Results 1,241-1,260 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: At the strategic level, Enterprise 2025 sets out the roadmap for enterprise development, and details the actions required and being taken to support the manufacturing and service sectors.  Our new trade and investment strategy, Ireland Connected, will be backed up by increasing our agency resources both at home and overseas and an intensified...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: My colleague, Minister Breen, and I intend to bring forward proposals in this area for consideration by Government. In this respect, work has progressed well on developing a policy response to the Programme for Government commitment to address the increased casualisation of work and to strengthen the regulation of precarious employment.  We intend to include protections aimed...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Employment legislation protects from victimisation employees and managers seeking to avail of or availing of their rights under the legislation. This means that employers may not penalise an employee by dismissal, unfair treatment or an unfavourable change in conditions of employment. Furthermore, dismissal for trade union activity or membership is automatically unfair under Section 6...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Action Plan for Rural Development (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. This has ensured that 61% of new jobs in Enterprise Ireland supported firms and 52% of new jobs in IDA supported firms were outside Dublin. The key strength of the stakeholders like the local authorities, the educational bodies, the enterprise...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I propose to take Questions Nos. 29 and 43 together. The Workplace Relations Commission's objective is to facilitate voluntary compliance insofar as contraventions of employment rights legislation are concerned. In this regard, Employers/Vessel Owners are afforded all reasonable opportunity to rectify contraventions and, where relevant, pay any unpaid wages and/or make good on...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Horizon 2020 Strategy Negotiations (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I understand that the Deputy’s question relates to the EU Competitiveness Council (Research and Innovation) discussion on international cooperation under the framework programme Horizon 2020 which was held on 29 November 2016. The discussions were informed by the second EU Commission Report on the Implementation of the European Strategy for International Cooperation and...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: InterTradeIreland (ITI) will have an important role to play in protecting North-South trade following Brexit as the body is uniquely well-positioned when it comes to understanding the needs of businesses on both sides of the border. We will continue to support ITI's work as it takes steps to help clients deal with the uncertain business climate ahead. ITI has already published material...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I very much regret the decision by the company in question, which is not an IDA Ireland client, to close its facility in Mullingar. Whilst I am informed that IDA Ireland does not own the property in question, I understand that the Agency is aware that it is available and has engaged with its owners about marketing the facility as suitable for potential foreign direct investment....

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Private Sector Staff Redundancies (23 Mar 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 38 together. Arising from its obligations under the Protection of Employment Act 1977, the company in question wrote to me on 7th February 2017 to give notice of pending collective redundancies in its employment. Under their governing legislation, the enterprise development agencies under the remit of my Department are precluded from providing...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Enterprise Ireland (EI), the Local Enterprise Offices and IDA Ireland are engaging on an ongoing basis with all client companies regarding the impacts being felt as a result of Brexit. They have clear plans in place to mitigate challenges and maximise opportunities arising from the UK decision. In Budget 2017, I secured additional monies, both current and capital, to support the enterprise...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 and 36 together. Research undertaken by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) does indicate issues regarding recruitment of HGV drivers. Meeting the demand for these drivers requires an integrated approach primarily involving labour market activation and upskilling/training.  As part of that approach, the employment permits regime offers...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Arising from the recommendations of the Task Force on allegations regarding treatment of workers on Irish fishing trawlers, an atypical work permission scheme was introduced for non-EEA fishermen working on Irish fishing vessels. The scheme is administered by the Department of Justice and Equality and the Irish National Immigration Service (INIS) on behalf of the Department of...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The official rate of employment and unemployment in the state is measured by the CSO’s Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS) and unemployment rates are published at regional level only.  In the South East region, which includes Wexford, the current (Q4 2016) unemployment rate is 9.4%. The only unemployment data available at county level is the CSO’s monthly Live...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: One of the recommendations in the Cost of Insurance Working Group Report on the Cost of Motor Insurance published on 10 January 2017 by the Minister for Finance, Mr Michael Noonan T.D., and the Minister of State for Financial Services, Mr Eoghan Murphy T.D. is to publish Heads of a Bill to enhance the powers of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board. In June 2014, Minister Bruton, the...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Action Plan for Jobs, which was introduced in early 2012, is one of the Government's key instruments to support job creation. It is a whole–of-Government, multi-annual initiative which mobilises all Departments to support job creation. The Action Plan for Jobs is working. Since the first Action Plan for Jobs was launched in early 2012, almost 206,000 more people are at work....

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act of 2015 provides for a new statutory framework – Sectoral Employment Orders - for establishing minimum rates of remuneration and other terms and conditions of employment for a specified type, class or group of workers.  This is in effect a framework to replace the former sectoral Registered Employment Agreement (REA) system which was found...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The State's general policy with regard to the employment of non-EEA nationals is to promote the sourcing of labour and skills needs from within the workforce of Ireland and the European Economic Area. The employment permits system is intended to offer an interim solution for employers where specific skills prove difficult to source within the EEA. The system offers a route into the Irish...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Companies (Accounting) Bill 2016 completed Report and Final Stages in Dáil Éireann on the 22nd March 2017. Second Stage in Seanad Éireann is scheduled for the 4th April. The timing of enactment thereafter will depend on the availability of parliamentary time. In light of the benefits for many companies provided for in the Bill, it remains a legislative priority...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: In our collective efforts to address the challenges posed by Brexit, we should not overlook whatever opportunities may emerge for Ireland on account of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. One such opportunity is the possibility for attracting increased foreign direct investment – particularly from the Financial Services sector. That is why I have directed IDA Ireland to explore...

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

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: My Department recognises the key role that innovation has played in Ireland’s economic recovery to date. It contributes significantly to job creation, exports and investment, and the competitiveness of the indigenous enterprise base, and also to embedding the foreign direct investment base in Ireland. It is clear that a strong interdependence exists therefore between science,...