Results 521-540 of 1,020,173 for in 'Dáil debates' OR speaker:Máire Hoctor in 'Committee meetings'

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (23 May 2024)

Peter Burke: When the scheme closed a week ago, we had about 76,000 registrations. That was roughly 60% of all businesses that qualified for the increased cost of business grant. A decision was then taken to open the scheme for a further two weeks and to run a very strong and robust advertising campaign, which we hope will encourage additional uptake in the run down to next Wednesday. I appeal to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (23 May 2024)

Matt Shanahan: As the Minister knows, some of the burden in costs is due to the environment of increased costs inflation, but a large part has been brought about by the progressive costs introduced by the Government. I have advocated for quite some time to Deputy Varadkar, when he was Taoiseach, and to Deputy Coveney, when he was Minister, and now I am saying it to Deputy Burke as Minister, as I have said...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (23 May 2024)

Peter Burke: Again, I thank the Deputy for his question. We have worked with all sectors. I met ISME yesterday, along with another number of business sectoral groups. We are working with them to progressively keep improving the business environment in which they operate. I point out that inflation has halved since November 2022. That demonstrates that Government policies are working. We really did...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (23 May 2024)

Employment Rights

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (23 May 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: 51. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when he will have conducted his review of the ESRI research on the impact of statutory sick leave; the reasons he has taken this approach; and the reason he is deviating from the Government's initial timeline. [23125/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (23 May 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: My question relates to the review of the ESRI research into the impact of statutory sick leave. I want to understand why the Government is taking its current approach and why it is deviating from its own initial timeline. When will the review be concluded?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (23 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: As the Deputy is aware, the Sick Leave Act 2022 introduced employer-paid, medically certified, statutory sick leave for the first time in Ireland. From 1 January 2023, the initial statutory entitlement was up to thee days' sick leave, which increased to five days on 1 January 2024. As the Deputy will be aware, statutory sick leave, and its phased roll-out, was designed in consultation with...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (23 May 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: Is the Minister of State saying the report will be published before the end of the year? Will we have a chance to debate it here on the floor of the Dáil? I hope we will and I can tell the Minister of State that I will definitely be looking for that debate if it is not offered by the Government because it is important. I saw the Minister of State's little video. I do not follow her...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (23 May 2024)

Seán Canney: I thank the Minister. I take solace from the fact he spoke about regional development. It is important we are all singing off the same hymn sheet. It is also important for colleges to have a decision as soon as possible. Many pieces of the jigsaw need to be put together, but I believe the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is on board. I look forward to an announcement at the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (23 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I do not have anything more to add. We are taking this issue very seriously. I hope to be in a position to make an announcement with regard to this as soon as possible. However, there is a caveat having had regard to all of the indicators I set out, which the Deputy will appreciate as a former Minister.

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

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Programmes (23 May 2024)

Departmental Programmes

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Programmes (23 May 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: 49. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment what his Department intends to do to increase the number of Irish businesses using big data, the cloud, and AI. [23124/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Programmes (23 May 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: My question relates to the number of Irish businesses using big data. I want to ask the Minister of State about the digital intensity of Irish businesses, specifically SMEs. While I appreciate some businesses cannot be any more digitally intensified, there is scope there. We know digitisation is one of the twin challenges facing our economy now and into the future. I ask for an update on...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Programmes (23 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Deputy. Our Department is taking action on three fronts to increase the number of Irish businesses using big data, the cloud and AI. First, we are engaging with experts. I chair the newly refreshed enterprise digital advisory forum, which comprises industry and expert representatives and provides valuable advice and perspectives on how we can best help businesses to digitalise...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Programmes (23 May 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: I thank the Minister of State for the response. In his follow-up response, he might address how we compare with the targets set in harnessing digital 2030. The four Ds of demographics, decarbonisation, digitalisation and de-globalisation are key trends likely to transform our economy over the next decade. Increasing digitisation is foundational in terms of putting the economy on the front...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Programmes (23 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: I agree with the Deputy. We tend to monitor them. We work with the EU so that there is independent monitoring. We are one of the most advanced EU member states in that context. The EU digital economic and society index, known as DESI, published as part of the report on the digital decade, shows that Ireland has a leading position in the EU in terms of SMEs, with a basic level of digital...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Programmes (23 May 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: It is a brave Minister who would mention the portal in the current climate, so fair play to you. The Minister referenced 22.7% of business using big data, which is a small figure. I appreciate he said the figures are not where he would like them to be. Of the 75% not using big data, a substantial portion could and should be using it. I would like a bigger focus on encouraging that. We...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Programmes (23 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: Absolutely, but we already are a world leading digital economy. I want us to stay there and grow that in our indigenous enterprise space. We are there because of policy decisions taken by successive governments to invest in this space. We want to grow it by expanding the confidence of businesses to take the journey. That is why we expanded the trading online voucher and are investing in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (23 May 2024)

Small and Medium Enterprises