Results 541-560 of 1,023,633 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Jennifer Carroll MacNeill OR speaker:Mairead Farrell)

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

Bernard Durkan: 55. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which his Department continues to ensure the competitiveness of this country’s trade and industry sectors in an increasingly competitive world market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23229/24]

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

Bernard Durkan: This question is on the same theme of competitiveness, the health of the trade and industry sectors and the degree to which they can remain competitive in an increasingly competitive and challenging marketplace.

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

Peter Burke: I thank Deputy Durkan for his very important question. Ireland is recognised as one of the most competitive economies in the world and performs well in international rankings of competitiveness. In June 2023, Ireland was ranked as the second most competitive country in the world in the IMD world competitiveness rankings. The 2024 iteration of these rankings is due to be published in the...

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

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. In passing, I congratulate him and his colleagues on their elevation or their retention of their very important positions. The points the Minister has raised in regard to the contributory factors that might challenge the competitiveness of trade and industry are the issues I would like to concentrate on. All sectors of industry know the...

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

Peter Burke: I concur with the Deputy that we can never take our eye off the ball when we have an open and strong economy like Ireland's. We have to continue to work. It is very important that we have a pipeline of €165 billion for the next decade for capital infrastructure because infrastructure improvements will attract new businesses and keep our economy competitive. We have seen in the...

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

Bernard Durkan: With regard to the climate issues that the Minister raised, it is important that we retain our competitiveness in that area and do not become a world leader and, as a result, have to pay higher costs than many of our competitors. This is a very competitive market. We must try to maintain capacity. Any diminution at all will very quickly accelerate, with obvious consequences for employers...

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

Peter Burke: They are valid points. The Deputy raised the issue of climate. It is critical that we remain competitive. When we see a company like Diageo, the home of the black stuff, spending €100 million to decarbonise its processes over the next five or six years, when we have world leaders like that based here in Ireland and leading by example, it shows the change that is under way. We have...

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

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister for his detailed reply. I again acknowledge the efforts he and his ministerial colleagues have made in getting the message out that this money is available and there is a simple and speedy application process. Quite rightly, the areas of retail and hospitality were identified for particular assistance. I have recently been engaging considerably with small-scale...

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

Peter Burke: I again thank the Deputy for outlining his concerns on the sectors. As it happens, the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, and I were discussing the issue of manufacturing yesterday at one of our meetings. The Deputy is quite right. There is a varied number of issues that we are trying to respond to in that area. I have travelled around the country a...

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

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister. I repeat my request that he make a particular appeal to the finance houses to support small and medium sized enterprises, because they are not doing so adequately at the moment. I am very glad that the Minister mentioned workspaces and enterprise centres. For years, I have been tabling parliamentary questions to the Minister’s predecessors in regard to the need...

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

Peter Burke: I would robustly point out that the Government is listening to the SME sector. That is demonstrated by our warehousing of debt at 0% for those who experienced difficulties over the Covid period. Some €20 billion has been put in towards Covid and Brexit, with €12 billion put in through the past two budgets. We have halved inflation, which is a key metric of business. Energy...

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

Work Permits

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

Verona Murphy: 52. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of employment work permits that have been applied for to date in 2024; the number of permits that have been granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23462/24]

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

Verona Murphy: I am asking about the number of employment permits that have been applied for to date in 2024 and the number that have been granted.

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

Emer Higgins: Ireland operates a managed employment permits system which maximises the benefits of economic migration and minimises disruption to Ireland’s labour market. The State's employment permit system is designed to supplement Ireland's skills and labour supply over the short to medium term by allowing enterprises to recruit nationals from outside the European Economic Area, EEA, where such...

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

Verona Murphy: I know the Minister of State recently had a meeting with the Irish Road Haulage Association on the new pay scales that were introduced last year for the work permits and the general work permit. As an island nation, we must understand that there are certain sectors that require a different train of thought to keep us competitive, if nothing else. We have a HGV sector that primarily deals...

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

Emer Higgins: In the past year, following a review, my Department has implemented changes to the critical skills occupation list, ineligible list of occupants and current salary thresholds for both the general employment permits and the critical skills employment permits. The employment permit section of my Department is also undertaking a range of activities to improve efficiency. That includes the...

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

Verona Murphy: I probably should have said at the outset that I wish the Minister of State well in her position. I understand those answers were prepared for her but what I really need an answer on is the competitive nature by which the work permit is structured. It is not competitive. It is anything but that. It is anti-competitive. We need to address this in the context of the particular sector we...

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

Emer Higgins: The Deputy is right. Competitiveness is a key issue here. It is important from a business perspective and, in the context of the labour market, it is important that we are paying competitive rates to employees. The Deputy will be aware that one of the things we are piloting is a new seasonal employment permit. That pilot programme was announced and will be happening and we will look at...

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

Business Supports