Results 8,401-8,420 of 14,616 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (17 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: On subheads A1, A5, A7 and A8 and the relevant subhead dealing with the credit guarantee scheme-----

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (17 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: I welcome the Minister, the Ministers of State, Deputies English and Nash, and their officials. I also thank the committee secretariat for the brief provided to members. On subhead A5, I take this opportunity to congratulate IDA Ireland and all involved on the successful year they have had. However, is it a matter of concern to the Minister that while 15,012 jobs were created in 2014,...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (17 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: A sum of €15 million out of €150 million has been approved. We had a discussion about this last Thursday during Question Time. The Minister made a significant announcement about expanding the credit guarantee scheme to companies whose banks are exiting the market and are selling off their loan portfolios. I cannot stress enough how urgent that is. It really cannot wait. A...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (17 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: The Minister can refer back to me with the details.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (17 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: I ask the Minister of State to give a briefing on the scheme, as the matter is urgent, as he will know himself.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (17 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: Every Member should get a briefing on it.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (17 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: At the beginning, the Minister mentioned my concerns about the National Competitiveness Council. I do not see a budget line for it. I am trying to find Forfás's budget line, whereby its staff has gone into the Department's general administration. To assuage my concerns, will the Minister consider including a budget line for the National Competitiveness Council so I can see where the...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 32 - Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (17 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: Regarding subhead C5 covering the Health and Safety Authority, I have considerable sympathy for it because it does a very good job in regard to farm safety but it is a very difficult area. Is there any financial contribution from the Department Agriculture, Food and the Marine towards its work or has the Minister any idea what that Department invests in health and safety initiatives? Farm...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments (17 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: 276. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their outstanding agri-environment options scheme, AEOS, payments; the reason for the delay in processing same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6932/15]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (17 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: 529. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if consideration will be provided to allocate funding to upgrade a beach road along the Wild Atlantic Way route (details supplied) in County Mayo. [6595/15]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Coast Guard Services (17 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: 532. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the upgrading of the Coast Guard station at Ballyglass, County Mayo. [6724/15]

Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: That is why the smoking area is on the roof.

Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: For when the Deputy retires.

Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: I welcome the chance to speak on the Bill. If we are to be honest, it could be renamed "the rearranging of deckchairs on the TitanicBill". As a country, we must face the fact that our current rates system and this tax on businesses is wrong and utterly inefficient. It is a tax on enterprise and job creation for which nothing is repaid. It is a basic funding mechanism for local government,...

Other Questions: Research and Development Supports (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: 11. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to encourage greater levels of research and development here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6096/15]

Other Questions: Research and Development Supports (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: This is merely to discuss with the Minister the area of research and development and where we are in attaining the Horizon 2020 targets. There is some superb work under way. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation visited UCD and UCC. Where is the work with SMEs and how are SMEs being encouraged to get involved in the research and development agenda?

Other Questions: Research and Development Supports (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: I endorse the Minister of State's remarks about SFI. It is doing a superb job and its research centres are excellent. To drill down into those statistics the Minister of State quoted, foreign-owned enterprises are responsible for 70% of research and development expenditure in the country. That means Irish indigenous companies are far behind the curve when it comes to research and...

Other Questions: Research and Development Supports (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: Combilift is a fantastic company. There are a range of companies in the north east - they seem to be an innovative lot up there - but we should be looking for the next Combilift or McHale Engineering. This is the chance, with the extra resources allocated to Horizon 2020. I would urge the Minister of State to push the LEOs harder in this space because these offices have the business...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: One area where zero-hour contracts are used is retail. Will the Minister of State express his views, if he wishes to, on the position of the largest retail company in the country writing to all of its workers, distancing itself from a Labour Court recommendation? The Labour Court has been the foundation of our industrial relations policy since its establishment. While its recommendations...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (12 Feb 2015)

Dara Calleary: 4. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to raise the take-home pay and working conditions of low-income workers; if this will include changes to the existing protection for persons on zero hours contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6271/15]