Results 901-920 of 4,491 for speaker:John Perry

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Property Taxation Collection (23 Jan 2014)

John Perry: I am taking this Adjournment debate on behalf of the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, who apologises to the Senator for being unable to take it herself as she is at a committee meeting dealing with the Estimates. The Senator will be aware that the local property tax legislation allows for a person who is liable for the local property tax and who is in receipt of certain social...

Other Questions: Departmental Reports (23 Jan 2014)

John Perry: The Action Plan for Jobs is driven by the Minister, Deputy Bruton, and the Taoiseach, and all of the recommendations are dealt with each year. The new action plan to be announced shortly will incorporate several very effective ideas. As the report of the entrepreneurship forum highlights, the development of entrepreneurs in Ireland is not confined to the State's support system. Many ideas...

Other Questions: Departmental Reports (23 Jan 2014)

John Perry: The Minister, Deputy Bruton, is taking on board the forum's key recommendations and he will carefully assess the actions required by his Department before he brings them to the Government advisory group on small business. The new Action Plan for Jobs already incorporates some of these recommendations and we are getting there year by year. I thank Sean O'Sullivan for his work on coming up...

Other Questions: Departmental Reports (23 Jan 2014)

John Perry: The report will be launched today. It is a good document which contains inputs, ideas and recommendations which will make a valuable contribution to the development of the Government's national entrepreneurship policy statement which the Minister will shortly bring to the Government for consideration and approval. Many of the forum's recommendations fall within the responsibility of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Economic Competitiveness (23 Jan 2014)

John Perry: The rates will not change because the valuation of properties and rates was carried out in 1988. That was when the rates were decided based on the value of properties. The rates will not change but perhaps property valuations may change. However, they will not change dramatically in towns and villages. There may be a different value on property in large urban centres. That is taking...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Economic Competitiveness (23 Jan 2014)

John Perry: Let us consider the country solicitors dealing with businesses at the moment. There are many new legal offices which have opened up and which are competitive. In recent times many start-up solicitor firms have emerged and people have started their own businesses. I spoke to a gentleman during the week in Ballina who has set up a small practice there very effectively. He has been given...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Economic Competitiveness (23 Jan 2014)

John Perry: The Cost of Doing Business 2012 report, published by Forfás in April 2013, showed that Irish cost competitiveness had improved markedly in the past few years. Between January 2000 and April 2008, Ireland recorded a 22.5% loss of competitiveness, fuelled by an unsustainable consumption and property boom. Since 2008 it has regained some of the cost competitiveness it had lost. Much of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Economic Competitiveness (23 Jan 2014)

John Perry: Several local authorities have put in place arrangements to allow businesses to pay their rates in two instalments. Rates have not increased in all local authorities, even though their budgets are being agreed. Across the country rates have remained the same. One of the key features of local government reform is that there will be derogations. It will be important for local enterprise...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Support Schemes (23 Jan 2014)

John Perry: Enterprise Ireland offers a range of financial and non-financial supports to assist companies through all stages of the business development cycle. Enterprise Ireland’s Competitive Start fund is aimed at accelerating the development of High Potential Start-Up companies (HPSUs) and creating a strong pipeline of HPSUs. Enterprise Ireland piloted the Competitive Start Fund in 2011 which...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: NAMA Debtors (21 Jan 2014)

John Perry: I convey the regrets of the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan. He is on Government business but would be here otherwise. As the Senator may be aware, section 172 of the NAMA Act precludes NAMA from selling loans or property to a defaulting debtor or to parties connected to a defaulting debtor. The Minister has no plans to amend this section at present. NAMA requires that the sale of all...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

John Perry: This cash comes direct from the Department’s Vote.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

John Perry: From this Department’s Vote. We expect the grants in 2014 to be €18.5 million. We spent €18.18 million in 2013. It is totally ring-fenced within this budget and the service level agreement. We hope to complement enterprise promotional activities by local government. There are many other schemes that will complement it. We hope that the activation of the...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

John Perry: We are very clear on this. The centre of excellence will lead, develop and manage. We know only too well that 98% of the economy is driven by 200,000 small companies. They are the backbone of the economy. While we all welcome foreign direct investment, the enhancement of the support service generates innovative small and micro-enterprises. That is why Enterprise Ireland is very committed...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

John Perry: To complement what the Minister has said, I visited several counties, including Mayo, where I got a very good reception. On the issue of what the local authority would bring to the table I take Mayo as an example. The development and implementation of the local enterprise plan will be formulated by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan, through...

Bethany Home: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (11 Dec 2013)

John Perry: My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, set out the Government's position in detail last night. I will take this opportunity to address some of points raised by other Deputies during the debate. In particular, I must address the insinuation made by one Deputy that decisions on Bethany Home may have been influenced by sectarian discrimination. It is patently absurd to...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Banking Sector Regulation (10 Dec 2013)

John Perry: I will pass on the Senator's concerns to the Minister. There is a clear commitment from the Taoiseach and the Minister regarding the potential for KfW. Equally, however, Bank of Ireland plans a major new initiative for the fourth quarter involving its prominent branch network engaging with farmers at marts. As part of National Enterprise Week, the bank will be holding a series of...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Banking Sector Regulation (10 Dec 2013)

John Perry: I thank Senator Higgins for raising the issue of lending to the farming community. The Government recognises that a strong agriculture sector is vital to our economy and plays a crucial role in employment growth. A key priority is to ensure an adequate pool of credit is available to fund SMEs, including farms, in the real economy. It should be noted that the agriculture sector has recently...

Topical Issue Debate: Job Protection (19 Nov 2013)

John Perry: The Minister, Deputy Richard Bruton, does not consider it a fait accompli. We are restating the facts as announced last week. The Government is actively working with IDA Ireland and the other State agencies involved and meeting the management. It is important to understand the decisions being taken by PWAI and Lufthansa arise from international economic conditions, but there is a thriving...

Topical Issue Debate: Job Protection (19 Nov 2013)

John Perry: I would like to thank Deputies Wall, Stagg, Dowds, Daly and Crowe for raising this important issue. The Minister is on an important trade mission to India and regrets he is unable to be here. I share the concerns of the Deputies in regard to the jobs being lost at Lufthansa Technik Airmotive and Pratt & Whitney Aviation International, PWAI, at Rathcoole in Dublin. My colleague,...

Local Government Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2013)

John Perry: The matters that have been raised in this debate have been noted and I would like to thank Deputies who made contributions on Second Stage of this Bill and Members generally for their attendance over the course of the debate. It is important that a major legislative provision like this, which is all about strengthening the democratic process, should receive the fullest possible consideration...