Results 25,081-25,100 of 26,825 for speaker:John McGuinness
- 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 courseââ
- 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: ââand 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 difficultââ-
- Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: ââtimes 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 â¬67 against the cost of doing the same shop in the South at â¬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 politicsââ
- Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)
John McGuinness: ââto the consumer so they understand fully whether they are getting value for money.
- 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.