Results 1,021-1,040 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Regional Development (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: Balanced regional enterprise development continues to be a key policy of mine and this Government, and is reaffirmed in the White Paper on Enterprise. My Department contributes to this agenda in a number of ways, including through oversight of development and implementation of nine Regional Enterprise Plans. The Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan which covers Laois, Offaly, Longford and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: In December 2022, changes to the employment permits system were announced to help address skills shortages in Ireland’s Dairy, Transport and Home Care sectors. Since the changes were introduced, there have been 65 permits issued for the role of bus and coach driver, 68 permits issued for the role of farm worker, and 61 permits issued for the role of care worker/home carer....

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: IDA Ireland’s property investment programme is aimed at supporting economic development and job creation across the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and LEO client base. IDA continues to work with regional stakeholders and the private sector on opportunities to add to the supply of competitive property solutions in regional locations. The Regional Property Programme is an important driver of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: Firstly, let me say I fully appreciate that this is a very difficult situation for all the workers who are impacted by redundancies at this company. Government will assist the employees as needed in relation to income, employment and training supports. Ireland has a robust suite of employment rights legislation to protect and support workers in collective redundancy situations. I will...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Job Creation (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: 2022 was a record-breaking year for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) employment, with total employment in IDA client companies now standing at 301,475 up over 26,000 on 2021. Growth in the regions was particularly buoyant, with 52% or 127 projects of the 242 investments won by IDA going to regional locations. Employment growth was recorded in every region of the country. The FDI...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: My Department is responsible for the development of consecutive two-year Implementation Plans of cross-government activity to implement the policy direction set out in the White Paper. The Implementation Plans will focus on delivery of key initiatives or projects under each of the seven priority objectives identified in the White Paper. These priorities are: -Integrating decarbonisation and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Site Acquisitions (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy is aware, IDA Ireland’s property investment programme is aimed at supporting economic development and job creation across the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and Local Enterprise offices client base. The provision of property solutions is a key element in IDA’s marketing of Mayo and the West Region. In that regard, IDA keeps its landholdings under constant review,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Foreign Direct Investment (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: Foreign Direct Investment plays a significant role in Ireland’s economy and the flow of FDI into the country is strong. Numbers directly employed in the multinational sector in Ireland reached 301,475 at the end of 2022, the highest FDI employment level ever, and a 9% increase on 2021 with employment growth seen throughout the country. in 2022, 242 investments were won and 103 of these...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: My Department is fully supportive of facilitating remote and flexible working practices, this commitment has been set out in the 2021 publication Making Remote Work: National Remote Work Strategy. An interdepartmental group within my Department has been responsible for implementation of the Strategy’s actions, including movements to incorporate the Right to Request remote work into...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Trade Agreements (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: The Mercosur Agreement is designed to cement the close political and economic relations between the EU and Mercosur countries and represents a commitment to rules-based international trade. Since formal negotiations concluded, the global trade policy landscape has changed considerably. The rise in trade nationalism, the economic impacts of COVID-19, the war in Ukraine and the accompanying...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Human Rights (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: Following an extensive consultation process, Ireland launched the National Plan on Business and Human Rights (2017 -2020) towards the end of 2017. Ireland became the 19thstate in the world to develop a National Plan. In December 2021, a review of the implementation of the Plan was brought to government. It found that over 91% of commitments under the Plan were achieved, with plans to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Strategies (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: I am currently finalising my Department's new Statement of Strategy for 2023-2025. This Strategy will guide the delivery of an ambitious programme of work over the coming years, with an aim to make Ireland the best place to succeed in business across all parts of our country, with vibrant enterprises, more high-quality employment, growing trade, fair workplaces and higher productivity. ...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: IDA Ireland is committed to winning opportunities for Kerry. IDA Ireland’s Strategy Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth 2021-2024 launched in January 2021 commits the organisation to winning new investments for every region of Ireland. The Strategy includes a target of 800 investments for Ireland over the period, 400 of which will be outside Dublin. In addition, each region...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Foreign Direct Investment (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: My Department operates an early warning system, known as EWRs, through which the enterprise agencies - including IDA Ireland - notify the Department when they become aware of any significant issue arising for client companies that could impact their business in Ireland. While there is no obligation on companies to provide EWRs to the enterprise agencies, employers are legally obliged to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Environmental Policy (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: My Department is actively pursuing opportunities for decarbonisation across the enterprise base and integrating climate action into all aspects of the Department and its agencies’ activities. We will foster strong, resilient businesses, that are successful and sustainable, while meeting our sector’s climate targets. The Green Transition Fund was launched in June 2022. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: IDA Ireland is fully committed to delivering an Advanced Building Solution - or ABS - in Longford. IDA Ireland is continuing to liaise with Longford County Council and with wider stakeholders to identify a suitable site for the proposed ABS and the site selection process is currently ongoing. Longford is already home to 7 IDA Ireland client companies directly employing more than 1,620 people...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: In 2021, IDA Ireland acquired a new 39 acre landbank at The Mell in Drogheda, Co Louth. This landbank will form part of IDA’s long term strategic plans to position Drogheda and the wider Mid-East region to compete for Foreign Direct Investment. Since acquiring the landbank IDA Ireland has undertaken an infrastructure review with respect to servicing considerations and how to best...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Climate Action Plan (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: The Heat and Built Environment Taskforce has been established to accelerate and drive delivery in relation to retrofitting renewable heat, district heat and decarbonisation of the building stock. A sub-group of this Taskforce is specifically focussed on the commercial sector. Climate Action Plan 2023 sets out our level ambition for decarbonising the commercial built environment. A...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Policies (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: The National Competitiveness and Productivity Council recently published Ireland’s Competitiveness Scorecard 2023, which provides an analysis of Ireland’s competitiveness performance based on internationally comparable data. The evidence in the report suggests that Ireland remains a competitive economy, however, the Council highlight that, as an open economy, Ireland is...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Bodies (11 May 2023)

Simon Coveney: InterTradeIreland (ITI) is one of six North-South implementation bodies established under the Good Friday Agreement. It operates under the oversight of the NSMC and of its sponsor Departments, the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment and the Northern Ireland Department for the Economy. ITI works to promote trade and business on an all-island and cross-border basis. Through...