Results 801-820 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Companies (Amendment) Bill 2017 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (31 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank the Deputies for their engagement on this Bill. It was only published at the start of April and it will have passed all Stages in the Houses of the Oireachtas before the end of May. That efficiency is due in large part to the support that many of the Members have given. I appreciate that their support came in part from a belief that companies needed legal certainty and, therefore,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (31 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Ireland is an open trading economy.  Under successive governments Ireland has continued to promote a policy for open international trade and competition.  This has greatly benefitted our economy.  My Department consults relevant Government Departments at every stage of a negotiation of a free trade agreement.  My Department consulted the Department of Health in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Minimum Wage (31 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Living Wage concept is grounded in the idea that a person’s wage should be sufficient to maintain a safe, decent standard of living. At an individual level the resources required to achieve a minimum essential standard of living is very dependent on family circumstances and thus the interaction of individual earnings with household income and State-provided supports such as Child...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (31 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Since I took up office as the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, five forensic accountants have joined the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement and a recruitment process is underway for a further two. Additionally, a senior digital forensics specialist is expected to take up duty with the ODCE in June. In addition, and due to a combination of retirement, promotion...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (31 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The investigative shortcomings of the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) identified by Judge John Aylmer in this case are unacceptable. They fell far short of the standard impartial, unbiased and thorough investigation we expect and demand. I have written to the Director of Corporate Enforcement on Wednesday May 24, requesting a report under section 955(1)(a) of the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (31 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I was briefed by Department officials on developments with the Anglo investigations shortly after taking up office as the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. As a matter of course, previous ministers were similarly briefed on issues related to the Anglo investigations. In particular, a Memorandum to Government accompanied the ODCE Annual Report each year which would have outlined...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement Legal Cases (31 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Under the provisions of the Companies Act 2014, the Director of Corporate Enforcement is independent in the exercise of his functions. On March 16, 2011, the Secretaries General of the then Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation and the then Department of Justice and Law Reform met with the Garda Commissioner and officials from the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement....

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Minimum Wage (31 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: In October 2016 the Low Pay Commission submitted its report on the sub-minima rates of the National Minimum Wage Act 2000, which included a study by the ESRI on the usage of sub-minima rates both in Ireland and internationally. The Commission found that sub-minima rates of a similar nature are in use in a number of OECD countries.  It concluded that incidence of usage of the sub-minima...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Dairy Sector (30 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Robotic milking machines fall within the definition of a machine under Directive 2006/42/EC of 17 May 2006 on machinery. This Directive contains provisions  for the protection of persons and, in respect of machinery for foodstuffs, contains provisions related to avoiding the risk of infection, sickness or  contagion.  The provisions of this Directive have been...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Dairy Sector (30 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Robotic milking machines fall within the definition of a machine under Directive 2006/42/EC of 17 May 2006 on machinery. This Directive contains provisions  for the protection of persons and, in respect of machinery for foodstuffs,  contains provisions related to avoiding the risk of infection, sickness or  contagion. The provisions of this Directive have been transposed...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Dairy Sector (30 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: In the context of a compliant relating to a purchase, robotic milking machines are treated in the same way as any other product. When a consumer or purchaser is not satisfied with the product purchased, the first point of contact should be with the retailer or distributor with whom the purchases took place. Should the purchaser continue to be unsatisfied the consumer...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Dairy Sector (30 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: In the context of a compliant relating to a purchase, robotic milking machines are treated in the same way as any other product. When a consumer or purchaser is not satisfied with the product purchased, the first point of contact should be with the retailer or distributor with whom the purchases took place. Should the purchaser continue to be unsatisfied the consumer...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: EU Regulations (30 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Robotic milking machines fall within the definition of a machine under Directive 2006/42/EC of 17 May 2006 on machinery. This Directive contains provisions  for the protection of persons and, in respect of machinery for foodstuffs,  contains provisions related to avoiding the risk of infection, sickness or  contagion.  The provisions of this Directive have been...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Health and Safety Regulations (30 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Robotic milking machines fall within the definition of a machine under Directive 2006/42/EC of 17 May 2006 on machinery. This Directive contains provisions  for the protection of persons and, in respect of machinery for foodstuffs,  contains provisions related to avoiding the risk of infection, sickness or  contagion.  The provisions of this Directive have been...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Relations (30 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The US remains one of Ireland’s most important partners for trade and investment. Goods exports from Ireland to the US in 2016, increased by 13% and imports increased by 14%.  In fact in the last four years our goods trade with the US has increased by 54%.  Data available for Q1 of this year, shows a further increase in the value of our goods trade with the US, when compared...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Corporate Governance (30 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The then Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton T.D., met the Director of Corporate Enforcement with Department officials on 6 May 2015. At that meeting, the Minister was informed of the destruction of documents and other weaknesses in the investigation. As the matter was before the courts, it was sub judice. It was considered that no steps should be taken that would...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Ireland Expenditure (30 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Enterprise Ireland supports companies throughout the country to start, innovate and remain competitive in international markets, now and into the future.  In addition, with the advent of the network of Local Enterprise Offices, Enterprise Ireland now plays a critical role in driving and nurturing entrepreneurship all the way from an originating idea at local level, to taking on global...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Bodies Expenditure (30 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Neither IDA Ireland nor Enterprise Ireland (EI) disclose information on grant approvals on account of commercial sensitivity. Regarding EI client companies that have had jobs verified as having been created under the Succeed in Ireland (SII) Programme, the table immediately below sets out details of financial grant supports that these companies have received from EI: Year Number...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: European Court of Justice Rulings (30 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The opinion of the ECJ was sought in relation to the competence of the European Union to sign and conclude the EU Singapore Free Trade Agreement.  The ECJ’s Opinion issued on 16 May 2017, and found that the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union (EU) and the Republic of Singapore (EUSFTA) cannot be signed and concluded by the EU alone: it has to be signed and concluded...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Joint Labour Committees (30 May 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...