Results 881-900 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Expenditure (17 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Accommodation, including attendant car parking, for my Department, which is spread over a number of locations in Dublin as well as regionally, is provided by the Office of Public Works (OPW) in buildings which are either State owned or leased by the OPW on our behalf. All leasehold arrangements and payments are, accordingly, arranged and paid by the OPW and not by my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Agencies Expenditure (17 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Expenditure on car parking spaces by state agencies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for the agencies concerned and not one in which I have any function. I have asked the agencies to provide me with details of any such expenditure and I will forward this to the Deputy once received.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Site Visits (17 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am informed by IDA Ireland that there were three Agency sponsored site visits to Kerry in 2016. For reasons of client confidentiality, the Agency cannot make details of specific visits publicly available. It is important to remember that the number of site visits to a particular county is not necessarily an accurate measure of the level of foreign direct investment (FDI) activity in...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Staff Data (17 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I propose to take Questions Nos. 279 and 280 together. There are currently no persons employed through agencies in my Department and its Offices.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Contracts Data (17 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Since taking Office, my Department as an employer has undertaken one investigation in the area of human resources and industrial relations.  In this regard, the HR Unit of my Department is currently in the process of engaging an external agency to undertake an investigation under the Dignity at Work policy.  As we are at an early stage in the contracting...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I hear what the Deputy is saying. He indicated there was a slowdown in exports to the UK but I make the emphatic point that overall, the Enterprise Ireland companies exported €21.6 billion of goods and services in 2016 but in 2015 they exported goods and services worth €20.5 billion, which means the value increased by €1 billion over that year. We are continuing to...

Other Questions: Brexit Issues (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: This Government, through the Action Plan for Jobs, has taken decisive action to support all sectors of the economy recover from the deepest recession we have experienced in recent decades. This sustained focus on job creation has resulted in the creation of over 209,000 additional jobs since 2012. The unemployment rate has declined from over 15.1% in 2012 to 6.2% in April this...

Other Questions: IDA Supports (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 59 together. I know the area referred to by Deputy Cassells very well. I was privileged to be able to rear my children in County Meath. I sent them to school in Skryne and reared them in the Seneschalstown-Hayestown area. We used to use the Johnstown road regularly. My priority as Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation is to drive...

Other Questions: IDA Supports (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am aware that there are 3,000 homes in this part of Navan. I was in Johnstown shopping centre on bank holiday Monday. The Deputy has quoted statistics for IDA Ireland site visits. I remind him that companies which are already here in Ireland like to expand. It would be very difficult for me to hand this valuable land over for the development of a football field. Having worked as a...

Other Questions: IDA Supports (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I agree with the Deputy. The local enterprise office in Navan supported 927 jobs in 2016. Hardly anybody talks about what Enterprise Ireland does in counties like Meath. It supports 7,007 jobs in County Meath. As I said earlier, IDA Ireland supports 1,496 jobs in the county. I will take the Deputy up on his invitation to meet him in County Meath very soon to talk about the plans for the...

Other Questions: IDA Supports (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I look forward to it. The other Deputies from County Meath are also invited.

Other Questions: Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Deputy Wallace made reference to small businesses. There are approximately 285,000 small business owners in this country employing approximately 700,000 people. I assure Deputy Wallace that my focus, as well as that of my Department and the Ministers of State, is to make sure that jobs are coming through. Believe it or not, we are embarking on a trade mission to Canada next week and more...

Other Questions: Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I will be in Canada.

Other Questions: Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: On the question of Dáil ratification, it is important that we wait to see the benefits of CETA coming into being before putting the agreement to the Dáil. Then we can have a fully informed, evidence based debate on the value of the agreement to Ireland. Reference was made to meat and worries about meat production. I would like to refer to a letter sent from Meat Industry Ireland,...

Other Questions: Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I propose to take Questions Nos. 53, 55, 56 and 64 together. On 30 October 2016 the EU-Canada comprehensive economic and trade agreement, CETA, was signed by representatives from Canada, the European Union and its member states. On 15 February 2017 the European Parliament voted in support of the provisional application of the CETA. As I have said many times before in the House, the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Arms Trade (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The information I have in front of me outlines that there was one military export with Saudi Arabia as its final end user destination. These were not for the production of arms. Sometimes they are components for helicopters and Jeeps. I do not think the Deputy can jump to the conclusion that we are exporting arms or components for arms. I do not think that the Deputy can do that at all-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Arms Trade (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: -----because our Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade take an extreme view and make sure that the applicants are denied if there are any questions to be asked in that instance.

Other Questions: Employment Rights (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: We create jobs.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Arms Trade (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The EU has a range of sanctions in place in respect of countries engaged in conflicts. All licence applications are considered having regard to these measures. Sanctions can include arms embargoes and various restrictive measures including prohibitions on the provision of targeted goods and services. My Department observes all arms embargoes and trade sanctions when considering export...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Arms Trade (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Deputy mentioned export licences. I said one military export licence was issued. We do not export arms. The key consideration in dealing with military export licence applications is to establish if there are concerns with the end-user or proposed end-use. This process may include consultation, as I outlined earlier. My Department consults with the Department of Foreign Affairs and...