Results 981-1,000 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Data (23 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: There are a range of estimates of the cost of introducing an additional public holiday. An impact assessment undertaken by the Office of National Statistics in the UK in 2022 estimated that an additional public holiday for the Platinum Jubilee would have a net cost of £2.39 billion. In the context of UK Gross National Income (GNI) of £2,505 billion in 2022 – the additional...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Wildlife Conservation (23 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: The Government’s Climate Action Plan 2023 including the 2023 Public Sector Climate Action Mandate, requires public sector bodies to show leadership in climate action by taking, and reporting on, the actions they are undertaking to reduce GHG emissions by 51% by 2030. My Department’s Climate Action Roadmap which is currently being developed will set out our policy response to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (18 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 239 and 240 together. Government policy and the IDA strategy both recognise that the timely provision of appropriate, innovative, and cost-effective property solutions that meet the needs of multinational companies at the forefront of a modern economy remains essential to winning FDI. A robust property and infrastructure ecosystem can be the key differentiator...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Contracts (17 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: The external cleaning companies that have provided cleaning services to my Department and Offices under its aegis at the various locations in the years 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023 are set out as follows: Year External cleaning company Amount Paid DETE Offices 2021 Grosvenor Cleaning 247,281.96 Dublin ...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Foreign Direct Investment (17 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 64 together. The financial return to the Irish Economy from investments by IDA Ireland client companies each year is reflected in the number of expansions, new name investments and jobs created as reported in the Annual Employment Survey (AES) and the return to the Exchequer as reported in the Annual Business Survey of Economic Impact (ABSEI). IDA...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Funding (17 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: Construction projects, including restoration projects and refurbishment projects, are normally completed on behalf of the Department by the OPW.  My Department has not directly drawn down any funding for expenditure on art works under the Per Cent for Art Scheme for the period in question.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Trade Missions (16 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: Each year, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland prepare a programme of trade missions and events which support the goal of securing high-level market access for companies based in Ireland who are aiming to grow business overseas and increase domestic employment, and showcasing opportunities for foreign direct investment in support of high-quality jobs and regional development throughout...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (16 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 was enacted on the 4th of April 2023. Under the Act, all employees have a right to request remote working. The right to request other types of flexible working arrangement, such an adjusted working patterns or reduced hours, is limited to parents and carers as defined in the Act. A single Code of Practice will be developed which...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (16 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: In the past, the Low Pay Commission (LPC) was asked to examine the issues around subminimum rates under the National Minimum Wage Acts and reported on the matter in December 2017. The LPC, having examined all available evidence and submissions, and having considered a range of options, made recommendations in its report to simplify youth rates based on age and to abolish training rates...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Trade Sanctions (16 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: While the entirety of the State is responsible for ensuring adherence to EU sanctions, my Department is one of three national competent authorities for sanctions implementation. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment works closely with other members of a Cross-departmental International Sanctions Committee, comprising all relevant Departments and other relevant bodies to ensure a...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Irish Sign Language (16 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: My Department is fully committed to ensuring that customers who wish to use Irish Sign Language can do so. My officials have engaged with the National Sign Language Interpreting Service for Ireland to provide access to our services through Irish Remote Interpreting Services (IRIS). In line with our commitment to making our services accessible to all our customers, this service is free....

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Social Media (16 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: The percentage of social media posts in Irish, and those featuring bilingual translations, which issued between 1 May 2022 to 30 April 2023 from the social media accounts of my Department and its Offices are set out in the attached table; to note it does not include paid campaigns. With regard to the social media activity of the agencies under my Department’s remit, these are...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Equality Issues (16 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: Under the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015 employers are obliged to provide reasonable accommodations to both employment candidates and employees with disabilities, unless these measures would impose a disproportionate burden on them. The factors to be taken into account in assessing whether a reasonable accommodation request would impose a disproportionate burden on the employer include,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Funding (16 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: The Government established the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) in 2018 as one of four National Development Plan (NDP) 2018-2027 Funds under Project Ireland 2040. DTIF aims to encourage collaboration and innovation in developing and deploying disruptive technologies commercially to tackle national and global challenges. The Fund is managed by the Department and administered by...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Change Policy (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: The second iteration of the whole-of-government circular economy strategy is currently under development in the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. As the Deputy would expect, that needs to be a cross-governmental response. My Department is very much part of that discussion with the lead Department in the context of industry and economic development. I accept the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Employment Support Services (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for tabling this question. My Department has a responsibility, along with others, to ensure that increasing numbers of people with disabilities participate in the labour market and to do more in that regard. I acknowledge that, as a country, we are not where we need to be in this area and it will be a priority for me over the next year or so to change that. There are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Employment Support Services (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: On the public transport issue, I accept this is a barrier to entry into the workforce, particularly in rural Ireland but some of these barriers are not as difficult to overcome as they used to be. Many more people are now working remotely and are getting options to work from home. We have technology platforms now that allow many skilled people to work from home or from local enterprise hubs...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Employment Support Services (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: First, I will outline some of the other things Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland are doing. Last year Enterprise Ireland signed a partnership agreement with Open Doors to further develop awareness campaigns and programmes that will utilise success stories of self-employed and entrepreneur role models across a variety of areas, including people with disabilities. Additionally, the office...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Change Policy (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: We touched on this yesterday in committee and to be fair to Deputy Bruton, he has been a remarkably consistent voice in this area for a long time, including when he served as a Minister. He put in place Ireland's first proper structures for responding to the climate challenge. To be fair, we are moving from being in a poor position in this area relative to other European countries to a much...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Strategies (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: I hear what the Deputy is saying and I also recognise his contribution to and experience in this area. To give reassurance, we are not taking anything for granted here. We are assessing the current approach towards a culture of entrepreneurship, start-ups and risk-taking in Ireland, which is needed to continue to generate economic activity and new business all the time. It is one of the...