Results 1-20 of 7,185 for speaker:Dara Calleary in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (22 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: My Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is taking action on a number of fronts to increase the number of Irish businesses using AI, in line with our National AI Strategy, “AI – Here for Good”. I chair the newly refreshed Enterprise Digital Advisory Forum, with industry and expert representatives, which provides valuable advice and perspectives on how we can...

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

Dara Calleary: Ireland's digitalisation goals and actions to achieve them are set out in the National Digital Strategy, Harnessing Digital. Our target is to reach 90% of SMEs at basic digital intensity by 2030. The EU's Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), published as part of the Report on the State of the Digital Decade on 27 September 2023, shows that Ireland holds a leading position in the EU...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Regulation (21 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: There is a responsibility on company directors to ensure that they adhere to the requirements of company law. In this regard, section 142 of the Companies Act 2014 (the 2014 Act) limits the number of directorships that an individual can hold at a particular time to 25. There are exceptions to this general rule and section 142 provides that in reckoning whether an individual has 25...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Legislative Process (21 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: The Companies (Corporate Governance, Enforcement and Regulatory Provisions) Bill 2024 will amend and enhance the Companies Act 2014 (the 2014 Act). The General Scheme of the Bill was developed following extensive consultation and engagement with stakeholders and includes provisions amending the 2014 Act primarily in the areas of corporate governance, company law enforcement and supervision,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Small and Medium Enterprises (8 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: The 2023 Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), published as part of the Report on the State of the Digital Decade on 27 September 2023, showed that 85% of SMEs in Ireland have at least a basic level of digital intensity, which places Ireland 4th in the EU. Ireland's digitalisation goals and actions to achieve them are set out in the National Digital Strategy, Harnessing Digital. Our...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Ports Policy (8 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: Restrictive measures, also referred to as sanctions, are legally binding measures that can be taken against individuals, entities or countries. UN and EU Member States are responsible for the implementation and enforcement of UN and EU sanctions respectively, as well as for identifying breaches and imposing penalties. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is one of three National...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Data (8 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: The EU's Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), published as part of the Report on the State of the Digital Decade on 27 September 2023, shows that Ireland holds a leading position in the EU in terms of SMEs with at least a basic level of digital intensity, at 85% versus a target of 90%. The 2023 DESI also shows that 22.7% of businesses with over 10 employees are using big data (5th in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (8 May 2024)

Dara Calleary: 285. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to outline the details of funding applications from Mayo County Council for voids refurbishments in 2022, 2023 and 2024; the funding applied for and funding received; if his Department directs funding towards specific properties or if Mayo County Council has that discretion; and if he is aware there are 16 vacant local...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Artificial Intelligence (30 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: To support the implementation of the National AI Strategy, an AI Advisory Council has been established. The Council’s role is to provide independent expert advice to Government on artificial intelligence policy, with a specific focus on building public trust and promoting the development of trustworthy, person-centred AI. Its first role is providing expert guidance, insights, and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: EU Directives (24 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45, 46, 47 and 48 together. Ireland has consistently been supportive of the objectives of the proposed Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (CSDD). I have been seeking to ensure that the proposal has ambition while striking the right balance of providing effective protections for stakeholders and ensuring that the measures to be implemented by...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: EU Directives (24 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49, 50, 51 and 52 together. Ireland has consistently been supportive of the objectives of the proposed Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (CSDD). I have been seeking to ensure that the proposal has ambition while striking the right balance of providing effective protections for stakeholders and ensuring that the measures to be implemented by...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Corporate Governance (23 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: The functions of the Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA) include investigating suspected breaches of the Companies Act 2014 (the Act) and, where necessary, to enforcing the Act arising from non-compliance with it. Owner Management Companies (OMCs) incorporated under the Companies Act 2014, come within the remit of the CEA. The CEA investigates all complaints received regarding alleged...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Personal Injuries Assessment Board (23 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: The Injuries Resolution Board (formerly PIAB) is an independent statutory body. Section 53(3) of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003 sets down that the Board shall ‘be independent in the performance of its functions’. As such it is not appropriate for me to interfere in individual claims or in the day-to-day operations and functions of the agency. The Board are...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Regional Development (18 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: Regional development is a key element of the Government's enterprise policy and is fully reflected in the Strategies of our Enterprise Development Agencies. IDA Ireland is targeting that at least half of all investments - that is 400 of 800 - from 2021 to 2024 to regional locations. The IDA Mid-West Region, including County Clare, has 159 IDA client companies in the region, employing over...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Regional Development (18 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: Balanced regional enterprise development is a key focus for me and this Government, as reaffirmed in the White Paper on Enterprise. My Department contributes to this agenda in several ways, including through the development, implementation and oversight of nine Regional Enterprise Plans (REPs). The West REP is implemented at a regional level by a Steering Committee made up of stakeholders...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Regulation (18 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: As identified in the Government’s White Paper on Enterprise 2022-2030, a well-functioning regulatory environment is an essential condition, underpinning a competitive and productive economy. Ireland has long been considered a conducive environment for enterprise to develop and grow and we continue to perform well across a range of indicators for the business and regulatory environment....

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Export Controls (18 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: My Department is the National Competent Authority with responsibility for Export Controls, including Controls on defence-related exports and exports of Dual-Use goods. Controls on the export of Dual-use items are administered by my Department, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/821 of the European Parliament and of the Council setting up a Union regime for the control of exports,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Insurance Industry (18 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: The reform and enhancement of the Injuries Resolution Board, with the overarching aim to have more claims settled through the Board, has been a priority for me since taking office. We are now seeing the strengthening of the Board through the Personal Injuries Resolution Board Act 2022, bringing new functions for the agency and significantly the introduction of a mediation service for...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Artificial Intelligence (18 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: I very much welcome the recent approval of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act by the European Parliament, and I look forward to its formal adoption by the EU in the coming weeks. This is a pioneering regulation, the most comprehensive AI regulation anywhere in the world. I am very pleased that the EU is leading on one of the most important regulatory challenges of our time, and that...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Insurance Industry (18 Apr 2024)

Dara Calleary: I welcome the Supreme Court’s ruling in Bridget Delaney vs. the Personal Injuries Assessment Board, the Judicial Council, Ireland and the Attorney General, upholding the Personal Injuries Guidelines and affirming their constitutionality. The implementation of the Guidelines alongside the strengthening of the Injuries Resolution Board formed a key part of the Government’s...