Results 25,681-25,700 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (29 Mar 2011)

Richard Bruton: The Government has published a comprehensive programme setting out its goals over the full range of policy concerns. The Government will address this programme over its term of office in a measured and prioritised way. In accordance with the Programme, consideration will be given to the introduction of new legislation to protect all small building contractors that have been denied payments...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (29 Mar 2011)

Richard Bruton: I intend to have proposals for the establishment of BILA developed by the end of May. While the concept of a single licensing and inspection authority spans the remit of a number of Government Departments, I intend to initiate arrangements within my Department in the first instance and to build from there. I am currently appraising the core objectives, activities and structures of the...

Written Answers — Innovation Fund: Innovation Fund (29 Mar 2011)

Richard Bruton: Innovation Fund Ireland is part of a suite of policy initiatives to position Ireland as a Global Innovation Hub. The overall objective of the Innovation Fund is not just to increase the availability and diversity of smart capital for start-up and scaling firms, but also to transform the market by attracting top tier fund managers to Ireland and support the further development of the venture...

Written Answers — Company Law: Company Law (29 Mar 2011)

Richard Bruton: The Company Law Review Group (CLRG) gave in-depth consideration, over a period of 4 years, to the reform of partnership law, in particular to the possibility of introducing Limited Liability Partnerships for accountants and solicitors. In general, the CLRG did not find any strong tide of opinion running in favour of introducing Limited Liability Partnerships. However, the Group did say that...

Written Answers — Enterprise Support Services: Enterprise Support Services (29 Mar 2011)

Richard Bruton: In the current economic climate entrepreneurship, and the growth and development of small Irish businesses, is central to economic recovery, and it is essential that Irish enterprises continue to be supported. The Programme for Government includes a number of key issues to assist SMEs in the current environment and we are committed to introducing a Jobs Fund within the first 100 days. This...

Written Answers — Ministerial Responsibilities: Ministerial Responsibilities (29 Mar 2011)

Richard Bruton: Mr John Perry, T.D., has been assigned responsibility for the Small Business portfolio. The appointment of a Minister for Small Business reflects the importance the Government attaches to the sector and the contribution the sector can make to our overall economic recovery and growth. The detailed range of duties and associated legislative provisions that will accompany this portfolio are...

Departmental Agencies (29 Mar 2011)

Richard Bruton: The idea of introducing trade into the Foreign Affairs brief is to get a better focus from the diplomatic service on the need to make those embassies the selling point for Ireland, both in investment and in trade. The need to use that instrument in which we invest to best advantage is shared widely across the House. To be fair, many of those embassies are already doing that. That is the...

Enterprise Support Services (29 Mar 2011)

Richard Bruton: I am discussing with Enterprise Ireland how its programmes could be better adapted to help small and medium enterprises to develop export opportunities. The programme for Government includes proposals to have a better system to allow foreign buyers easily source Irish products and to help companies now operating principally in the home market to launch into exporting. There are a number of...

Enterprise Support Services (29 Mar 2011)

Richard Bruton: We are proposing the creation of a €100 million micro-enterprise fund that will be aimed specifically at such companies. We hope it will be rolled out in what is a competitive area. It will not only be confined to county enterprise boards, although they could be a feature. There are other useful groups supporting new start-ups such as First Step which is predominantly based in Dublin...

Enterprise Support Services (29 Mar 2011)

Richard Bruton: The co-operative model is one of a number of legal options available to those considering establishing themselves in business and the different models have their own distinct characteristics. It is, of course, up to each individual operation to choose the model that best suits the nature of the business and the desired ethos of the entity. The Department issued a consultation paper on the...

Employment Regulation Orders (29 Mar 2011)

Richard Bruton: The review of the joint labour committee, JLC, and registered employment agreements, REA, mechanisms was initiated on 8 February 2011 last and is being undertaken jointly by Mr. Kevin Duffy, Chairman of the Labour Court acting in an ad hoc capacity and Dr. Frank Walsh, School of Economics, UCD, under specific terms of reference. Deputy Calleary was party to their appointment and I recognise...

Employment Regulation Orders (29 Mar 2011)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for his good wishes and I pay tribute to his work while Minister of State with responsibility for labour affairs. He is correct to say that no progress has been made towards publication of the report but I remind him it was he who set the timeframe for the report to be presented and that date has not yet been reached. It is expected that this report will be on time and...

Employment Regulation Orders (29 Mar 2011)

Richard Bruton: The issue of the minimum wage is under consideration and it is a commitment in the programme for Government. I believe that in order to be successful, these projects need to be kept in harness. As part of increasing the minimum wage a balanced package will require greater flexibility in setting wages and other terms and conditions related to it. I would regard these two processes of...

Job Creation (29 Mar 2011)

Richard Bruton: The programme for Government is a national programme, aimed at fixing the banking system, restoring growth and confidence to the economy and supporting the protection and creation of jobs. As Minister with responsibility for jobs, enterprise and innovation, my objective is to create the conditions across all sectors of the economy and in all regions – including the Border region - to...

Job Creation (29 Mar 2011)

Richard Bruton: I must first thank the Deputy for his good wishes which are very much appreciated. I recognise the problem described by Deputy Tóibín that people living in the Border region have to deal with currency movements, differences in tax regimes and in inflation rates and these are serious problems for them. A Government which is committed to finding an extra €9 billion through either tax...

Job Creation (29 Mar 2011)

Richard Bruton: I accept that the challenges are huge, but the clear commitment of Government to introduce something in the first 100 days shows a serious sense of urgency in this regard. Equally the Deputy will be aware that we need to design workable proposals and time needs to be taken to ensure these are effective. The notion that we ought to harmonise our tax regime with Northern Ireland, the UK or...

Programmes for Government (29 Mar 2011)

Richard Bruton: Job creation is central to our economic recovery and the programme for Government has job creation at its core. The role of my Department is to ensure we have the right policies in place that will support and increase our enterprise base in order to facilitate both job creation and job retention. It is only by creating the right environment for businesses to expand that we will see new jobs...

Programmes for Government (29 Mar 2011)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for the question. Obviously I am restricted in answering a question to account for my own stewardship, if one likes. My area of responsibility refers to the enterprise sector predominantly. There are targets; it is not that we have not set targets. To be fair to the previous Government, targets have been committed to by Enterprise Ireland to create 60,000 jobs over the...

Economic Competitiveness (29 Mar 2011)

Richard Bruton: The retail sector, like every other sector of the economy, has been affected by the global economic crisis and by the loss of competitiveness in our economy. While Ireland has regained some of its competitiveness in the past two years, for example through reductions in electricity and gas prices for business and the reduction or freezing of local authority rates in 2010, this Government is...

Economic Competitiveness (29 Mar 2011)

Richard Bruton: I will have to curtail the answers to stay within the requirements of the Chair.