Results 5,501-5,520 of 11,777 for speaker:Niall Collins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ConnectIreland's 'Succeed in Ireland' Programme: Discussion (21 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: The fact that IDA and Enterprise Ireland have failed to turn up is extremely disrespectful to our committee and, by extension, the Houses of the Oireachtas. They are State-funded organisations, they are funded by the Exchequer, and Enterprise Ireland sending us a one-liner that it has no one available absolutely beggars belief. It is a large organisation and was invited here on a number of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ConnectIreland's 'Succeed in Ireland' Programme: Discussion (21 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: I understand that. However, if they become a no-show again, perhaps we might consult the Committee of Public Accounts in respect of the matter. I am just saying that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ConnectIreland's 'Succeed in Ireland' Programme: Discussion (21 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: I thank Mr. Scannell for the presentation. I find it incredible that the Department is still drafting the terms of the review. Deputy Quinlivan was right in how he reacted to the answer. I raised this matter in a priority parliamentary question a number of weeks ago, as Mr. Scannell will be aware, and the answer I got from the Minister was wholly unsatisfactory. A number of weeks have now...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ConnectIreland's 'Succeed in Ireland' Programme: Discussion (21 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: Mr. Scannell said in his opening statement:... the board of IDA considered [at its meeting] the future of Succeed-in-Ireland and whether a new tender should be issued in 2017 for its continuation. The board made the decision, however, not to retender ... He also indicated that the board ultimately made a decision not to proceed. Can Mr. Scannell outline what IDA Ireland told the Department...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ConnectIreland's 'Succeed in Ireland' Programme: Discussion (21 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: I understand that. However, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation is obviously party to a conversation and a decision that its board took.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ConnectIreland's 'Succeed in Ireland' Programme: Discussion (21 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: Did IDA Ireland indicate to the Department that it was not satisfied with the outcomes in terms of the targets?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ConnectIreland's 'Succeed in Ireland' Programme: Discussion (21 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: Yes. First, in his opening statement Mr. Scannell said the Government asked IDA Ireland to oversee the programme. I presume that, by extension, it was the Department which asked IDA Ireland to oversee it. Mr. Scannell said the contract was extended for a year to facilitate an orderly wind-down. Can he explain the reason he allowed the extension of one year and why we have had drift and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ConnectIreland's 'Succeed in Ireland' Programme: Discussion (21 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: In red flagging ConnectIreland connects with a potential employer or investor in Ireland. It has to clear the contact with IDA Ireland to ensure the latter is not already in consultation with the company. It has been reported that the system has experienced difficulties. In some cases, ConnectIreland received feedback that IDA Ireland was talking to target clients, but these clients stated...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ConnectIreland's 'Succeed in Ireland' Programme: Discussion (21 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: Why has the Department not looked at this in the past 12 months? As I am sure the Government wants the programme to succeed, why was another tender not set up?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ConnectIreland's 'Succeed in Ireland' Programme: Discussion (21 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: Why did the Department not advertise a tender? IDA Ireland does not have to continue the programme, but the Department could do so.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ConnectIreland's 'Succeed in Ireland' Programme: Discussion (21 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: The tender will lapse on 26 March. Tthe review is not yet up and running and we have no clarity on when it will be. It beggars belief. The Government and everybody else see the initiative as a success, but the Department has allowed drift to happen for 12 months and it will continue after 26 March. We do not know where we are going. Does the Department understand the concerns we are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ConnectIreland's 'Succeed in Ireland' Programme: Discussion (21 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: Regarding the terms of reference, who is the Department consulting? Has it sat down with ConnectIreland, for example, on the terms of reference of the review as a Department and not as the IDA? Has the Department itself sat down with ConnectIreland to flesh out what would be workable and useful terms of reference?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ConnectIreland's 'Succeed in Ireland' Programme: Discussion (21 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: Does Mr. Scannell believe they should be held?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ConnectIreland's 'Succeed in Ireland' Programme: Discussion (21 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: Who within the Department is authoring the terms of reference?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ConnectIreland's 'Succeed in Ireland' Programme: Discussion (21 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: Is Mr. Scannell telling us the Minister decides on the terms of reference?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ConnectIreland's 'Succeed in Ireland' Programme: Discussion (21 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: It is incredible that this contract is being allowed to run out when it is clear from ConnectIreland's opening statement that it is paid on a no foal, no fee basis. In addition, it is filling the gap, particularly in rural Ireland. In the past two weeks, a closure in Nenagh was announced. Brexit was one of the reasons cited. Brexit was mentioned a number of times in the earlier session...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ConnectIreland's 'Succeed in Ireland' Programme: Discussion (21 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: I deduce from what the witness has said that ConnectIreland connected with companies or potential investors in Ireland and sought to further that contact with them only to be stopped by the IDA. The reason given by the IDA is that it had already been in contact with those people. However, ConnectIreland subsequently found out from those people that the IDA had not been in contact with them...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ConnectIreland's 'Succeed in Ireland' Programme: Discussion (21 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: Will the representatives of ConnectIreland confirm for us that two numbers given to us by the departmental officials in their presentation earlier in the meeting are correct? It was suggested the cost of a ConnectIreland-created job was approximately €4,000, whereas the cost of an IDA Ireland-created job was over €10,000. According to the Department, ConnectIreland claims to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ConnectIreland's 'Succeed in Ireland' Programme: Discussion (21 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: I have a final question. We pressed the previous witnesses quite hard on what I have described as the drift in the past 12 months. The contract of ConnectIreland was extended for a 12 month period. Will the witnesses comment on the level of engagement with the IDA and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in terms of ensuring that the programme continues in some shape or form,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ConnectIreland's 'Succeed in Ireland' Programme: Discussion (21 Mar 2017)

Niall Collins: Who told or assured ConnectIreland that a new tender would be advertised in the second six months of the 12 month period of extension, was it the IDA or the Department?