Results 10,341-10,360 of 11,979 for speaker:Billy Kelleher

Seanad: Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion (20 Oct 2010)

Billy Kelleher: That is not the opinion of the Governor of the Central Bank.

Order of Business (19 Oct 2010)

Billy Kelleher: Why would he?

Order of Business (19 Oct 2010)

Billy Kelleher: Do not frighten us all.

Seanad: Government Agencies (14 Oct 2010)

Billy Kelleher: I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. The issue of late payment has been a source of concern for small businesses for sometime because of many factors such as the economic downturn and the lack of credit in the broader economy. This has created huge difficulties in accessing credit and receiving payment in the small and medium enterprise sector. To assist businesses and set...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (14 Oct 2010)

Billy Kelleher: Standard reply.

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (14 Oct 2010)

Billy Kelleher: The Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Coughlan, sends her apologies. I thank the Senator for raising this matter and acknowledge his deep interest in the school in question as well as in the broader Midleton area. If I received an invite from him or the board of management, I would be delighted to visit the school. As he knows, we are always reluctant to trespass on...

Departmental Guidelines (13 Oct 2010)

Billy Kelleher: "Your Business Your Bank" is a draft document prepared through the work of the credit supply clearing group. The document is aimed at bank business customers and seeks to bring greater clarity to the current realities of funding business and how business customers can best position their businesses to secure the funding they need. The text of the document is currently being finalised and it...

Departmental Guidelines (13 Oct 2010)

Billy Kelleher: First, on the substance of the question pertaining to the draft document, Your Business Your Bank, I repeat this comprehensive document will be published soon. I believe it will assist businesses when they prepare applications for loans from banks. As for the broader debate on credit availability to small and medium-sized businesses, the Government acknowledged and realised some time ago...

Departmental Guidelines (13 Oct 2010)

Billy Kelleher: While the Government received support from some parties which are responsible, other parties obviously shirked their responsibility and decided to be populist.

Departmental Guidelines (13 Oct 2010)

Billy Kelleher: That said, the small and medium-sized sector is struggling to access credit.

Departmental Guidelines (13 Oct 2010)

Billy Kelleher: One must be also conscious that some small and medium-sized businesses are not viable and will not be able to draw down credit, regardless of whether times are good or bad.

Departmental Guidelines (13 Oct 2010)

Billy Kelleher: However, a cohort of small and medium-sized businesses exists that must be supported by the banks. Since 2008 and in the context of the subsequent recapitalisation, the Government has put in place systems to first ensure there is access to credit and that if businesses are refused credit, an independent appeals mechanism exists under which they can appeal to the Credit Review Office. This...

Departmental Guidelines (13 Oct 2010)

Billy Kelleher: Briefly, Mr. Trethowan stated clearly recently that credit availability to the small and medium-sized sector was freeing up. In addition, a report produced by a business representative organisation, namely, ISME, states that matters are improving on the ground. Two issues arise in this regard. First, some businesses are not viable and will not be able to access credit. Unfortunately, this...

Departmental Guidelines (13 Oct 2010)

Billy Kelleher: It is important to note that the people whose function it is to monitor whether access to credit is freeing up or otherwise have discerned an improvement. While there is some way to go, the Government is ensuring that this issue will be monitored continuously.

Public Procurement Contracts (13 Oct 2010)

Billy Kelleher: The Government is working to ensure that SMEs can access public sector contracts in Ireland and abroad. As well as being an important source of income, winning public sector contracts here can have a very positive impact when companies are looking to win contracts abroad. We are continuing to drive the development of innovative public procurement processes across the public sector that...

Public Procurement Contracts (13 Oct 2010)

Billy Kelleher: The Minister for Finance has issued guidelines to public contracting authorities aimed at operating their tendering processes in a manner that facilitates increased participation by SMEs, while ensuring that all purchasing is carried out in a manner that is legal, transparent and secures optimal value for money for the taxpayer. The guidelines also highlight practices that are to be avoided...

Public Procurement Contracts (13 Oct 2010)

Billy Kelleher: It is important to compare like with like. It is important to compare data from economies of similar size.

Public Procurement Contracts (13 Oct 2010)

Billy Kelleher: Comparing Ireland to Germany, for example, in the context of public procurement is not fair.

Public Procurement Contracts (13 Oct 2010)

Billy Kelleher: I am talking about countries of like size.

Public Procurement Contracts (13 Oct 2010)

Billy Kelleher: Some 95% of all public procurement contracts are filled by Irish companies. We are an open, global trading economy. We win far more contracts overseas than we would if we took the course many people are suggesting and narrowed our focus to make it difficult for others to tender for Irish contracts. We are winning a sizeable share of public procurement contracts, particularly in the United...