Results 18,581-18,600 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2015)

Richard Bruton: I certainly do but I would also say there is tangible improvement occurring. There are now 105,000 more people at work since we started the Action Plan for Jobs. That is 105,000 people's lives back on track. It is also 105,000 people who are contributing on average €20,000 per year into the Exchequer in terms of savings, which amounts to €2 billion available to the Exchequer...

Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2015)

Richard Bruton: I agree we can always refine the measures. The measure that struck me most dramatically from my recent reading of the poverty report was the dramatic reduction of poverty for people who go back to work. The risk of poverty is seven times higher if one is out of work than if one is in work. The progress that the strategy has delivered, through Pathways to Work and Action Plan for Jobs, to...

Order of Business (7 Jul 2015)

Richard Bruton: It is proposed to take No. 11, motion re membership of committees; No. 12, motion re Statement of Estimates for the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission; No. 36, Civil Debt (Procedures) Bill 2015 - Second Stage, resumed; and No. 37, Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015 - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that: the...

Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2015)

Richard Bruton: I do not accept that. We, as an Oireachtas, set up the asset management agency to recover maximum value for the Exchequer.

Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2015)

Richard Bruton: We put in place a board, chaired by the former chairman of the Revenue Commissioners, to conduct that business and it had a very clear mandate to deliver best value. It was not told how to conduct its sales or whether they should be done individually or bundled: it was told to secure best value. It was also to be overseen by the Oireachtas, via the Comptroller and Auditor General and...

Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2015)

Richard Bruton: I do not accept what the Deputy is saying. The Minister for Finance was informed that the board of NAMA had decided that the company that had this compliance problem should not participate. It was debarred. It was not the case, as Deputy Adams is trying to suggest to the House, that the Minister allowed this to go ahead despite such players being involved.

Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2015)

Richard Bruton: They were deliberately excluded from the process.

Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2015)

Richard Bruton: Further, the successful bidder at the end of the process was asked to give an undertaking and that undertaking was given. I have the text of it:We confirm that no fee, commission, or other remuneration or payment is payable to any current or former member of the board of the National Asset Management Agency, any current or former member of the executive of NAMA, or any current or former...

Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2015)

Richard Bruton: -----that are in an account and that are due to be paid, but those matters are being investigated by the Law Society and by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2015)

Richard Bruton: It is not the case, as Deputy Adams seeks to suggest, that NAMA, which is now proceeding to dispose of its assets, has been found wanting in this. NAMA conducted itself in a proper way. It was found to have dealt with this in a proper way. It is answerable to the PAC and is happy to go before the PAC on Thursday to account for its stewardship. That is how this matter should be dealt with....

Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2015)

Richard Bruton: That is the way we should proceed with our business.

Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2015)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for his question. First, it is important to say that NAMA has a very clear public mandate to deliver best value and in that role it is very actively overseen by the Oireachtas. There is an embedded member of the Comptroller and Auditor General's office working with NAMA, it conducts regular audits and representatives come to the Committee of Public Accounts on a quarterly...

Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2015)

Richard Bruton: It is important to point out to the Deputy that the fee arrangement to which he refers did not involve NAMA in any way.

Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2015)

Richard Bruton: These fee arrangements were on the side of the buyer and not the seller of the loans. NAMA was not involved in any way and no payment was made by NAMA in any respect of these fees. That was not the case.

Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2015)

Richard Bruton: The issue of how NAMA conducted its business is very clear. That has been overseen and supervised by the Committee of Public Accounts and the Comptroller and Auditor General has somebody embedded in NAMA. NAMA's board is appointed by the Oireachtas to get best value and to have this level of Oireachtas oversight. We have a unique level of Oireachtas oversight with respect to this body and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Social Enterprise (7 Jul 2015)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 167 to 169, inclusive, together. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to develop a vibrant and effective social enterprise sector. A report on the potential of social enterprises to create jobs and to identify the actions required by Government and other relevant bodies and agencies, was commissioned and produced by Forfás in July 2013....

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Taxi Regulations (7 Jul 2015)

Richard Bruton: Measuring equipment used for trade, including taximeters, is subject to control by the NSAI Legal Metrology Service in accordance with the Metrology Acts 1980 to 1998. The regime of control includes approval of new designs of measuring equipment, verification of instruments upon installation and following repair or recalibration and inspection over the life of the instruments. Verification...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Standards Authority of Ireland (7 Jul 2015)

Richard Bruton: The responsibility for the EU Directive 2007/46/EC governing motor vehicles type approvals lies with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, and its Agency, the Road Safety Authority. The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) is the Irish approval authority for this and related Directives. The processing time reflects the technical nature of the approvals process, the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Support Services (7 Jul 2015)

Richard Bruton: My Department has been in touch with the relevant bodies in this case, to ensure that this company’s staff are aware of their entitlements and the range of assistance and services generally which are available from the State. The National Employments Rights Authority, which is an Agency of my Department, have made themselves available to deal with any employment rights issues which may...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permit Criteria (7 Jul 2015)

Richard Bruton: In accordance with our EU obligations, employment permits policy is calibrated to encourage the meeting of general labour and skills needs from within the workforce of the EU and other European Economic Area (EEA) countries. Ireland's labour market is part of a much greater EEA labour market which affords a considerable supply of skilled workers. Where specific skills prove difficult to...