Results 621-640 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (13 May 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Jobs and economic growth are about direct and indirect measures. My Department and the state agencies have a role to play in both directly supporting business and ensuring that the policies pursued across Government are consistent and support our overall national objectives of reducing unemployment, regional development and building the smart economy. My Department and its agencies, interact...

Written Answers — Property Management Companies: Property Management Companies (13 May 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Information regarding the status of the company referred to by the Deputy is publicly available from the Companies Registration Office (CRO). However, I understand that the relevant company remains registered with the CRO and recently filed Annual Return documents. The Multi-Unit Developments Bill, which is the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform,...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (13 May 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My salary amounts to €217,677 gross per annum. There are no staff in my Department on a comparable or higher salary. Within the State Agencies under the aegis of my Department, there is only one office holder, the Director General (DG) of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), who has a remuneration package which is higher than the salary that I receive. The DG's remuneration package comprises...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (13 May 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is awaiting receipt of confirmation from the applicant's farm planner of compliance by the applicant with the provisions of the farm plan. Payment can be made when this confirmation is received.

Written Answers — Grocery Sector: Grocery Sector (12 May 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that the Renewed Programme for Government contains a specific commitment to "implement a Code of Practice for doing business in the Grocery Goods sector to develop a fair trading relationship between retailers and their suppliers" and "to review progress of the Code and if necessary to put in place a mandatory code". The Government will give effect to this commitment...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (12 May 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Jobs and economic growth are about direct and indirect measures. My Department and the state agencies have a role to play in both directly supporting business and ensuring that the policies pursued across Government are consistent and support our overall national objectives of reducing unemployment, regional development and building the smart economy. My Department and it's agencies,...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (12 May 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Government is working hard to sustain and create jobs all over the country by creating a business environment that is supportive of enterprise. The enterprise development agencies play a key role in stimulating the development of new businesses, facilitating the expansion of existing companies, and targeting new foreign direct investment through a broad range of initiatives. Since 2008,...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (12 May 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the name of my Department was officially changed on 2 May last. The estimated costs associated with this name change are anticipated to be in the region of €10,000. This includes the costs of stationery, signage and changes to my Department's website. Every effort has been made to keep these costs, which will be provided from within my Department's existing...

Written Answers — Job Initiative: Job Initiative (12 May 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Under the second call for the Employment Subsidy Scheme (Temporary), 2,590 applications were received. Following an assessment process, 1,241 companies have been approved. A breakdown of all applicants and of successful applicants by employee size is given in the following tabular statement. Breakdown of all applicants and successful applicants under Employment Subsidy Scheme (Temporary)...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (12 May 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Since January 2008, Ireland has regained competitiveness as domestic inflation remains below that of our main trading partners and the euro weakened – in February 2010, Ireland's real harmonised competitiveness indicator (HCI) was back to its January 2005 position. Improving our relative cost competitiveness requires the cost of doing business in Ireland to fall relative to that of our...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (12 May 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: In accordance with Section 70(1) of the Company Law Enforcement Act 2001, the Company Law Review Group's (CLRG) Work Programme is assigned by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation every two years. I have received the Report of the Review Group on its 2008-2009 Work Programme. Following consideration by the Government, the Report will be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas....

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (12 May 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 61 and 85 together. The development of Ireland as an Innovation Hub is a key priority of the Government's economic recovery framework. The Innovation Taskforce has put forward a road map to make Ireland: the best place in Europe to turn research and knowledge into products and services; the best place in Europe to start and grow an innovative company; the...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (12 May 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I assume that the Deputy is referring to amending the Competition Act 2002 to facilitate negotiations between the Minister for Health and Children and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO). The issue of amending the Competition Act 2002 to facilitate such negotiations is being examined in the context of the Consumer and Competition Bill, which I hope to publish later this year. This Bill...

Written Answers — Retail Sector: Retail Sector (12 May 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Renewed Programme for Government contains a specific commitment to "implement a Code of Practice for doing business in the Grocery Goods sector, to develop a fair trading relationship between retailers and their suppliers" and "to review progress of the Code and if necessary to put in place a mandatory code". The Government will give effect to this commitment by including a specific...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (12 May 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The proposal for a Consumer Rights Directive was published in October 2008 and brings together in updated and consolidated form four existing Directives on doorstep selling, distance sales, consumer sales and guarantees, and unfair contract terms. Unlike the Directives it is intended to replace, the proposal has been drafted on a full harmonisation basis and, if adopted on this basis, would...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (12 May 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: I intend, subject to consistency with EU competition law, to give effect to the Government commitment in "Towards 2016" regarding the exemption of certain specified categories of vulnerable workers from competition law in the Bill being prepared to merge the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority. Work on the draft heads of this Bill is now at an advanced stage and I intend to...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (12 May 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Regulations to bring the Services Directive [Directive 2006/123/EC] into law under the European Communities Acts are almost finalized. I hope to sign the Regulations within the next four weeks.

Written Answers — Energy Policy: Energy Policy (12 May 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Under Commission Regulation (EC) 244/2009 on the ecodesign requirements for non-directional household lamps (lightbulbs), as amended by EU Regulation (EC) 859/2009, inefficient incandescent lightbulbs are being phased out throughout the EU on a staged basis from 1st September 2009. They are being replaced by more energy efficient alternatives such as new improved halogen lightbulbs, compact...

Written Answers — Unemployment Levels: Unemployment Levels (12 May 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: Jobs and economic growth are about direct and indirect measures. My Department and the state agencies have a role to play in both directly supporting business and ensuring that the policies pursued across Government are consistent and support our overall national objectives of reducing unemployment, regional development and building the smart economy. My Department and its agencies,...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (12 May 2010)

Batt O'Keeffe: The remarks attributed to the Minister for Finance in the interview in question would, no doubt, have been made with the banking sector in particular in mind. Policy responsibility for the banking sector is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Finance. In this regard, the Deputy may be aware that the Central Bank and the Financial Regulator have launched a consultation paper recently...