Results 25,121-25,140 of 26,825 for speaker:John McGuinness
- Written Answers — Small Business Sector: Small Business Sector (26 Nov 2008)
John McGuinness: My Department provides funding to a number of State Agencies, including the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs), Enterprise Ireland, and FÃS, through whom assistance is delivered directly to small businesses in the North Dublin region. Enterprise Ireland's activity is focussed on the creation of new jobs through supporting entrepreneurs in manufacturing and internationally traded...
- Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion (Resumed) (26 Nov 2008)
John McGuinness: Like the Opposition I welcome the opportunity to debate the issues associated with the SME sector in the current economic situation with the loss of jobs and so forth. However, one cannot take this debate without considering the world situation. I understand the comments of Deputy Costello concerning the global situation, which was mentioned twice. Let us consider the position throughout...
- Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion (Resumed) (26 Nov 2008)
John McGuinness: No one could have predicted the Americans would nationalise the banks and that a further â¬800 billion would be tossed into the USA economy, that China would do likewise in the past few weeks, or that the property sector there could be as effective as it is here. We are not immune from the impact of the global economy, because we have strived in recent years to be a part and parcel of the...
- Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion (Resumed) (26 Nov 2008)
John McGuinness: It is important to recognise what is happening.
- Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion (Resumed) (26 Nov 2008)
John McGuinness: The Opposition Deputies present should examine their counties and the work of the county enterprise boards, some 35 of which are doing an excellent job. The budget in my Department has been increased by 9%.
- Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion (Resumed) (26 Nov 2008)
John McGuinness: The budget of the county enterprise boards has been increased by 16%. Some 2,700 companies and businesses are registered each month and 1,000 of those companies are registered by women.
- Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion (Resumed) (26 Nov 2008)
John McGuinness: Today in Mullingar some 4,000 women met to discuss the promotion of their businesses, to discuss how to gain from State agencies and how to gain a better understanding of ways to create and grow their business.
- Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion (Resumed) (26 Nov 2008)
John McGuinness: They displayed a confidence in the future and in what they could achieve within their own communities and businesses by way of job creation. I take my hat off to them. However, there are very few in the House who recognise their achievements.
- Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion (Resumed) (26 Nov 2008)
John McGuinness: There are very few on the Opposition benches who recognise the work of Enterprise Ireland on behalf of small companies. They consider the reverse scenario. Deputy Stagg is incorrect.
- Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion (Resumed) (26 Nov 2008)
John McGuinness: The question is how ones deals with the situation.
- Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion (Resumed) (26 Nov 2008)
John McGuinness: One does not deal with it by crying into one's beer. One deals with it by standing up and taking the challenge to the outside economies.
- Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion (Resumed) (26 Nov 2008)
John McGuinness: They are engaging with me and distracting me from the Chair. Enterprise Ireland should be used in the same way as the county enterprise boards, whereby there is seamless availability of support, funding, mentoring systems and continued education.
- Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion (Resumed) (26 Nov 2008)
John McGuinness: That is what Irish business is doing. Irish business people are travelling abroad in numbers. Some â¬24 million was accrued in Latin America during the last trade mission and some â¬65 million on the trade mission to China. This was not done by Enterprise Ireland, but by Irish companies which are putting their money where their mouth is. They are going abroad and creating a footprint in...
- Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion (Resumed) (26 Nov 2008)
John McGuinness: I recognise there is a issue with the banks.
- Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion (Resumed) (26 Nov 2008)
John McGuinness: It is important that we record the matter. Deputy Stagg has delivered a great deal of negative comment.
- Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion (Resumed) (26 Nov 2008)
John McGuinness: I would not like to be looking into his glass. Of course we must deal with the banks. I recognise there is an issue with how they draw down that money from Europe. I believe there is a necessity on the part of Government to urge and pressurise and to ensure that the small and medium enterprise sector is supported to the extent that it continues to be viable in the future.
- Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion (Resumed) (26 Nov 2008)
John McGuinness: The small and medium enterprise sector has created 800,000 jobs. Some 95% of these companies emerged from the activities of county enterprise boards, Enterprise Ireland and the activities of the IDA. Let us consider the knowledge economy and research and development. Although we lost 70 jobs in County Kilkenny today, I respect what happened there. I will support the workers to ensure their...
- Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion (Resumed) (26 Nov 2008)
John McGuinness: That is to misrepresent what I said.
- Written Answers — Export Levels: Export Levels (20 Nov 2008)
John McGuinness: The Irish Government is strongly supportive of Irish exporting firms working to increase their level of exports on world markets. My Department, through Enterprise Ireland, is active both nationally at the developmental local level and, through promotional activities carried out from a range of locations abroad, in assisting Irish indigenous companies to find new markets for their products...
- Written Answers — Trade Statistics: Trade Statistics (20 Nov 2008)
John McGuinness: The official statistics show that during last year and so far in 2008, Ireland has neither exported nor imported any goods to or from Bhutan. Therefore no companies from either country engaged in trade. Bhutan is not a priority market for Ireland at this time, and we have no plans to foster trade links there in the foreseeable future.