Results 281-300 of 1,021,529 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Aodhán Ó Ríordáin OR speaker:Mick Barry)

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Export Controls (23 May 2024)

Matt Carthy: 56. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on his efforts to ensure that dual-use items exported to Israel are not used in military applications. [23276/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Export Controls (23 May 2024)

Matt Carthy: As the Minister knows, dual-use items are items that can have either a civilian or, importantly in this case, a military use or capability. Over recent years, the Government and the Department have been signing off on an increasing number of licences for dual-use items to be exported to Israel from Ireland. Can the Minister assure the House that not a single one of those items is being used...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Export Controls (23 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an gceist. Our Department is the national competent authority with responsibility for export controls, including those relating to defence-related exports and the export of dual-use goods. Controls on the export of dual-use items are administered by my Department in accordance with Regulation No. 2021/821 of the European Parliament and of the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Export Controls (23 May 2024)

Matt Carthy: Those words would count for more if there were a single instance where the Department had refused a licence. There is a big question mark over the rationale and the reason the number of dual-licence products - these are products that can be used by military forces - has actually been increasing in recent years. The value of these products from Ireland to Israel was €4.7 million in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Export Controls (23 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: I agree with the Deputy. We are crystal clear that nothing we do will support the war that is under way. That is why we have such rigorous criteria. If the Deputy believes that those criteria have let things slip through, he should let me know and I will absolutely follow up on the matter. Applications for dual-use licences in respect of exports to Israel are assessed rigorously on a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Export Controls (23 May 2024)

Matt Carthy: With due respect to the Minister of State, he is asking me to do his job for him. He talks about the interactions with the Department of Foreign Affairs. That Department is obliged under its own criteria to consider "Respect for human rights in the country of final destination as well as respect by that country of international humanitarian law". How the hell can we be allowing any licence...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Export Controls (23 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: I assure the Deputy I am not asking him to do my job, nor will I do so. We have a rigorous process. The Deputy is insinuating that said process is allowing things to slip through. If he has backup to that insinuation, he should provide it to us and I will be able to give him relevant and accurate information. We have a rigorous process that involves our Department and the Department of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Export Controls (23 May 2024)

Matt Carthy: Not a single licence has ever been refused.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Export Controls (23 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: I am confident in standing over that process. As Ministers in the Department, Deputies Burke and Higgins and I regularly challenge our officials to make sure it is rigorous, particularly in respect of Israel.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Industrial Development (23 May 2024)

Industrial Development

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Industrial Development (23 May 2024)

David Stanton: 57. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to report on his Department's Powering Prosperity: Ireland's Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy, which was published in March; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23263/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Industrial Development (23 May 2024)

David Stanton: I ask the Minister if he agrees with the implication in Powering Prosperity: Ireland's Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy, published by his Department, that there are thousands of potential jobs, maybe hundreds of thousands of potential jobs, in this whole area from the point of view of assembling and maintaining the turbine infrastructure, having the upstream and downstream maintenance,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Industrial Development (23 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Deputy for his question. I absolutely agree with its premise and his ambition. It is the core ambition of Powering Prosperity: Ireland's Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy, published by our Department last March. The strategy ensures that Ireland maximises the economic benefits associated with our climate and offshore renewable energy, ORE, targets. I commend Deputy Coveney,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Business Supports (23 May 2024)

Peter Burke: Deputy Smith is right to point out the pressure that small manufacturing and engineering businesses, particularly start-ups, are under with regard to access to finance. It is very important that they get finance at competitive rates. With regard to helping existing SMEs with their working capital, the new Microfinance Ireland thresholds are increasing from €25,000 to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Industrial Development (23 May 2024)

Industrial Development

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Industrial Development (23 May 2024)

Bernard Durkan: 55. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which his Department continues to ensure the competitiveness of this country’s trade and industry sectors in an increasingly competitive world market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23229/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Industrial Development (23 May 2024)

Bernard Durkan: This question is on the same theme of competitiveness, the health of the trade and industry sectors and the degree to which they can remain competitive in an increasingly competitive and challenging marketplace.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Industrial Development (23 May 2024)

Peter Burke: I thank Deputy Durkan for his very important question. Ireland is recognised as one of the most competitive economies in the world and performs well in international rankings of competitiveness. In June 2023, Ireland was ranked as the second most competitive country in the world in the IMD world competitiveness rankings. The 2024 iteration of these rankings is due to be published in the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Industrial Development (23 May 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. In passing, I congratulate him and his colleagues on their elevation or their retention of their very important positions. The points the Minister has raised in regard to the contributory factors that might challenge the competitiveness of trade and industry are the issues I would like to concentrate on. All sectors of industry know the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Industrial Development (23 May 2024)

Peter Burke: I concur with the Deputy that we can never take our eye off the ball when we have an open and strong economy like Ireland's. We have to continue to work. It is very important that we have a pipeline of €165 billion for the next decade for capital infrastructure because infrastructure improvements will attract new businesses and keep our economy competitive. We have seen in the...