Results 3,721-3,740 of 16,746 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Business Supports (24 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Deputy for his question. We have taken a number of steps to address the concerns of small businesses and the challenge they are facing around rising costs. The increased cost of business scheme has paid out over €244 million in this year to almost 75,000 SMEs, which includes 38,000 SMEs in retail and hospitality. Recognising that businesses operating in retail and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Business Supports (24 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: There is an acknowledgment that we have introduced a lot of initiatives in recent years and that the sequencing of them was not properly thought out with respect to costs. It was not done. We have strengthened the SME test. The Cabinet signed off on that this week. It will ensure that far more vision is given to initiatives, and that they are sequenced and streamlined. As the Deputy...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Business Supports (24 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: There is lots there. The Minister, Deputy Burke, is conducting a consultation exercise on how the new sick pay changes are working. He is engaging with employers directly in that space to get their feedback. That will feed into future decisions with regard to sick pay. On retail, I absolutely agree with the Deputy. Retailers are the backbone of our economy. They sustain not just...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Job Losses (24 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: We fully appreciate how difficult the announced closure of Aer Lingus Cargo is for the employees, their families and the wider community. Our thoughts are with them. This is a commercial decision being made by Aer Lingus as a private company. We have no role in Aer Lingus’s commercial decisions and it would not be appropriate for any Minister to seek to intervene. However,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Job Losses (24 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: As a Government, we have responded to many of the Deputy's campaigns and calls on Shannon Airport. The Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Lawless, announced just last week €4.2 million for Shannon and Cork airports, and €47 million is being invested in Shannon Airport alone. We are very much committed to it and it is a very important part of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Job Losses (24 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: If there is a case to be made for investment in physical facilities, the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Lawless, will be more than open to it. We want to see Shannon strengthened. We have identified a very exciting future in terms of Shannon Estuary being an Atlantic green digital corridor. This has enormous potential for Shannon Airport and the supply chain,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (24 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: This Government has adopted an proactive approach to supporting Irish businesses across multiple crises over the last number of years. It is important to acknowledge the challenges that firms have faced over the last number of years, and I am aware of the concerns of businesses facing increased energy costs. As part of Budget 2024, this Government provided a €257 million package for my...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (24 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: Balanced regional enterprise development is a key focus for me and this Government as set out in the White Paper on Enterprise. My Department contributes to this agenda in several ways, including through the development, implementation and oversight of nine Regional Enterprise Plans, or REPs. The South-East REP is implemented at a regional level by a Steering Committee made up of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (24 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: The Increased Cost of Business Scheme (ICOB) has successfully paid out €244m to date to 75,000 SMEs right around the country, including over 38,000 SMEs in the retail and hospitality sector. The ICOB scheme is now closed to registrations. In answer to the Deputy's question, I can report the following statistics for Cork City and County. To date, Cork City Council has paid out...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Insurance Industry (24 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: The Injuries Resolution Board’s Annual Report 2023 showed how the organisation has delivered savings of over €75 million in avoided costs due to personal injury claims being resolved through its non-adversarial model rather than proceeding to litigation. It is important to acknowledge that there has been a significant reduction in the cost of injury claims through the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Middle East (24 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: My Department is the National Competent Authority with responsibility for Export Controls, including Controls on defence-related exports and exports of dual-use goods. Controls on the export of dual-use items are administered by my Department, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/821 of the European Parliament and of the Council setting up a Union regime for the control of exports,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Insurance Industry (24 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: This Government has prioritised reform of the insurance sector via our ‘Action Plan for Insurance Reform’ published in December 2020. The Action Plan set out 66 actions to create a more competitive, stable and consumer-friendly insurance environment. The action plan is now almost complete. Among key actions completed are the introduction of the Personal Injuries Guidelines;...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Insurance Industry (24 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: I welcome the 2023 Annual Report from the Injuries Resolution Board. The report provides further evidence of what has been achieved through government’s ‘Action Plan for Insurance Reform’. In 2023 the Board’s work delivered savings of over €75 million in avoided costs due to injury claims being resolved through the Board’s non-adversarial model...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Insurance Industry (24 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: In 2023 the Injuries Resolution Board delivered savings of over €75 million in avoided costs due to personal injury claims being resolved through the Board’s non-adversarial model rather than proceeding to litigation. These are real savings that should be passed onto insurance policy holders. In the 20 years since its establishment the agency is estimated to have contributed...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Small and Medium Enterprises (24 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: The National AI Strategy is part of a suite of Government digital strategies under the overarching National Digital Strategy, Harnessing Digital, published in February 2022. My Department is responsible for implementing the actions in both strategies that relate to digitalisation and AI adoption in enterprise. The overall aim of the AI Strategy is to drive the development and adoption of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Company Liquidations (23 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 81 and 82 together. At the outset, I should clarify that the information available to my Department relates to filings of companies registered with the Companies Registration Office (CRO). This does not include businesses operating as sole traders or unincorporated entities. At incorporation, companies are required to indicate the relevant NACE code...

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (22 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí ar fad as páirt a ghlacadh sa díospóireacht thábhachtach seo inniu. Níl mé ag iarraidh agus níl aon suim agam maslaí a thrádáil le haon duine sa Fhreasúra. I do not want to trade insults with anybody. I disagree with a lot of the policies, but I will say that in the case of the proposers,...

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (22 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: They would not serve.

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (22 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: They did not have the courage.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Consumer Protection (15 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 253 to 261, inclusive, together. My Department recognises the importance of ensuring that products placed on the market are safe. Menstrual products currently fall under the scope of the General Product Safety Directive 2001/95/EC1 as transposed into Irish law by S.I. No. 199/2004. These Regulations oblige producers to place only safe products on the...