Results 21-40 of 4,377 for speaker:Neale Richmond

Seanad: An Bille um an Aonú Leasú is Daichead ar an mBunreacht (An Comhaontú maidir le Cúirt Aontaithe um Paitinní), 2024: An Dara Céim - Forty-first Amendment of the Constitution (Agreement on a Unified Patent Court) Bill 2024: Second Stage (21 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: I thank all of the Senators for their contributions to what is a lively and important debate. I accept the more general political comment that this is a very technical piece of work. It is going to be difficult to engage with people. I do not hide from that for an instant but it will require frank and open engagement, and clear and honest facts. I have been involved in quite a number of...

Seanad: An Bille um an Aonú Leasú is Daichead ar an mBunreacht (An Comhaontú maidir le Cúirt Aontaithe um Paitinní), 2024: An Dara Céim - Forty-first Amendment of the Constitution (Agreement on a Unified Patent Court) Bill 2024: Second Stage (21 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: An Bille um an Aonú Leasú is Daichead ar an mBunreacht (An Comhaontú maidir le Cúirt Aontaithe um Paitinní), 2024: An Dara Céim - Forty-first Amendment of the Constitution (Agreement on a Unified Patent Court) Bill 2024: Second Stage (21 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: Next Tuesday.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (21 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: Ireland has a robust suite of employment rights legislation in place to protect and support workers. Statutory and contractual employment terms apply in relation to the payment of wages. Failure to pay all or part of the wages due to an employee is considered an unlawful deduction and a complaint can be made under the Payment of Wages Act, 1991. The Payment of Wages Act 1991...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (21 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: While immigration and visa policy falls under the remit of the Department of Justice, my Department has responsibility for economic migration policy and the employment permits regime. Non-EEA nationals seeking permission to arrive in the State must interact with the Department of Justice for entry and residence permission, and, depending on their nationality, visa requirements. The 2023...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (21 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: Achieving balanced regional enterprise development, as reflected in the White Paper on Enterprise, remains a priority for this Government. I am very aware of the contribution made by enterprise hubs and remote working spaces across the country; these facilities provide services to support entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs and they also allow people to live and work in their local...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Schemes (21 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: Since the last update provided on 28 November 2023, work has progressed significantly on drafting the General Scheme of a Bill to amend the Protection of Employees (Employers' Insolvency) Act 1984. The primary purpose of that Bill will be to allow employees of companies that cease trading without engaging in any formal wind-up process to access the Insolvency Payments Scheme. The drafting...

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (20 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: I thank the three Deputies for their contributions. I would like to particularly thank Deputy Quinlivan for his chairing of the Oireachtas joint committee and its proactive work in the pre-legislative scrutiny of this Bill. As ever, it is really appreciated in relation to parliamentary work. Perhaps the Ceann Comhairle can clarify - is "rascal" an allowed word in this Chamber? I am not...

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (20 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: I do not think Deputy Ó Murchú will take umbrage if I describe him as being a bit of a rascal in some of his line of questioning but he raised serious points concerning businesses, if perhaps a little bit more philosophical when it comes to the politics of today.

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (20 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: On supports, two areas are receiving immediate response because of the report by the Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment, referenced by Deputy Quinlivan. It is extremely important to show how tough it is for many businesses in general but also because of many of the legislative and policy changes introduced in this House, supported by all parties present, particularly in sectors...

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2024: Referral to Select Committee (20 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment pursuant to Standing Orders 95 and 181.

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (20 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to introduce the Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2024 here today. Essentially, the Bill will provide a statutory basis for the transfer of Microfinance Ireland into State ownership, under the remit of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Before commenting on the specifics of the Bill, I wish to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Enterprise Support Services (20 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: I sincerely thank Senator McGreehan for bringing forward this very important issue. At the outset, I will take the liberty to address my response not just to Senator McGreehan, but to the school kids who are in the Visitors Gallery because this is really important. We are dealing with a very important issue for every one of them and they are very welcome to the people's House and the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Enterprise Support Services (20 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: My office is always open to the Senator. I mean that sincerely. Last year, we increased national funding for local enterprise offices by €9 million. We gave them additional funding so they can not only maintain current programmes but can do more programmes. However, if the team in County Louth feel they do not have sufficient resources, the Department will of course be more than...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Policies (20 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: The Sick Leave Act 2022 commenced on 1 January 2023 and introduced a new statutory right to employer-paid sick leave. This Act provides a minimum protection to employees who do not have access to a more favourable employer sick leave scheme, many of whom are low-paid and cannot afford to miss work. As you are aware, the minimum days were initially set at 3 days for 2023 and this was...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: EU Directives (20 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: The EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages includes two key areas: Minimum Wages, and Collective Bargaining. The Directive requires Ireland to develop an action plan to enhance collective bargaining coverage by the end of 2025. The Final Report of the expert group on the transposition of the Directive, released in November, will be helpful in guiding how Ireland should transpose the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: EU Directives (20 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: EU Directive 2019/1152 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions in the European Union has been transposed. The European Union (Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No 686 of 2022) became law on 16 December 2022. Ireland pre-empted many provisions of the Directive through the enactment of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Energy Conservation (20 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: Integrating Decarbonisation and Net Zero Commitments is a key policy priority for the White Paper on Enterprise. The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are actively engaged in pursuing this priority through the LEOs suite of supports of competitiveness and productivity supports for small businesses. The ‘All in a Day’s Work’ campaign by the LEOs highlights the benefits...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Staff (20 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: The beneficiary of the end of service payment referenced in our response to PQ 11012/24 has not been engaged by Enterprise Ireland on a consultancy basis. Neither my Department or Enterprise Ireland would be aware whether or not the beneficiary has been engaged by any other State body.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Workplace Relations Commission (20 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) is an independent, statutory body under the aegis of my Department, established on 1st October 2015 under the Workplace Relations Act 2015. The WRC’s primary functions include the inspection of employment law compliance, the provision of information on employment law, mediation, adjudication, conciliation, facilitation, and advisory services. ...