Results 121-140 of 5,809 for speaker:Alan Dillon

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (20 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Seasonal Employment Permit (SEP) is a new short-term employment permit. This year, a pilot scheme is operating to test its long term viability. The SEP allows third-country nationals to work in Ireland for three to seven months in a twelve month period. SEP holders must leave Ireland for five months before returning. The SEP pilot launched earlier this year, with an initial focus on...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (15 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: The attraction and retention of recent graduates in the labour market is an important facet of ensuring Ireland continues to foster a highly skilled workforce. This topic was raised by many of the respondents to the recent ‘Consultation on Increases to Employment Permit Minimum Annual Remuneration Thresholds’. Input on this matter was received from representatives of both third...

Trade Union Recognition Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (14 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: I welcome the opportunity to discuss Government's position on Second Stage of this Private Members' Bill, the Trade Union Recognition Bill 2021. The Bill aims to establish a legal mechanism for trade union recognition for workers, who constitute at least 20% of employees in an employment or any category within that employment. It also proposes criminal sanctions for employers who fail to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (14 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: My Department launched a new online Employment Permits System on 28th April. The new system is designed to deliver an improved customer experience and a more efficient and responsive service. This new system introduces a portal space with separate and individual accounts for both employers, employees and agents, making it easier to get up-to-date information on the status of applications. ...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (14 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: A well-functioning labour market and good working conditions are essential components of sustainable and inclusive growth. As part of the efforts to maintain this, the Government operates a managed employment permits system which is highly responsive to labour market needs. I recognise the valuable role migrant workers play in Irish society, particularly in critical areas such as healthcare...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (13 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), based within the 31 Local Authorities, are the first stop shop for local businesses in Ireland. In the first instance LEOs provide a signposting service for all government supports available to all small businesses including sole-traders and family-run businesses and can provide information/referrals to other relevant bodies under agreed protocols e.g....

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (13 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: Balanced regional development is a Government priority; a central component of the White Paper on Enterprise 2022-2030 is to support balanced regional enterprise development. My Department and its agencies contribute to this agenda in several ways, including through the nine Regional Enterprise Plans (REPs). These are bottom-up plans developed and led by regional stakeholders, which focus on...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Water Services (13 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Government is aware of the need for significant investment in Ireland’s water and wastewater infrastructure on a national level. The White Paper on Enterprise 2022-2030 identifies the importance of ensuring a competitive enterprise environment; a key consideration is the carrying capacity of the economy, including adequate provision of physical infrastructure such as transport,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (13 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Employment Permits Section of the Department informs me that it has not received a recent application in respect of the person in the details supplied. On the 3rd of July 2024 a renewal application was received in respect of the person concerned and on the 9th of October 2024 it was refused as the application was for a role with a different employer to the employer stated on the permit...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (13 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Government is committed to backing business and will continue to work closely with small and medium sized businesses through our enterprise development agencies to support their growth, competitiveness, find new markets, create jobs and take on the twin challenges of decarbonisation and digitalisation. The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), located within the 31 Local Authorities,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Legislative Programme (13 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025 was published on 1 April 2025. The Bill will deliver a new employment right by providing that, in general, an employer may not enforce a contractual retirement age which is below the State Pension Age (age 66) if the employee does not consent to retire. The Bill completed Second Stage in the Dáil on 8 April 2025. The timeline...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (7 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: I am pleased to inform you that the Consultation on Increases to Employment Permit Minimum Annual Remuneration (MAR) Thresholds closed in January 2025 after significant engagement. The consultation attracted a total of over 150 responses that were received from across a broad range of sectors, including from employers, permit holders, trade unions and representative bodies. The consultation...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (7 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: A well-functioning labour market and good working conditions are essential components of sustainable and inclusive growth. As part of the efforts to maintain this, the Government operates a managed employment permits system which is highly responsive to labour market needs. I recognise the valuable role migrant workers play in Irish society, particularly in critical areas such as healthcare...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (7 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Grow Digital Voucher was launched on the 4th of September 2024. This new digital support has replaced the Trading Online Voucher (TOV) which was closed to new applications on 13th December 2024. The Grow Digital Voucher has a much broader eligible expenditure criteria covering a wider range of digital supports as well being available to a larger cohort of businesses, in comparison to the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (7 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: Enterprise Ireland's Digital Process Innovationgrant is one of several supports provided under Ireland's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). It is targeted at businesses that are seeking greater integration of digital technology for improved efficiency. NRRP funding is provided to Ireland through the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility and is used to support businesses through the...

International Workers’ Day: Statements (1 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank all the Deputies for their contributions today. It is an honour to stand before the House on International Workers' Day, a day dedicated to recognising the invaluable contribution of workers across Ireland and the world. As Minister of State with responsibility for small business and retail, I acknowledge and celebrate the hard work, dedication and resilience of our workforce, which...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Business Supports (1 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, is working with the SEAI to try to streamline the grant applications, not just for businesses, but for homes under the warmer homes scheme. Where businesses or customers successfully make an application to get onto the scheme, the scheme takes into consideration the likelihood of trying to procure a contractor. That extends out the timeline so, in effect, the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Work Permits (1 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: I thank the Deputy. A well-functioning labour market and good working conditions are essential components of sustainable and inclusive growth. As part of the efforts to maintain this, the Government operates an employment permits system that is highly responsive to the labour market. I recognise the valuable role migrant workers play in Irish society, particularly in critical areas such as...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Work Permits (1 May 2025)

Alan Dillon: I understand the issues about migrants the Deputy is raising. We have heard some of the stories and I have engaged also with the migrant refugee representative body to ensure their members are listened to and are front and centre in any enhancements we can make to the scheme. We have looked at how the granting of reactivation permits is in one sense supported. We want to work with the...