Results 1,401-1,420 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (15 Sep 2021)

Damien English: The State operates a managed employment permits system maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. The system is intended to act as a conduit for key skills which are required to develop enterprise in the State for the benefit of our economy, while simultaneously protecting the balance of the labour market. The...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (15 Sep 2021)

Damien English: Since March 2020, my Department has implemented Covid-19 contingency arrangements moving employment permit operations seamlessly to a totally remote working environment. Feedback received from enterprise across the board has been universally positive. In fact, Ireland was one of the few countries that has managed to keep their employment permit system fully operational throughout the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Health and Safety (9 Sep 2021)

Damien English: From 01 January 2021 to 27 August 2021, the Health and Safety Authority conducted 5,346 proactive inspections and 703 investigations. The HSA can launch an investigation on foot of a complaint received or as a result of a fatal or non-fatal incident. As requested, the number of investigations by county is presented in the table below:

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Weather Events (9 Sep 2021)

Damien English: My Department’s Humanitarian Flooding Relief Scheme may be invoked, following a Government Decision, to provide funding on the basis of confirmation received from the local authority and the National Emergency Coordination Group that relevant damage has occurred. My Department has been in discussion with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage concerning the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (9 Sep 2021)

Damien English: The employment permits system is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to fill skills and/or labour shortages, however, 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 pilot quota-based scheme introduced in May...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Zero-hour Contracts (9 Sep 2021)

Damien English: Ireland’s comprehensive body of employment rights legislation protects all employees who are legally employed on an employer-employee basis. Employment rights legislation was strengthened by the commencement, on 4th March 2019, of the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2018. The Act delivered on the Programme for Government commitment to address the challenges of the increased...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (9 Sep 2021)

Damien English: The Government have provided a comprehensive package to help businesses during the pandemic, details of the supports can be found here: Government supports for COVID-19 impacted businesses - DETE (enterprise.gov.ie). I would urge business owners to seek the supports outlined on my Department’s website if they have not already done so. In this instance, I would also suggest contact is...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Rights of People with Disabilities (9 Sep 2021)

Damien English: The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) guidance document ‘COVID-19 Shopping Centre Recovery and Protection Guide’ includes a provision for public seating for people with disabilities and the elderly under section 6.7.3, as follows; re moving seating areas (with exception of those for people with mobility or disability requirements). Where seating is retained for...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (9 Sep 2021)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 18 together. The State operates a managed employment permits system maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. The system is intended to act as a conduit for key skills which are required to develop enterprise in the State for the benefit of our economy, while simultaneously...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (9 Sep 2021)

Damien English: The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are the ‘first-stop-shop’ for advice and guidance, financial assistance and other supports for anyone 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 Revenue, the Department of Social Protection,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (9 Sep 2021)

Damien English: The Government recognises the sacrifices business owners, employees and their families have made over the past 18 months in order to protect their community from COVID-19. As you are aware, the Government put in place a comprehensive package to help businesses and workers during the pandemic. These business supports were unprecedented. The Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (9 Sep 2021)

Damien English: The Restart Grant scheme was launched in May 2020 and was live on all Local Authority websites. It was advertised extensively both nationally and locally as well as across social media. The Scheme was initially intended to provide grants in tandem with the phased re-opening of the economy as per the Government’s Roadmap. As the Roadmap was accelerated, so too was the scheme available...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (9 Sep 2021)

Damien English: I and officials in my Department have continued to engage with various sectors throughout this pandemic to assess the optimal supports required. The Government have provided a comprehensive package to help businesses during the pandemic, details of the ongoing supports can be found here: Government supports for COVID-19 impacted businesses - DETE (enterprise.gov.ie). A new Economic...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Intellectual Property (9 Sep 2021)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 to 26, inclusive, together. To enter into force, the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court (UPCA) must be ratified by 13 Member States (MS) including the three largest contracting states (by number of European patents). Originally, these were France, Germany, and the UK. The UK, which had ratified in April 2018, announced in February 2020 following...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Regulation (9 Sep 2021)

Damien English: Regulations that apply to all businesses can be found on the www.businessregulation.ieBusiness Regulation portal. This portal provides assistance in identifying the main regulations which affect businesses and to provide links to relevant tools and contact points.  For additional information on enforcement of any regulations relevant to this sector you may wish to contact my colleague...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Intellectual Property (9 Sep 2021)

Damien English: Universal and equitable access to safe, effective and affordable vaccines, diagnostics and treatments is crucial in the global fight against COVID-19. International Trade is a competence of the EU under the Treaties and in exercising that competence, the European Commission engages fully with the Member States, including Ireland, through a variety of Committees and Working Parties/Groups,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (9 Sep 2021)

Damien English: The employment permits system is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to fill skills and/or labour shortages, however, 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 pilot quota-based scheme introduced in May...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jul 2021)

Damien English: Universal and equitable access to safe, effective and affordable vaccines, diagnostics and treatments is crucial in the global fight against COVID-19. International Trade is a competence of the EU under the Treaties and in exercising that competence, the European Commission engages fully with the Member States, including Ireland, through a variety of Committees and Working Parties/Groups,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jul 2021)

Damien English: I recognise the difficulties being experienced by those in the trade fairs and exhibitions industry during the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions. I know that many employers, employees and the self-employed in this sector want to get back to work as quickly and safely as possible; and I support them in that ambition. This matter raised by the Deputy is, in the first instance, a matter for the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jul 2021)

Damien English: Universal and equitable access to safe, effective and affordable vaccines, diagnostics and treatments is crucial in the global fight against COVID-19. International Trade is a competence of the EU under the Treaties and in exercising that competence, the European Commission engages fully with the Member States, including Ireland, through a variety of Committees and Working Parties/Groups,...