Results 21-40 of 4,366 for speaker:Neale Richmond

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. ...

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

Neale Richmond: As the Deputy is aware, the Minister for Health leads on the implementation of the National Positive Ageing Strategy. The Government is committed to supporting positive ageing across the life course as well as to ensuring that older people can continue to live independently in their homes and communities for as long as possible. This commitment is enshrined in the National Positive Ageing...

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

Neale Richmond: It is not my Department’s intention to bring forward legislation in the light of the recent Supreme Court Decision. Ireland has comprehensive and effective legal protections in place for workers who go on strike. Part 2 of the 1990 Industrial Relations Act provides workers who are taking part in peaceful and legal industrial action with a number of legal immunities, provided certain...

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

Neale Richmond: The 2023 Review of the Employment Permits Occupation Lists delivered comprehensive changes to the employment permits system, with changes to 43 occupations. Submissions to the review were subject to consideration by the Interdepartmental Group (IDG) on Economic Migration Policy. The IDG consists of cross-departmental membership including the Department of Health, which has policy...

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

Neale Richmond: The Employment Permits Section of the Department has provided the requested information in the table below which sets out data on the number of Employment Permit applications received by country of origin over the last four years and the number of applications that were refused. Unfortunately, it is not possible to capture the reasons why these were refused, but some of the more common...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Network (7 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: I sincerely thank Deputy Murphy for bringing up this issue. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this topic with Members on behalf of the Minister for Transport. I understand that the Deputy’s question primarily relates to the current system for calculating funding allocations for the protection and renewal of the regional and local road network. I will provide some information...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Network (7 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: I again thank Deputy Murphy and reassure her that the Government is fully committed to the protection and renewal of our new road network in each of the counties in the jurisdiction of the State. The Department believes the methodology is an equitable and proportionate approach that allows fairness and transparency throughout the process and also prevents unintended consequences. I fully...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Middle East (7 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: I again thank the Deputy for his comments. We all agree that the Government has certainly not been silent when it comes to this brutal conflict in Gaza nor have we been inactive. We have to back our words of condemnation with proactive approaches, building alliances within the EU and the UN as well as putting our money where our mouth is by backing the actions of the ICJ and UNWRA. More...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Post Office Closures (7 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: Go raibh maith agat. I do not disagree with anything the Deputy has said. The case from the perspective of sustainability for local businesses and the environment and for the protection, preservation and promotion of our national language is well made and completely understood by me and, indeed, by the Minister, Deputy Ryan. The process is in play. An Post is going to try to do everything...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Middle East (7 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: I thank Deputy Troy sincerely for raising this matter. He has particular insight and knowledge that not everyone in this House has concerning the importance of trade missions and, indeed, the importance of speaking truth to good friends. Everyone in this House knows the scale of devastation we are witnessing in Gaza. After more than 150 days of brutal conflict, some 5% of the population...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Post Office Closures (7 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Ó Cathasaigh. Tá brón orm ach freagróidh mé as Béarla. I appreciate the Deputy raising this issue. I welcome the opportunity to outline the position in respect of it on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications. An Post is a commercial State company with a mandate to act commercially and,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: National Monuments (7 Mar 2024)

Neale Richmond: I would like to thank the Senator for her tireless campaigning for this development. It is the sixth time she has raised it in this Chamber and the second time with me. I know her work on the Moore Street advisory group has been key to the progress. I am happy to give her an update on where we are at and what is coming but first I wish to pick her up on one comment. I love Moore Street....