Results 461-480 of 4,707 for speaker:Neale Richmond

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Work Permits (8 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: To get to the nub of the question, a decision was made to make a temporary deferral. I have laid out in depth the reason for that here, in our previous discussion on a Bill, and indeed to anyone who has raised a direct question, and I believe Deputy Barry raised it on Questions on Promised Legislation. These deferrals are temporary. The minimum thresholds for work permits are set in all...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Film Industry (8 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: I thank the Deputy for this question on an issue that he has raised consistently here and during our time on the finance committee together. As he knows, Ireland has a comprehensive body of employment, equality and industrial relations legislation, which offers the same protections to all employees legally employed under a contract of employment. All employers, regardless of sector, are...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Film Industry (8 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: I appreciate the point the Deputy is making. He refers rightly to the case in December before the WRC where it released decisions in respect of a sample group of complaints made by 38 members of the industry. Those decisions are, of course, being appealed to the Labour Court. Separately, the Labour Court issued a decision last month in respect of another complaint related to the industry....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Film Industry (8 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: I will make two points. Regarding the protections provided under the section 481 tax relief application, the application is clear that the relationship between the producer company and the qualifying company – the DAC – has to be informed by the 1994 Act, which entitles an employee to certain information about his or her employer, including full names and details, to ensure...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Work Permits (8 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: Last December, I published the outcome of the review of the occupations lists for employment permits, which signalled the Government’s intention to increase the minimum salary thresholds for employment permits, including those associated with healthcare assistants and home care workers. The purpose of this change is to ensure fair treatment for employment permit holders and to allow...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (8 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: The 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) play an extremely important role providing supports directly to small businesses and promoting entrepreneurship within towns and communities across the country. They are the ‘first stop shop’ at a local level providing expert advice and guidance, financial assistance, and offer a ‘signposting’ service for all Government...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (8 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: Ireland has a comprehensive body of employment, equality, and industrial relations legislation, in respect of which the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) is mandated to secure compliance. Ireland’s employment rights legislation protects all employees who are legally employed on an employer-employee basis. All employers, regardless of sector, are responsible for ensuring that their...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Job Creation (8 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: The company in question is at an early stage of development and is being supported by Enterprise Ireland to explore business opportunities both in China and across the wider nutritional powders market. There are currently a small number of full time workers employed on site with an expectation that employment numbers will increase as the business develops. For reasons of commercial...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (8 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: The Green for Business scheme forms part of a suite of Lean, Green and Digital supports offered by the Local Enterprise Offices (LEO) to enable small businesses to be more efficient, productive, and sustainable. It is a free programme that helps small businesses take the first step towards becoming more sustainable. It is also a necessary requirement for businesses to undertake in order to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Small and Medium Enterprises (8 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: The Government is fully committed to backing business and will continue to work closely with SMEs nationwide by supporting their growth, helping them to find new markets and stimulating job creation. I know that at present, SMEs are facing several challenges, due in particular to rising energy costs, inflation, and a tight labour market as well as measures which are aimed at improving...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (8 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), play a key role as part of a supportive ecosystem to foster entrepreneurship within towns and communities across the country. They are the ‘first stop shop’ providing expert advice and guidance, financial assistance, and offer a ‘signposting’ service for all Government supports available to business owners throughout the...

Death of Former Taoiseach: Expressions of Sympathy (7 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: I rise to express sympathy, on my behalf and on that of the Fine Gael organisation in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and my predecessor Olivia Mitchell, to the Bruton family on the sad passing of John. I express that sympathy to Finola, the children, our dear colleague and friend Richard and Mary, who is someone I knew before I knew the other Brutons. She was my wife's employer for a long time...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (7 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: Joint Labour Committees (JLCs) are independent in their functions. If a JLC adopts proposals for an Employment Regulation Order (ERO) for a sector, it will submit them to the Labour Court for consideration. The Labour Court will then make a decision on the adoption of the proposals. If the Court decides to adopt the proposals, a copy is presented to me and, if I consider it appropriate to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Schemes (7 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) Flooding Relief Scheme is an emergency humanitarian contribution for businesses, (up to 20 employees), community, voluntary and sporting bodies, who are unable to secure flooding insurance though no fault of their own, to assist them in returning their premises to their pre-flood condition. In relation to non-flooding damage to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: State Bodies (7 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: Enterprise Ireland currently has 7 staff working in their Melbourne, Seattle, and Montreal offices, broken down as follows: MELBOURNE Job Title WTE Senior Market Adviser 1 Market Adviser 1 International Graduate 1 Total 3 ...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (7 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: The Deputy will be aware of the excellent advice and support offered by the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) as the first stop shop for anyone looking for general business advice including on starting a business. Based within the 31 Local Authorities, they provide a signposting service for all Government supports available to SMEs. They provide businesses with information and advice,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (7 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: I announced the report of the 2023 Review of the Employment Permits Occupation Lists in December last which delivered comprehensive changes to the employment permits system. The report comprised the addition of 11 roles to the critical skills occupations list and the removal of 32 roles from the ineligible occupations list (with or without quota) thus becoming eligible for a general...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Joint Labour Committees (7 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: Joint Labour Committees (JLCs) are independent in their functions. If a JLC adopts proposals for an Employment Regulation Order (ERO) for a sector, it will submit them to the Labour Court for consideration. The Labour Court will then make a decision on the adoption of the proposals. If the Court decides to adopt the proposals, a copy is presented to me and, if I consider it appropriate to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (7 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: The Implementation Group was established to oversee the recommendations contained in the Review of the Atypical Working Scheme for non-EEA Crew in the Irish Fishing Fleet Report. The Group includes representatives from sector agencies and three Government Departments with responsibility for one action falling under my own Department. My Department has engaged with An Bord Iascaigh Mhara...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: State Bodies (7 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: Enterprise Ireland is the Irish Government’s agency responsible for the development and growth of Irish companies in global markets. With 39 offices worldwide, Enterprise Ireland’s team of international market advisers work with Irish companies to accelerate their exports across the globe. In addition to these market teams, and to best serve the wide range of Irish client...