Results 481-500 of 4,792 for speaker:Neale Richmond

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (6 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: The occupation of Food Process Operative, which is the job category for workers involved in the preparation and manufacture of tofu, is currently on the Ineligible Occupations List and, as such, employment permits cannot be granted for this occupation. The outcome of the most recent review of the occupations lists for employment permits was announced last December. The review comprised a...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (5 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: While policy responsibility for Social Enterprises lies with Minister Heather Humphreys and the Department of Rural and Community Development, my Department, through the White Paper on Enterprise 2022-2030, recognises Social Enterprises as an important and growing part of Ireland’s enterprise ecosystem. Social Enterprises contribute to our communities by creating jobs, stimulating...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flood Relief Schemes (5 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: The Emergency Humanitarian Flooding Scheme was available to businesses with up to 20 employees, (whole-time equivalents), community, voluntary and sporting bodies that through no fault of their own could not secure flood insurance. This Scheme closed to applications on 15 December 2023. The Scheme was intended as an emergency humanitarian assistance contribution only and not as...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (5 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: The final Report of the Interdepartmental Group on Economic Migration Policy containing the outcome of the Review of the Employment Permit Occupations Lists was both published on the Department's website on the 20th of December last. The report details comprehensive changes to the employment permits system, with 43 changes to the jobs eligible for an employment permit, the extension of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (5 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: The 2023 Review of the Employment Permits Occupation Lists has delivered comprehensive changes to the employment permits system, with changes to the eligibility of 43 occupation for either a General Employment Permit (GEP) or a Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP). A number of new quotas were opened up to provide GEP access for previously ineligible occupations such as that of Car...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (5 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: The final Report of the Interdepartmental Group on Economic Migration Policy containing the outcome of the Review of the Employment Permit Occupations Lists was published on the Department's website on the 20th of December last. The report details comprehensive changes to the employment permits system, with 43 changes to the jobs eligible for an employment permit and the extension of...

An Bille um an Aonú Leasú is Daichead ar an mBunreacht (An Comhaontú maidir le Cúirt Aontaithe um Paitinní), 2024: An Dara Céim - Forty-first Amendment of the Constitution (Agreement on a Unified Patent Court) Bill 2024: Second Stage (29 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: In particular, I thank the seven Deputies who contributed to this important debate, which was conducted in a good tone. I want to address some of the issues that were raised before we conclude this Stage. With regard to the comments made by Deputy O’Reilly, I welcome her support for the legislation and her decision to see the wording in it before she makes a decision. She may...

An Bille um an Aonú Leasú is Daichead ar an mBunreacht (An Comhaontú maidir le Cúirt Aontaithe um Paitinní), 2024: An Dara Céim - Forty-first Amendment of the Constitution (Agreement on a Unified Patent Court) Bill 2024: Second Stage (29 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: Tairgim: “Go léifear an Bille don Dara hUair anois.” I move: “That the Bill be now read a Second Time.” I welcome the opportunity to introduce the Forty-first Amendment to the Constitution (Agreement on a Unified Patent Court) Bill 2024 to the House. In line with Article 46 of the Constitution, the Bill sets out a proposal for an amendment of the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (29 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: Details of the application procedures in respect of Employment Permits are set out on the Department's website at Employment Permits - DETE (enterprise.gov.ie). This includes information on the permit types, eligibility requirements, checklists and user guides.

Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (28 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: I genuinely appreciate Deputy O'Reilly's kind words in regard to officials. Trust me, no offence was taken by me. She is dead right in everything she said. Ultimately, despite that level of bonhomie I cannot accept the amendment.

Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (28 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: I think Deputy Barry is breaking the third wall. On the Deputy's proposed new section 621A, section 608 of the Companies Act 2014 already provides that where it can be established that the effect of the transfer of assets has been to defraud creditors, the company or its members, the court can order the return of these assets which have been improperly transferred. Under this provision,...

Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (28 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: Yes.

Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (28 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: I will come back to the Deputy directly on that within the next hour, if that is okay. I do not have that information to hand, as he can appreciate. The amendment may also incentivise employers and employees to have enhanced collective agreements ahead of insolvency situations in the knowledge that they will be funded from the sale of assets and-or State funding via the Social Insurance...

Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (28 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: This merits a further response and further discussion because the points have been well made by Deputy O'Reilly. It is important to remember that while certain insolvencies have attracted lots of negative headlines, and rightly so, most company directors want to do the right thing and they do their best accordingly. In 2021, the ODCE noted its reviews of liquidation showed that in more than...

Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (28 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: I appreciate the Deputy's intentions but I cannot accept this amendment. The intent behind the section is to oblige directors to notify employees and their representatives, where they exist in the company concerned, of the petition they have filed at court. The court, under a consequential amendment by section 21 to section 572 of the Companies Act, could have regard to whether the company...

Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (28 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: I appreciate what the Deputy is trying to do and do not doubt it. The difference between intention and what happens in practice and possible legal interpretation, unfortunately, is too confusing in this case in terms of an act of law. On the minimum wage directive, we had a debate on this in this House. Meetings of the high level working group continue at pace and I reiterate that I...

Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (28 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: I thank the Deputy for the amendment and I appreciate the rationale with which I am not in massive disagreement, as we have discussed. However, as we discussed on Committee Stage, I cannot accept this amendment, which appears to require the employer or responsible person to initiate consultations with a European works council, where established, on proposed collective redundancies. This is...

Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (28 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: On the Deputy's first point, three meetings have taken place on this since we last met, which was in Nemours on 10 January. There was an intention to have general agreement by the end of the Belgian Presidency. As to what will happen then and the impact on the EU's ordinary legislative process, I can only speak from experience and 15 years of working at a European Union level and everything...

EU Talent Pool: Motion (28 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: Of course.

EU Talent Pool: Motion (28 Feb 2024)

Neale Richmond: I do not know if this would be within the rules of the House but I am more than happy to give way if any Members do happen to come in. There is some time left on this debate. This is an important debate and if someone is rushing up from a committee room, and this is in the gift of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, of course, but my colleagues and I are more than happy to be flexible. I...