Results 9,861-9,880 of 12,040 for speaker:Mary Butler

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill 2018: Discussion (5 Feb 2019)

Mary Butler: Page 1 of the submission states: "The new Authority will have between 1 and 3 Commissioners, one to be Chairperson, and each will be appointed by the Minister following a recruitment process ...". Will that depend on the workload?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill 2018: Discussion (5 Feb 2019)

Mary Butler: Does the Department consider the proposed changes to the ODCE adequate to address the issues raised by Judge Aylmer or will we see more changes? We are discussing the heads of the Bill and no Bill is perfect in its infancy. Bills evolve and there are amendments. Does the Department believe the Bill as proposed should be adequate to address the issues raised by Judge Aylmer?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill 2018: Discussion (5 Feb 2019)

Mary Butler: I understand that. Did the Department work closely with the ODCE when drafting the heads of the Bill on failures identified by Judge Aylmer to draft these changes?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill 2018: Discussion (5 Feb 2019)

Mary Butler: The report of the Law Reform Commission published on 23 October 2018 recommends that the economic regulator should have the power to impose significant financial sanctions. Is the power to levy administrative financial sanctions rather than having to bring criminal proceedings being considered for inclusion in the heads of the Bill?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill 2018: Discussion (5 Feb 2019)

Mary Butler: I thank the witnesses for appearing to brief the committee.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement Reports (31 Jan 2019)

Mary Butler: I will not press the Minister on the first part of the question as she has published the account of the investigative failures in the Fitzpatrick trial and responded to Deputy Wallace on the matter earlier. I ask the Minister for an update on the action points committed to in the report, which was published in November 2017, including measures to enhance Ireland's corporate, economic and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement Reports (31 Jan 2019)

Mary Butler: I confirm to the Minister that the committee will start the pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill on Tuesday when we meet with departmental officials. The following week, we will meet with representatives of the ODCE and subsequently with the Minister. We can interact on the Bill then.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: IDA Ireland (31 Jan 2019)

Mary Butler: Could the Minister of State provide an update on what was the status of regional IDA Ireland site visits by county and vacant IDA Ireland properties nationwide on 31 December 2018?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: IDA Ireland (31 Jan 2019)

Mary Butler: It appears that there is a continuation of a two-tier approach to regional job creation in respect of IDA Ireland site visits up to quarter 3 of 2018. The trend of over-concentration of IDA Ireland site visits on the eastern seaboard remains unchanged, with nearly one in every two taking place in the region. Out of a total number of 461 visits nationwide in the first nine months of 2018,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: IDA Ireland (31 Jan 2019)

Mary Butler: I accept that one can lead a horse to water but that one cannot make it drink. We all want to put the best foot forward when it comes to our regions. In terms of economic growth across the country, 45% of Irish GDP is generated in the capital according to the CSO. There is a large concentration of the population in the capital but, unfortunately, out of the total number of jobs created by...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Research and Development Supports (31 Jan 2019)

Mary Butler: My question relates to research and development. Is the Minister of State satisfied with the level of public research and development funding and capital expenditure in public research? Will he consider introducing a new five-year cycle with respect to the programme for research in third-level institutions, PRTLI?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Research and Development Supports (31 Jan 2019)

Mary Butler: The figures can be interpreted in a different way. Ireland is ranked 32nd out of 63 countries in respect of research and development funding as a percentage of GDP. Recent EUROSTAT figures show that Ireland spends less than the European average on research and development. In 2017, just 1.05% of Irish GDP was spent on research and development, compared to an EU average of 2.07%. What is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Research and Development Supports (31 Jan 2019)

Mary Butler: I accept that a lot of good work is being done. I draw the Minister of State's attention to the programme for research in third level institutions, the PRTLI. Since 2015, research funding for universities and colleges under this programme has been cut by 56%. This scheme is critical, as it provides for the upgrading of facilities and allows for investment in laboratories and libraries,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Supports (31 Jan 2019)

Mary Butler: I turn the Minister's attention to state aid rules. The Government is still refusing to seek exemptions at EU level to introduce direct supports for exposed export businesses. This falls directly under the remit of the Minister's Department. On Tuesday, the Taoiseach confirmed at the IFA AGM that the Government had alerted the European Commission to the fact that we would seek emergency...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Supports (31 Jan 2019)

Mary Butler: I thank the Minister.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Supports (31 Jan 2019)

Mary Butler: I thank the Office of the Ceann Comhairle and the Minister for accommodating me. What emergency contingencies and supports are in place to safeguard SMEs and export businesses from a hard-Brexit scenario if the UK leaves the EU on 29 March 2019 with no deal in place?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Supports (31 Jan 2019)

Mary Butler: The Department of Finance estimates that a disorderly exit of the UK from the EU will reduce Irish GDP and economic output by more than 4% over five years, and that unemployment would increase by 2%, which equates to 55,000 people losing their jobs. This uncertainty is worrying and, as we all know, it is out of our hands because we are dependent on what happens across the water. Is the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (31 Jan 2019)

Mary Butler: 149. To ask the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be called for an outpatients appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4749/19]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Tattooing and Body Piercing Regulation (31 Jan 2019)

Mary Butler: 187. To ask the Minister for Health the status of his plans to regulate the piercing and tattoo sector; the status of guidelines on the sector; the age of consent for such procedures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4871/19]

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (30 Jan 2019)

Mary Butler: Today is a sad day for the health service with 35,000 nurses throughout Ireland on the picket lines. This is not a decision they took easily or lightly. To hear the individual stories of nurses and of the challenges they face every day in their working lives is heartbreaking. The Government has repeatedly ignored nurses as they warn of major problems in recruitment and retention. We are...