Results 1,221-1,240 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Sustainable Development Goals (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a significant and ambitious framework. A whole-of-Government approach to its implementation has been taken in Ireland. Ireland’s Second National Implementation Plan for the Sustainable Development Goals, 2022 – 2024 was published in October 2022. The Plan was developed by the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Funding (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: The Parliamentary Questions previously answered (Nos. 155 and 157 of 7 March 2023) were more appropriate to the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) as his Department is responsible for publishing the R&D Budget Survey, However, as the R&D Budget Survey does not collect data on research and development (R&D) funded outside the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Redundancy Payments (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: I met with senior officials at Google in January of this year and our discussions covered a number of topics including the announcement that the company would seek to reduce its global headcount by 12,000. At that meeting the company expressed its commitment to having detailed consultations with their staff in Ireland on the job reductions, as well as restating its commitment to Ireland,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: The Sick Leave Act 2022 came into effect on 1st of January 2023 providing up to 3 days of employer-paid sick leave in a year, paid at 70% of gross salary up to a cap of €110 per day. I cannot provide legal advice in relation to a specific case, but I would draw your attention to section 9(1) and (2) of the Act, which state : 1. The obligations under this Act shall not apply to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: National Standards Authority of Ireland (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: I understand the matter raised relates to an application by the person concerned for certification under the Agrément scheme operated by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI). Agrément certification is a process for certifying innovative construction products where no standard exists. As such, it is a voluntary certification that provides manufacturers with a method...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Job Losses (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: Earlier this year, I travelled to the US West Coast for a series of high-level meetings with a range of existing IDA Ireland client companies, including the company referred to. This meeting involved high-level discussions on the technology sector and Ireland’s FDI value proposition. My Department received a notification of proposed collective redundancies from the referenced company...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Official Engagements (8 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: On 6 February last, I travelled to the US West Coast for a series of high-level meetings with a range of existing IDA Ireland client companies. I was accompanied on the visit by the IDA Ireland Interim CEO. The senior officials of the tech companies which I met were all at C-suite level in those companies. We had discussions about the technology sector in the first instance and the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: National Minimum Wage (8 Mar 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: Energy Prices (8 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: I and my officials engage regularly with our national enterprise development agencies, including IDA Ireland, and directly with business stakeholders on the issues that impact on them. I am extremely conscious that current high energy prices are placing a strain on many businesses. As the Deputy alludes to, the cost of electricity for businesses is a concern from a competitiveness and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: State Bodies (7 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: There are currently 30 vacancies in the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. These range from Executive Officer grade equivalent up to Deputy Secretary grade equivalent. Recruitment processes are currently underway with a number of posts advertised, and some at interview stage to be filled shortly. The table below sets details of each vacancy below. Role Title ...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Policies (7 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: Under the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014, as a public body my Department has a duty to eliminate discrimination, promote equality and protect the human rights of staff and the people availing of its services. In February my Department published its first Equality, Diversity and Inclusion statement, which sets out the principles we work by, and the actions we...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Corporate Governance (7 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: The Controller of Intellectual Property is responsible for the administration and maintenance of the Trade Marks Register in Ireland. There were 72,470 registered trade marks on the Trade Marks Register of the Intellectual Property Office of Ireland in 2020. Section 48 of the Trade Marks Act 1996 provides proprietors of trade marks with the opportunity to renew the registration of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Funding (7 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 155 and 157 together. This Parliamentary Question is more appropriate to the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) as his Department is now responsible for publishing the R&D Budget Survey, following a Government decision to transfer certain research and innovation functions from the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (1 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: In Budget 2022, Government announced that €55 million would be made available under the National Recovery & Resilience Plan to assist enterprises through the Green Transition Fund. This budget is split into two streams, the Enterprise Emissions Reduction Investment Fund (€30m) and the Climate Planning Fund for Business (€25m) which will both run from 2022 and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (1 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: On 3 August 2022, the former Minister of State for Employment Affairs, Business and Retail announced an 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...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Capital Expenditure Programme (1 Mar 2023)

Simon Coveney: In line with its current strategy "Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth 2021-2024", the IDA has continued the roll-out of the property investment programme to further invest and build out the existing asset base (incl. land and buildings) with associated infrastructure to meet future client needs and support balanced regional development. IDA has recently completed significant...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Trade Missions (28 Feb 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: Departmental Data (28 Feb 2023)

Simon Coveney: Details of the social media influencers and online personalities, television and or radio personalities engaged by my Department and its Offices from 2021 to date in 2023, are set out in the table attached. The information provided includes: the fees expended; name of personality; campaign they were engaged on; and the key performance indicators in respect of their engagement. ...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Public Procurement Contracts (28 Feb 2023)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 133 together. My Department operates a devolved procurement function whereby each business unit and Office of the Department is responsible for the procurement of their own goods, services and related contracts, with corporate oversight via a Procurement Co-ordination Unit, headed at Principal Officer level. The Offices of the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Online Safety (28 Feb 2023)

Simon Coveney: EU Regulation 2022/2065 on a Single Market for Digital Services, the "Digital Services Act", provides that recipients of an intermediary service shall have the right to seek, in accordance with Union and national law, compensation from the provider of that service. This right is only in respect of circumstances where the damage or loss suffered is due to an infringement of the obligations...