Results 1,221-1,240 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I refer again to the targeted and tailored survey we carried out. From the moment the referendum result was known, Enterprise Ireland contacted its 1,500 client companies. The IDA did the same. InterTradeIreland is also doing wonderful work. If the Deputy looks at its website he will see exactly what it is doing. My Department and the enterprise agencies are responding well to Brexit. I...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Enterprise Support Schemes (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: My Department, through Enterprise Ireland, EI, and the local enterprise offices, LEOs, provides a range of supports to help Irish companies start, grow and export. In particular, Enterprise Ireland's new strategy for 2017 to 2020 will support more Irish companies to achieve greater scale, to be more competitive and expand into new export markets. The objective of the Global Ambition...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Job Creation (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The IDA's board decided this matter in November. I understand that this was partly because it had received legal advice about the difficulties associated with retendering in the midst of a legal dispute with the current contractor, ConnectIreland. The IDA would also have considered the fact that the programme had only achieved approximately 10% of its target of creating 5,000 jobs. I...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Job Creation (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: First, we extended the contract.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Job Creation (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Let me continue, please. It is stated in black and white in that contract between ConnectIreland and the IDA that the last six months of the extension were to be a wind-down period. That is how it is. Second, extending the contract would break procurement laws, which we will not do. The IDA has legal advice and I have advice from the Department's legal adviser. We have not decided...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Job Creation (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I will revert on that matter in a moment as I am over time. I keep hearing about jobs in the regions. A total of 58% of the jobs created, or 312, are located in Dublin, 30 jobs are in Cork and 42%, or approximately 220, are in the remainder of the country. I will revert to the Deputy on the other point.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: In advance of the Brexit referendum, my Department conducted a contingency risk assessment of the potential impacts of Brexit across relevant policy areas. We have refined our analysis since then and have been working with our agencies and across Government to put in place additional resources and actions so as to mitigate risks and maximise opportunities. I have also initiated new...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Job Creation (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. The Succeed in Ireland initiative has been operated by ConnectIreland on the basis of a contract with IDA Ireland that was originally agreed in March 2012. The contract was extended by 12 months in March 2016 and is now set to conclude on 26 March 2017. It would not be permissible for any further extension to be granted on account of public...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Ireland (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: There are 1,500 Enterprise Ireland (EI) client companies recording exports to the UK.  They employ 100,000 people across the country and have exports of over €7 billion. In Budget 2017, I secured additional monies, both current and capital, to support Enterprise Ireland’s strategic response to Brexit, including 39 targeted posts, both at home and abroad to support its...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Foreign Direct Investment (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I understand that Cavan will be included in a study, currently being commissioned by IDA Ireland, to identify potential strategic land banks for the sustainable development of large-scale data centre projects.  This will evaluate all viable land options nationally and will be conducted over a number of stages. For a site to be considered suitable, I understand that it must be...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Research and Development Funding (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) has involved €1.2 billion investment of private and public investment. It has supported the provision of top-class research infrastructure (buildings, laboratories and cutting edge equipment) as well as human capital development, through Structured PhD programmes across Ireland’s Higher Education Institutes...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Site Visits (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: According to the 2016 Annual Employment Survey, conducted by my Department, there are 23 IDA supported client companies, employing 10,139 staff in County Kildare.  Under IDA’s strategy, the Agency aims to increase investment by 30-40% in each region outside of Dublin by 2019. From 2012 to 2016, there were 18 site visits to Kildare. Visits to the county rose from one in 2014 to...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Support Schemes (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Succeed-in-Ireland initiative has been operated by ConnectIreland on the basis of a contract with IDA Ireland that was originally agreed in March 2012. The contract, which was extended by 12 months in March 2016, is now set to conclude on 26 March. I understand that it would not be permissible for any further extension to be granted on account of public procurement law.  The...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Small and Medium Enterprises Supports (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: At this stage it is not possible to predict with certainty the extent of Brexit for SMEs trading across the border. Much will depend on the nature of the deal that will be negotiated between the UK and the EU. This Government will seek, during that process, to highlight our unique economic ties with Northern Ireland.  The Government is very conscious of the specific challenges...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Action Plan for Jobs (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Since the first Action Plan for Jobs was launched in early 2012, almost 206,000 more people are at work. Over 66,000 jobs were created during 2016. Employment growth is spread across all regions and all sectors of the economy and society. In February, we published the Action Plan for Jobs 2017. This Government's goal is to ensure that all of our people have the opportunity to enjoy...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: As part of 2017 Budget negotiations, I successfully secured a €100 million increase in the Department’s expenditure ceilings by year end 2016 and for 2017. This includes €3 million which is specifically for “Brexit” related posts across the Department and its Agencies. Part of this funding will support 39 targeted posts in Enterprise Ireland, located at...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: My Department and the enterprise agencies are fully committed to supporting business and all of our stakeholders in this period of heightened uncertainty. I have established various structures in my Department, commissioned research and secured additional funding to support our work on Brexit. Enterprise Ireland and the LEOs are steadily working with companies to make sure that they...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: In Budget 2017, I secured additional monies, both current and capital, to support Enterprise Ireland’s strategic response to Brexit, including 39 targeted posts, both at home and abroad to support its clients across all markets. There are 1,500 Enterprise Ireland (EI) client companies recording exports to the UK.  They employ 100,000 people across the country and have exports...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Data (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Regional Action Plans for Jobs are aimed at maximising the strengths and assets of each region, to support enterprise growth and job creation. I am satisfied that the key strength of the stakeholders like the local authorities, the educational bodies, the enterprise development agencies and the private sector all working collaboratively to maximise opportunities, means that every county...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: A whole of Government approach is in place focusing on Brexit issues and my Department and agencies are to the forefront of this effort. The UK’s decision to leave the European Union will impact significantly on all policy fields across the Department as well as our family of Agencies. Brexit is the number one priority for my Department. In advance of the Referendum my Department...