Results 19,121-19,140 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Scientific Research (26 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: Government policy is focused on building excellence in scientific research and maximising its impact on job creation and economic and social progress. Neither I nor the Government make any apology for putting extra emphasis on research that could help to create more jobs. The Government introduced a number of policy initiatives targeted at accelerating the economic and societal return on...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Scientific Research (26 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: I totally reject the suggestion that the approach adopted is either narrow or short-term. This work was initiated by my predecessor who appointed the group to look at the issue of research prioritisation. Nobody could argue with the make-up of the group. The approach being taken is that a proposal is tested first for scientific excellence by peer groups at the highest standard of...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regional Development (26 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: Employment has increased nationally by almost 90,000 since the start of the Action Plan process in 2012. All regions have experienced job growth but some regions less than others. That is why the Government is placing an increased emphasis on supporting jobs growth in the region. The Government recently announced details of the Regional Action Plan for Jobs initiative which will seek to...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Losses (26 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: A series of actions are being implemented by local and national bodies to source an alternative employer and find alternative employment for those impacted by the MBNA redundancies, which unfortunately took effect on November 28th last. An inter-agency group, led by Enterprise Ireland, has been formed and its membership includes representatives of all the relevant State players. This...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Action Plan for Jobs (26 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: The aim of the Action Plan for Jobs is to help enterprises to create employment in all regions of the country. While employment has increased nationally by over 89,000 since the start of the Action Plan process in 2012, not all regions are yet fully experiencing the benefits of economic recovery. That is why the Government is placing an increased emphasis on supporting jobs growth in the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (26 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: As part of our engagement and consultation on matters relating to EU-US trade negotiations my Department has met with stakeholders and in particular representative organisations and sectors of enterprise on questions arising in the negotiations. I am not aware of any total opposition to the negotiations arising in these consultations. Indeed business sectors have been broadly supportive of...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Establishment (26 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: The establishment of a Low Pay Commission is one of the key commitments in the Statement of Government Priorities agreed in July last. The General Scheme of the National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill was approved by Government in January. The General Scheme, together with a Regulatory Impact Assessment, has been published on my Department's website and forwarded to the Joint...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Support Services Provision (26 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: The Government's National Policy Statement on Entrepreneurship in Ireland was launched in October 2014 and sets out the Government's strategic objectives as a facilitator within the Irish entrepreneurship ecosystem, covering the six key elements that impact on entrepreneurs and startups, and signposts the direction that policy will take in the coming years. This Policy Statement represents...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (26 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: Ireland was one of 14 EU member states that co-signed a letter addressed to the EU Commissioner for Trade, Cecelia Malmström, concerning the public consultation on investment protection in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) that the EU Commission had undertaken earlier in 2014. In the letter, it was pointed out that the consultation was an important step, that the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Support Services Provision (26 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: The Government's Action Plan for Jobs, which is co-ordinated and developed by my Department since 2012, has set out a comprehensive set of measures to support entrepreneurship, SMEs and the self-employed. The themes in this year's Action Plan for Jobs build on the reforms of previous years in the areas of competitiveness, innovation and entrepreneurship. The objectives and actions set out...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (26 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is a Free Trade Agreement being negotiated between the European Union and its Member States and the US. It will be an Agreement within the meaning of Article 29.5.2 of the Constitution. Ratification by Ireland will therefore be subject to prior approval of Dáil Éireann. The question of a referendum does not arise.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (26 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: Since the formal negotiations between the European Union and the United States on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) began in July 2013, eight negotiating rounds have taken place. The 9thround is scheduled to take place in Washington from 20th-24thApril 2015. Reports of previous Rounds, together with background documents, are available on the European Commission's TTIP...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (26 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: The European Union's initial proposal for legal text on Regulatory Cooperation in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) was tabled for discussion with the United States in the negotiating round of 2-6 February 2015. The text, which was made public by the Commission on 10 February 2015, can be found at the following link: The draft contains proposed text establishing a...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (26 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: The EU's mandate to negotiate the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) states that services supplied in the exercise of governmental authority as defined by Article I.3 of GATS shall be excluded from these negotiations. Both the EU and the US have repeatedly confirmed that no commitments will be taken on public services. This means that TTIP will have no implications for...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Grocery Industry Competition (26 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, the Programme for Governmentcontains a commitment to regulate certain practices in the grocery goods sector and this will be met by way of enabling powers to regulate certain practices in the grocery good sector. These powers are contained in the Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014. On 22 December 2014, I issued a set of draft regulations for public...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Apprenticeship Programmes (26 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: In its submission to the Apprenticeship Review in 2013, this Department identified the need for apprenticeships that better reflected the changing occupational needs brought about by advances in technology and productivity in modern manufacturing and service occupations. The focus of this Department has been on advocating for a wide range of enterprise-led apprenticeships to meet the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Foreign Direct Investment (26 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: My Department's Policy Statement on Foreign Direct Investment, which was published at the end of July 2014, sets out the strategic direction for FDI to 2020 and the key actions needed to enhance Ireland's attractiveness and business environment in the context of intensified international competition for investment and talent. As the Deputy is aware Ireland continues to perform well in the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Retail Sector (26 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: Since coming into office, the Government has recognised the importance of the retail sector to the economy. The Wholesale and Retail sector accounts for the largest share of employment in the Irish economy, employing 276,000 people in Ireland and representing approximately 15% of the workforce. The sector provides employment in every community in the country and is an important part of...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Legislative Process (26 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: The table below sets out the legislation submitted for pre-legislative scrutiny by my Department since 2011. In addition I expect to publish the Scheme of a Consumer Rights Bill for public consultation in April 2015 and propose to submit it for pre-legislative scrutiny. Legislation submittedfor pre-legislative scrutiny since 2011 Name of legislation Details Workplace Relations Bill The...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Job Creation (26 Mar 2015)

Richard Bruton: The company referred to, which announced the Global Sustainability Initiative for Facilitating Investment in Africa, is neither an IDA Ireland nor Enterprise Ireland client company and neither agency were involved in this announcement. Nevertheless, I welcome the announcement and IDA Ireland has agreed to help attract companies into the proposed technology hub, the “Global...