Results 25,041-25,060 of 26,825 for speaker:John McGuinness

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (24 Mar 2009)

John McGuinness: Financial and non-financial assistance for small businesses and services in Ireland is delivered by a large number of bodies, including the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) (www.enterpriseboards.ie), Enterprise Ireland (www.enterprise-ireland.com) and FÁS (www.fas.ie). The individual concerned should, in the first instance, contact their local CEB, who will then advise how best to...

Written Answers — Health and Safety Inspections: Health and Safety Inspections (24 Mar 2009)

John McGuinness: I have made inquiries and understand that, in addition to routine inspections initiated by the inspector, the plant operator requested further visits for verification purposes. Verification visits are necessary when seals on instruments are broken for adjustment or repair or where scales in use are exchanged from non-trade to trade use. In some cases two-day visits are required because of...

Written Answers — Regulatory Burden: Regulatory Burden (24 Mar 2009)

John McGuinness: The extension of the audit exemption regime to small companies limited by guarantee is currently being examined by the Company Law Review Group as part of its 2008/2009 Work Programme and I will consider their recommendation(s) in the matter.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (10 Mar 2009)

John McGuinness: Following earlier contacts with the Revenue Commissioners Mr. Doherty made representations to my colleague Mr. Micheál Martin, TD, Minister for Foreign Affairs, whose office passed the enquiry to the Tánaiste for reply. The matter concerns the application by the Revenue Commissioners of VAT rules. This is a matter for which the Tánaiste has no responsibility. Accordingly, a reply issued on...

Written Answers — Health and Safety Inspections: Health and Safety Inspections (25 Feb 2009)

John McGuinness: The number of meat plants inspected over the three-year period is as follows: 2006: 8; 2007: 22; and 2008: 11. The following table details the meat plants inspected and the dates of inspection. No breaches of the legislation requiring prosecution were found. Following the resolution of an industrial relations issue relating to the hiring of private haulage for the conveyance and lifting of...

Export Credit Insurance. (24 Feb 2009)

John McGuinness: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter, with which I am familiar and which is of great concern to the exporters and companies he mentioned. Since the State withdrew from the provision of export credit insurance in 1998, exporters have been able to avail of such insurance on the open market as commercial operators made such cover easily available and there was significant take-up...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (24 Feb 2009)

John McGuinness: I refer the Deputy to my replies to Priority Question No 67 and Oral Question No 76 on 10 December 2008, where I set out in detail to the House, the various initiatives and measures in place to address the credit crunch and its impact on SMEs, through Enterprise Ireland, the 35 County and City Enterprise Boards, FAS and my own Department, as a follow-up to the Small Business Forum's Report....

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (24 Feb 2009)

John McGuinness: The 35 County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) were set up in 1993 to provide support for small businesses with 10 employees or fewer (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...

Work Permits. (24 Feb 2009)

John McGuinness: The schemes are reviewed every six months. There is a constant change in the context of the labour market and that change is reflected in the review. The statistics, both here and across Europe, indicate that the numbers coming in to seek employment are reducing quite rapidly. There is a need for us to adjust accordingly and as that change takes place, depending on the area about which we...

Work Permits. (24 Feb 2009)

John McGuinness: The fees issue is under review and out for consultation at present. The comments made by the Deputy can be taken into consideration in the context of that review.

Work Permits. (24 Feb 2009)

John McGuinness: Deputy Naughten has just answered his own question. It is being reviewed and he just acknowledged it is being reviewed.

Work Permits. (24 Feb 2009)

John McGuinness: Deputy Naughten asked one question and answered it. He answered his own question——

Work Permits. (24 Feb 2009)

John McGuinness: ——and acknowledged that, in fact, it is being reviewed.

Work Permits. (24 Feb 2009)

John McGuinness: On the fees, consultation is taking place and comments made by Deputy Naughten can be taken into consideration in terms of that consultation.

Work Permits. (24 Feb 2009)

John McGuinness: Better that than waffling from the Deputy's side of the House.

Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. (24 Feb 2009)

John McGuinness: I have no plans to establish a State guaranteed loan for small and medium-sized enterprises, SMEs. The Government's recapitalisation scheme for Allied Irish Banks and Bank of Ireland, announced on Wednesday, 11 February 2009, is a fundamental requirement in restoring stability to our financial sector. Such stability will ensure that the financial institutions can actively contribute to our...

Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. (24 Feb 2009)

John McGuinness: If the Deputy had listened to the answer, he would know that I referred to mortgages because if they are not taken up, they can be moved on to the SME sector. As regards the meetings the Tánaiste had with the banks in terms of businesses, banking and funding, all those issues can be taken up by the private sector in terms of purchasing any company, including the companies the Deputy...

Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. (24 Feb 2009)

John McGuinness: That is not the answer.

Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. (24 Feb 2009)

John McGuinness: The banks have already made an application for the money from Europe, so that is currently under way and has been identified.

Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. (24 Feb 2009)

John McGuinness: As regards the Deputy's other question, there are many examples, such as the one he gave. In response to that, there will be an independent review of banks' lending to ensure that they are responding positively to the SME sector. That has been set up. The banking arrangement with the SME sector will be the focus of attention to ensure that what the Deputy is requesting does happen.