Results 441-460 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (11 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Since the Brexit vote outcome, my Department has had extensive engagement with businesses to understand what they need to help them adapt to the challenges posed by Brexit, not least of which the pronounced currency fluctuations that have been felt in recent months.   Given that the border counties are particularly exposed to these challenges, InterTrade Ireland, the cross-border...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Foreign Direct Investment (11 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 76 together. Earlier this year, IDA Ireland sought submissions from suitable consultants to undertake a study to identify potential strategic land banks in Ireland that would be particularly suitable to accommodate the sustainable development of large scale Data Centre projects. Following this process Jacobs Engineering, supporting by AOS Planning,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement Investigations (10 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Office of Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) was established under the Company Law Enforcement Act 2001 and continued under the Companies Act 2014. Under the provisions of the 2014 Act, the Director is responsible for enforcing and encouraging compliance with company law, investigating suspected offences under the Companies Act, prosecuting detected breaches of the Companies Act,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Local Enterprise Offices Data (10 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 to 14, inclusive, together. In 2016, the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Meath approved 25 grants – feasibility, priming and business expansion – in total for the year, to a value of €293,998. The allocation included three business expansion grants totalling €47,500 for its clients. This equates to an average grant amount of...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Ministerial Functions (10 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: On the 20th June, the Taoiseach re-appointed Mr. John Halligan T.D. and Mr. Pat Breen T.D. as Ministers of State with responsibility for policy areas under the remit of my Department. On 26th July, the Government made orders for the delegation of Ministerial functions to Ministers Halligan and Breen at my request. Minister Halligan has been delegated...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Ireland Jobs Data (10 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am determined to support the growth of high-quality and sustainable employment across Ireland, including in County Donegal.  Last year the number of IDA supported jobs in County Donegal grew by 4%, reaching a total of 3,039.  The Agency continues to work hard to create further employment opportunities in the County and to increase the number of...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Action Plan for Jobs (10 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: 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, there are over 225,000 more people at work bringing total employment in the State to almost 2,063,000 by end of Quarter 2, 2017. The goal of this Government is to support the creation of an additional...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Foreign Direct Investment (10 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The IDA is focused on attracting job-rich foreign direct investment (FDI) by multinationals to Ireland. One of the Agency's key priorities is ensuring that such investment is spread as evenly as possible around the country and that every region of Ireland benefits from overseas FDI. While the general global trend is for FDI to be located in or around major urban areas, the IDA...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Lobbying Data (10 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Since my appointment as Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation in June, I have not attended any meetings regarding the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (10 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Dynamic pricing algorithms have been implemented, for instance, by airlines, hotel booking services and transportation network companies to efficiently adjust supply to periods of lower or higher demand, resulting in procompetitive effects. However, competition concerns might arise if companies start sharing the same dynamic pricing algorithm, which may be programmed not to compete against...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Skills Shortages (4 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs is an independent, non-statutory body, whose role is to carry out research, analysis and horizon scanning in relation to emerging skills requirements at thematic and sectoral levels. Its follow up work involves engagement with the Department of Education and Skills, Higher Education Authority, SOLAS and other relevant bodies to produce an agreed action...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Construction Sector) 2017: Motion (3 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am pleased to present the draft sectoral employment order for the construction sector for the committee's consideration. The draft ministerial order is being made under section 17 of the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2015 - the first order made under that Act - and the intention is that the order will confirm the rates of pay, pension and sick pay entitlements for craftsmen, general...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Mid-year Review of the 2017 Estimates for Public Services: Vote 32 (3 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome the opportunity to make introductory remarks relating to the mid-year review of my Department's 2017 Estimates. I am accompanied by the Minister of State, Deputy Halligan, who has responsibility for innovation, research and development. We have given the committee a briefing and I hope it will give members a clear understanding of what we are delivering for the money voted by the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Mid-year Review of the 2017 Estimates for Public Services: Vote 32 (3 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy said, additional pay was secured in the Revised Estimates, which was very welcome. That allowed IDA Ireland to increase its staff cohort for specific posts. Seven of the posts have been filled to date and the process relating to the remaining three is well under way. In addition, we recently secured sanction from the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Mid-year Review of the 2017 Estimates for Public Services: Vote 32 (3 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Typically, they are at assistant principal level. They are good jobs and it reflects the job situation out there that there is a lot of demand for people. I believe they are very close to filling all the positions. They expect that by the end of the year they will be very close to having them all filled.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Mid-year Review of the 2017 Estimates for Public Services: Vote 32 (3 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is a mixture of permanent and contract. Some of the posts abroad tend to be a couple of years - maybe five year contracts - and it varies depending on the circumstances in different countries, on what people want and what the organisation needs.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Mid-year Review of the 2017 Estimates for Public Services: Vote 32 (3 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes, they have sanction for the initial contract and then there is discussion. It varies depending on the needs of the market at a particular time as far as IDA Ireland is concerned.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Mid-year Review of the 2017 Estimates for Public Services: Vote 32 (3 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes. I will get that figure for the Deputy and forward it to him. On Succeed in Ireland, we have said previously that the Department will be commissioning an independent review of the Succeed in Ireland programme. That review will be carried out after the details of the initiative's full and final costs are available. That will equip us with a full understanding of the programme's...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Mid-year Review of the 2017 Estimates for Public Services: Vote 32 (3 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Mid-year Review of the 2017 Estimates for Public Services: Vote 32 (3 Oct 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: That is 35.