Results 701-720 of 9,147 for speaker:Pat Breen

Other Questions: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (23 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: I will try to take the Leas-Cheann Comhairle's advice on board. I thank the Deputy for his question. The current legal position is that civil fines are not provided for in Irish law for anti-competitive practices. My Department obtained advice on the issue of civil fines from the Office of the Attorney General to the effect that civil fines are not provided for in Irish law for...

Other Questions: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (23 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: To follow up on my initial reply, it is important that we take on board the views on this matter. There are two areas concerned. The proposal currently being debated by the Council's working group and the European Commission has to be considered by the European Parliament. At this stage it is impossible for us to say what format the final EU measures will take. We must also bear in mind...

Other Questions: Consumer Protection (23 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: The Deputy has outlined that this is the time of year when people get a lot of gift vouchers, especially children. As politicians, the best advice we should give to consumers who buy or receive gift vouchers is to ensure that the vouchers are used as quickly as possible. This is also important. People have a tendency to lose them, leave them in a drawer or let them go out of date. That is...

Other Questions: IDA Ireland Site Visits (23 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: This is a question the Tánaiste and I are asked in every county we visit. Regional development remains a priority for the Government. I am very much aware that an important part of unlocking the potential of regional Ireland is ensuring that foreign direct investment, FDI, is spread as evenly as possible across the country, as per Government policy. IDA Ireland is committed...

Other Questions: IDA Ireland Site Visits (23 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: There are several more points I would like to make.

Other Questions: IDA Ireland Site Visits (23 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: I understand the south east is one of the areas that has seen significant investment recently. It is important to note that foreign direct investment normally locates in clusters. As we know, industry tends to follow industry. In regard to IDA Ireland activities, there were 27 site visits in Limerick, which is the Deputy's area. In my own area of Clare, we had 20 visits. These numbers...

Other Questions: IDA Ireland Site Visits (23 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: As I pointed out to Deputy Thomas Byrne, four out of five of the jobs created by Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland last year were outside Dublin. Balanced regional development is a priority for the Government. The Action Plan for Jobs undertakes to ensure all regions experience growth in jobs, and the statistics show that is happening. Our plan up to 2020 is to ensure that of the 200,000...

Other Questions: Consumer Protection (23 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: The Deputy has raised a timely issue, as he noted. Gift vouchers supplied to consumers are subject to the provisions of general consumer protection legislation, in particular, the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act 2007 on unfair, misleading and aggressive commercial practices and the provisions of the European Communities (Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts) Regulations 1995, SI 27...

Other Questions: IDA Ireland Site Visits (23 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: We are fully committed to the creation of high-quality and sustainable employment across Ireland, including in County Meath. The Mid-East Action Plan for Jobs is a key policy response for supporting employment growth in this region, including County Meath, with public and private stakeholders actively engaged in delivering the range of innovative and practical actions set out in the...

Other Questions: IDA Ireland Site Visits (23 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: The IDA is only one element of job creation. It is a very important element and has been an important part of the job creation in County Meath. Meath is very near to Dublin. Clonee is on the border with the county. I also point out the importance of the indigenous sector in County Meath. The number of people employed in that sector has grown substantially over recent years. There has...

Other Questions: IDA Ireland Site Visits (23 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: I take the Deputy's points on board. We have to look at the fact that since 2016 there have been nine site visits to County Meath by the IDA. There are some flagship companies in Clonee, and there is a €200 million investment by Facebook happening there at the minute. That is a very important and significant investment. The Tánaiste spoke about it earlier when she discussed...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Local Enterprise Offices (23 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: This Government is substantially strengthening its focus on the possible implications of Brexit in order to safeguard the competitiveness of the Irish economy against any potential negative impacts. My Department and its Agencies play a key role in implementing the Government’s policies to stimulate the productive capacity of the economy and create an environment which supports job...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (23 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 26 together. I am very conscious of the challenges faced by companies operating in close proximity to the border as a result of Brexit, many of which trade freely on both sides. The Regional Action Plan for Jobs imitative, launched in January 2015, is a central pillar of the Government’s ambition to create 200,000 new jobs by 2020, 135,000 of...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (22 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: I will go through this as quickly as possible. It is a technical point. The further Revised Estimate of the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation's Vote arises due to the recent transfer of employment rights functions to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. The functional changes came into effect at the beginning of September. I understand that my...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (22 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: No.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (22 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: It is money that was already allocated to my Department. There was a partial transfer of responsibilities when the Taoiseach, Deputy Leo Varadkar, set up his new Government. Some responsibilities were transferred to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. As I stated, 14 members of staff were transferred there. That is why the pay costs and non-pay costs have come into...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (22 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: I refer to SI 361. A lot employment legislation has been transferred but we are still responsible for enforcement, the Labour Court, the Workplace Relations Commission and the International Labour Organization.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (22 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: I thank the Chairman and other members, particularly Deputy Tom Neville, who is always here. I thank him for his involvement. He has a particular interest in the area of employment and well-being in this area. I welcome the work being done by the committee not just on legislation, but in respect of various other areas it covers. The committee members visited Waterford last week. It is...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (22 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: The pre-legislative scrutiny process will be engaged in at the Joint Committee on Employment Affairs and Social Protection.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (22 Nov 2017)

Pat Breen: I think I might be involved as employment and social protection matters are part of my remit.