Results 1,221-1,240 of 4,715 for speaker:Neale Richmond

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Legislative Reviews (23 Feb 2023)

Neale Richmond: My Department closely monitors relevant national and international developments and case law from the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), Labour Court and High Court to keep Ireland’s extensive suite of employment rights legislation current and fit for purpose. TheCode of Practice on Access to Part-Time Workwas drawn up by the then Labour Relations Commission in consultation with the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: National Minimum Wage (23 Feb 2023)

Neale Richmond: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 86 together. The Low Pay Commission was requested, as part of its 2016 work programme, to examine the sub-minimum rates (special training and youth rates) of the national minimum wage and to report its recommendations. The Low Pay Commission, having examined all available evidence and submissions, and having considered a range of options, made...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Wage Levels (23 Feb 2023)

Neale Richmond: According to CSO data, average weekly earnings in the private sector increased by 4.5% in 2022 Q3 compared to the same period a year earlier, and were up 10.6% compared to the same period in 2020. The Government has no role in the wage bargaining process for private sector workers which is a matter for individual employers and employees. However, the Government has been proactive in...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Legislative Measures (23 Feb 2023)

Neale Richmond: The Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2018, came into force on 4 March 2019. This Act introduced a number of measures to strengthen employee rights and to address the problems caused by the increased casualisation of work. Among these measures was the introduction of a 'band of hours' system which strengthens the regulation of precarious work by improving the security and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (23 Feb 2023)

Neale Richmond: Changes to the employment permits system for workers from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) to address skills shortages in Ireland’s Home Care sector were announced on 16 December 2022. The role of home care worker is subject to a quota of 1,000 permits. Applicants must have an offer of employment (contract) in order to apply for an Employment Permit. To comply with the Labour...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (23 Feb 2023)

Neale Richmond: The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are the ‘first-stop-shop’ for advice and guidance, financial assistance and other supports for anyone, including people with disabilities, intending to start or grow a business. In that regard, the LEOs provide a ‘signposting’ service in relation to all relevant State supports available through agencies such as the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (23 Feb 2023)

Neale Richmond: Ireland’s employment permits system is designed to accommodate the arrival of non-EEA nationals to fill skills and labour gaps for the benefit of our economy, in the short to medium term, but this objective must be balanced by the need to ensure that there are no suitably qualified Irish/EEA nationals available to undertake the work and that the shortage is a genuine one. The...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (23 Feb 2023)

Neale Richmond: My Department through Enterprise Ireland, is actively engaged in building the capacity in the indigenous sector for supply chain opportunities in the green energy and renewables sectors. With the support of my Department, Enterprise Ireland’s new Sustainability Department is examining the key emerging areas of opportunity in these sectors and how best to develop Ireland’s...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Joint Labour Committees (23 Feb 2023)

Neale Richmond: It is not clear as to which Joint Labour Committee (JLC) the Deputy is referring to. There are currently 9 JLC’s in existence, three of which are active. It is my understanding that the English Language Schools JLC are currently seeking to formulate a proposal for an Employment Regulation Order to be submitted for my consideration. JLC’s are independent in their functions and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (23 Feb 2023)

Neale Richmond: As a public health infectious disease COVID-19 is a notifiable disease in Ireland since February 2020. It is notifiable to the Chief Medical Officer of the Department of Health and to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre like other public health infectious diseases. Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2016 all employers and self-employed...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Wage Levels (23 Feb 2023)

Neale Richmond: I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 135 together. I would like to assure the deputies that I welcome the report insofar as it raises issues that will start a dialogue around the review of some very important employment rights legislation. The Government is committed to supporting workers and has a strong record on strengthening and introducing new workers’ rights. These include...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Energy Prices (23 Feb 2023)

Neale Richmond: The Government is acutely aware of the ongoing cost of living crisis and continues to monitor all cost of living schemes currently available to businesses and families. The Government was not found wanting during the COVID-19 pandemic and it will continue to support businesses now. As of Wednesday 15 February, 2023, the no of applications are 23,532. No of approvals 18,506 to the value of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Energy Prices (23 Feb 2023)

Neale Richmond: TBESS is a government grant designed to help businesses with increasing energy costs. The Scheme has been designed by Department of Finance and is being administered by the Revenue Commissioners. However, funding for the Scheme is allocated to the Vote of my Department who provides daily transfers at the request of the Revenue Commissioners. The Government has allocated €1.3bn for the...

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

Neale Richmond: The Department of Justice Review the Atypical Scheme for non-EEA Crew in the Irish Fishing Fleet included in its recommendations that a cross-departmental group be established comprising senior officials from relevant Government departments and agencies to oversee implementation of the transition of fishers in the Irish fleet from the Atypical Working Scheme to the Employment Permits system....

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (23 Feb 2023)

Neale Richmond: On 3 August 2022, I announced my intention to issue an Order to give effect to a statutory recommendation of the Labour Court concerning minimum rates of remuneration and other terms and conditions in the Security Sector. The Order was to apply from 29 August 2022. On 24 August 2022 my Department was informed that High Court had granted an Injunction prohibiting the commencement of the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Redundancy Payments (23 Feb 2023)

Neale Richmond: The Programme for Government, ‘Our Shared Future’ commits to “review whether the legal provisions surrounding collective redundancies and the liquidation of companies effectively protect the rights of workers”. Following extensive engagement with the social partners, the ‘Plan of Action on Collective Redundancies following Insolvency’was published...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (23 Feb 2023)

Neale Richmond: Flying and operating drones in Ireland is subject to European Union Regulation 2019/947. The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) currently supervises and implements this Regulation in Ireland. The Department of Transport is directly responsible for developing the national policy framework for drones, including supporting growth and innovation while managing safety, security, and privacy aspects....

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (23 Feb 2023)

Neale Richmond: On 3 August 2022, the former Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail signalled his intention to issue an Order to give effect to a statutory recommendation of the Labour Court concerning minimum rates of remuneration and other terms and conditions in the Security Sector. The Order was to apply from 29 August 2022. On 24 August 2022, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (23 Feb 2023)

Neale Richmond: At the outset, I must emphasise that Ireland’s system of industrial relations is essentially voluntary in nature and that responsibility for the resolution of industrial disputes between employers and workers rests in the first instance with the employer, the workers and their representatives. I would encourage both sides to engage constructively with each other and to make every...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (23 Feb 2023)

Neale Richmond: The regional business innovation centres (BICs) which are part-funded through Enterprise Ireland, provide tailored, high level supports to entrepreneurs to convert their innovative ideas into a commercial reality and are helping start-up enterprises to become investor ready. I understand that the Cork BIC services both the South and Mid-West regions including the Halo Business Angel Network...