Results 161-180 of 2,023 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Data (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The UK’s decision to leave the European Union will have a significant impact on our economy and I have tasked my Department with making Brexit our number one priority. Central to this is understanding those impacts - positive and negative - across all policy areas of my Department and at a sectoral level, particularly in terms of the trade impacts. In this context, a range of work...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Manufacturing Sector (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The decision by HP Inc to close its facility in Leixlip is regrettable. However, I understand that no redundancies have yet been made and that the company's operations at the site are continuing. IDA Ireland has nevertheless already promoted the site to existing clients and potential investors and will continue to do so in the time ahead. I am hopeful that a new investor will be identified...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Properties (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Ardmore Studios is a commercial entity, owned 68.33% by private interests and 31.67% by the State. The State’s shareholding is managed by Enterprise Ireland. As a passive investor, EI has no enterprise development role in Ardmore or any involvement in its day-to-day operations. While Enterprise Ireland offers supports to exporting companies involved in film and the creative sector,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: This publication reflects the findings and outcomes of extensive preparatory work and consultations undertaken and demonstrates how these will be brought to bear in Ireland’s approach to the negotiations ahead. Now that the EU’s initial negotiating position is clear, the Government will intensify its focus on the economic implications of Brexit. A review of our...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Joint Labour Committees (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Joint Labour Committees (JLCs) are provided for under the Industrial Relations Act 1946 and were reformed by the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act, 2012. A JLC is comprised of equal numbers of representatives of employers and workers in a sector. JLCs meet regularly, under an independent Chairperson to discuss proposals for terms and conditions to apply to specified grades or categories...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: My colleague Minister Pat Breen wrote to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in September 2016 to request them to prepare a Code of Practice under Section 42 of the Industrial Relations Act 1990, around the issue of working longer. This Code of Practice will set out the best industrial relations practices in managing the engagement between employers and employees in the run up to...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Strategy (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Ireland remains a strong and committed member of the EU, and as such I would emphasise that we will continue to retain full access to the Single Market, which is of enormous benefit to Irish businesses and consumers. It should be remembered that this will continue to give Ireland access to a market of 450 million people, even after the UK’s departure. While Government is working...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Research Funding (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) has provided funding for top-class research infrastructure and human capital development across Ireland’s Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) in key strategic areas including bioscience, medical technologies; energy, social sciences and humanities and ICT to name but a few. Since the PRTLI started in 1998, there have...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Losses (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: In April this year, the company notified me of potential collective redundancies as required under the Protection of Employment Act 1977. I regret any loss of jobs. However, my Department remains focussed on creating the most competitive environment for enterprise to succeed so that we can achieve our goal of sustainable employment for all. Working with our enterprise agencies and with...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Regional Action Plan initiative is working to promote regional and rural job creation by bringing different stakeholders in each of the 8 regions together to identify innovative and practical actions, to be taken across a range of Departments and agencies, with clear timelines for delivery over the period 2015 – 2017. Collaboration between the private and the public sector has...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Foreign Direct Investment (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The State has a long track record – built up over 67 years by the work of IDA Ireland - in winning foreign direct investment (FDI) for the Irish people. Over that period, the world economy has changed shape many times, yet Ireland has remained an attractive destination for FDI. As the global investment climate continues to evolve, we will adapt accordingly - as we have done in the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: On 29 March 2017, Prime Minister Theresa May formally notified the European Council of the UK's intention to leave the EU in accordance with Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. This means that the two-year exit process has now commenced. It is hard to predict at this stage the full impact of Brexit. Much will depend on the nature of the future trade deal that will be negotiated...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Innovation is globally recognised as the key economic differentiator. Innovation and technology enable companies to make products and services that are better, cheaper or more novel than those in global markets. Thus, in order to export and scale, companies must innovate and embrace technology. Product lifetimes in global markets are incredibly short (1-3 years) thus necessitating a...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation Data (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Action Plan for Jobs is one of the Government’s key instruments to support job creation. The Action Plan for Jobs process is working. Since the first Plan was launched in early 2012, almost 206,000 more people are at work. Over 66,000 jobs were created during 2016. Employment growth is spread across all regions and all sectors of the economy. The goal of this Government is...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Knowledge Development Box (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am satisfied that the full benefits from the Knowledge Development Box (KDB) will remain available to the Irish economy. The KDB, introduced in Budget 2016 forms part of Ireland’s competitive offering to continue to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and to support Irish owned companies to innovate and to compete effectively on international markets. Ireland is the first...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am committed to maintaining an excellent and close relationship with the Northern Ireland authorities as we both work to address the challenges associated with Brexit. While there is no Executive in place at present, and therefore no equivalent Northern Ireland Minister in office, there is ongoing cooperation and engagement at official level. InterTrade Ireland, which is jointly...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Continued investment in competitively priced world class infrastructures, including energy, water, waste, telecoms, and transport, is crucial to the delivery of our ambition for job creation and growth throughout our regions. Inadequate investment can dampen productivity growth, increase costs and limit opportunities for indigenous enterprise and for FDI. However, investment in...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Support Services Provision (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are the ‘first-stop-shop’ for providing advice and guidance, financial assistance and other supports to those wishing to start or grow their own business. In Budget 2017, I secured an additional €4m in Capital funding for the LEOs, which brought the total Capital allocation for this year to €22.5m. The Capital funding is made...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Competitiveness (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: As Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, my focus is on improving Ireland’s competitiveness performance. Furthermore, my Department and the Government are very conscious of the need for a sustained focus on ensuring Ireland is an attractive location for mobile international and indigenous investment. In December the National Competitiveness Council published Ireland’s...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permits Eligibility (16 May 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I, and officials in my Department and Agencies, have ongoing contact with the Minister for Finance and his officials in relation to enterprise tax policy matters. The Government and I are committed to ensuring that Ireland will continue to provide a competitive offering, including tax offering, to attract FDI and to ensure that our entrepreneurs establish and scale in Ireland. These...