Results 41-60 of 2,023 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Charges (12 Jul 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I propose to take Questions Nos. 158 and 159 together. The report of the Expert Group on Future Funding for Higher Education outlines three main funding options for the future funding of the higher education sector. These options are currently being considered by the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills. The outcome of the Committee’s deliberations will inform future...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (12 Jul 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: As the Deputy may be aware, third level institutions are autonomous bodies and are responsible for the day to day management and operational affairs of the institute, including the management of its staffing requirements. My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to the HEA designated higher education institutions and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Administration (11 Jul 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The assessment of means under my Department's student grant scheme is based on gross income from all sources, with certain social welfare and health service executive payments being exempt. In the assessment of means, a deduction can be made for holiday earnings made by the applicant from employment outside of term time but within the reference period. I increased the value of this income...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Courses Applications (11 Jul 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) scheme has been operated by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) and regulated by the higher institutions themselves and not by my Department. The operational management of HEAR has now transferred to the Central Applications Office (CAO). I understand from the CAO that in order to be considered for the 2017/2018...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Meetings (11 Jul 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I published the General Scheme of a Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Amendment) Bill on 15th May 2017, following approval by Government.  The purpose of this Bill is to address a number of issues that are currently impeding Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), the national agency with responsibility for external quality assurance and qualifications across the further and higher...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (11 Jul 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: As part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (11 Jul 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: As part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Institutions Governance (11 Jul 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to the HEA designated higher education institutions, including UCC. The HEA allocates this funding as a block grant to the institutions. As an autonomous body, the internal disbursement of this funding, along with any funding it receives from private sources, is a matter for...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Insurance Data (1 Jun 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: State indemnity for personal injury and third party property damage is set out in the National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Act, 2000 where the management of personal injury underlying risks and third party property damage claims against certain State authorities is delegated to the National Treasury Management Agency.  When performing these functions, the Agency is known...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement Investigations (1 Jun 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The principal functions of the Director of Corporate Enforcement are set out in the Companies Act 2014. They include to: 1. encourage compliance with the Act; 2. investigate instances of suspected offences under the Act; 3. enforce the Act, including by the prosecution of offences by way of summary proceedings; 4. refer cases, at his discretion, to the Director of Public Prosecutions...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Joint Labour Committees Agreements (1 Jun 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Joint Labour Committees (JLCs) are provided for under the Industrial Relations Act 1946 and were reformed by the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act, 2012. A JLC is comprised of equal numbers of representatives of employers and workers in a sector.  JLCs meet regularly, under an independent Chairperson to discuss proposals for terms and conditions to apply to specified grades or...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (1 Jun 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: In January 2017 Enterprise Ireland published its strategy for the period 2017-2020. The strategy was developed in the context of Brexit and focuses on supporting clients to both Build Scale and Expand Reach. In addition, in May 2017 Enterprise Ireland launched a new Eurozone Strategy to assist Irish exporters increase exports in Eurozone countries by 50% by 2020. This strategy will be...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Reviews (1 Jun 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The terms of reference (ToR) for the review of the Succeed in Ireland initiative have yet to be finalised as the public consultation seeking input from the public on their contents only concluded on 26 May. The submissions received through that consultation process are now being examined and will help shape the final ToR. An independent external body...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Report (1 Jun 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: In September last, I asked the Low Pay Commission as part of their 2017 Work Programme, to review the board and lodgings rates that are provided for under the national minimum wage legislation. The Low Pay Commission examined the board and lodgings rates for all employees that are covered by the national minimum wage legislation. Under the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 (National Minimum...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Health and Safety Authority Expenditure (1 Jun 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Details on the number of inspections and investigations and spend on safety initiatives by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) for the period 2010 - 2017 is as follows: Year Inspections and Investigations 2010 16,714 2011 15,340 2012 13,835 2013 12,244 2014 10,719 2015 10,880 2016 10,460 2017 4,075 recorded year to date 25 May 2017 Year Spend on Safety Initiatives 2010...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (1 Jun 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: My Department plans to undertake a comprehensive study which will examine in depth the economic impact of existing and forthcoming EU Free Trade Agreements.  The analysis from the study will inform the Department and relevant agencies in setting the policy framework required for Irish businesses to take full advantage of concluded trade agreements and preferential trade access, and to...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (1 Jun 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The European Commission Work Programme 2017 provides that the Commission will seek authorisation to open negotiations for free trade agreements (FTA) with New Zealand and Australia.  The European Commission concluded preparatory talks with New Zealand on 7 March 2017 and with Australia on 6 April 2017 to assess whether the countries have similar interests for a trade deal to...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Agencies Staff Recruitment (1 Jun 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The new staff recruited in each State agency under the aegis of my Department to date in 2017 is listed together with cost of annual salaries and recruitment costs. Agency No of New Posts Total Costs (annual salaries plus recruitment costs) National Standards Authority of Ireland 5 €209,642 IDA 3 €194,604 (no recruitment costs incurred Competition and Consumer Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise 2025 (1 Jun 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The review of Enterprise 2025 is being undertaken in the context of global changes that are likely to have an immediate impact on Ireland’s enterprise development, specifically Brexit and potential relevant policy changes under the new US administration. Industry and representative organisations played a key role in the development of Enterprise 2025 and it is my intention that...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Bodies (1 Jun 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The goal of this Government is to support the creation of an additional 200,000 jobs by 2020 with 135,000 jobs outside Dublin. This is a whole of Government effort and is delivered through our integrated Action Plan for Jobs. Since the first Action Plan for Jobs was launched in early 2012, almost 225,000 more people are at work. Over 66,000 jobs were created during 2016. Employment...