the principal deliverers of State support to the micro-enterprise sector in Ireland. They provide support to businesses with ten or fewer employees in the start-up and expansion phases and they promote and develop indigenous micro-enterprise potential and stimulate economic activity and entrepreneurship at local level. As locally based...
- County Enterprise Boards. (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: There is a lot in what the Deputy is saying. I suggest it is time we had a full and broad discussion at the committee of which he is Chairman, the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment, about enterprise boards, the SME sector and so on, and how we are engaging with them. It should be remembered that from 1993 to 2007 almost â¬190 million was given out to the boards in grants....
- County Enterprise Boards. (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: I remind the Deputy that 20,000 companies have received assistance over the years from enterprise boards, and 35,000 jobs have been created.
- County Enterprise Boards. (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: That is also why I want more.
- County Enterprise Boards. (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: I have a firm belief in that sector. We should engage with such businesses to find out what supports we can give them in the context of their demands and the new economic circumstances, and that is exactly what I am doing. I am willing to consider new ways of supporting them and to discuss with the Deputy's committee what we can do within that budget and in view of the 16% increase we have...
- Small and Medium Enterprise. (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: The collection of taxes and the issue of attachment orders are the responsibility of the Revenue Commissioners. It is therefore not appropriate for me to comment on the execution of, or the administrative arrangements applying to attachment orders. Neither the Tánaiste nor I have had discussions with the Revenue Commissioners or with the Department of Finance in respect of attachment orders...
- Small and Medium Enterprise. (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: That is the Deputy's idea.
- Small and Medium Enterprise. (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: I understand that but I must explain to the Deputy that when Revenue comes before the Committee of Public Accounts, one will not meet a better organisation for explaining itself. It has been explained many times to me as a businessman, to the Committee of Public Accounts and to everybody else in business, that if a person has difficulty with paying taxes, the Revenue does not just drop on...
- Small and Medium Enterprise. (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: I am not lecturing the Deputy. He has given his side of the story which is not completely accurate. If people engage with Revenue they can actually work their way out of the problem. I have found Revenue to be flexible within the framework when dealing with these situations. On the question of attachment orders, a whole process leads up to the application of an attachment order. The...
- Small and Medium Enterprise. (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: We explained our understandings. I understand the Deputy's point. I met the Small Firms Association last week and this issue was not raised. I am not saying it is not an issue because I have had similar queries to my constituency office. I met the convenience store and newsagents association and this issue was not raised. However, I understand that it is an issue out there. I do not...
- Small and Medium Enterprise. (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: We will be meeting the banks shortly and I will undertake to raise the issue with them.