Written answers
Tuesday, 26 March 2019
Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
Interdepartmental Working Groups
Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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603. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the working groups established in her Department; the focus of their work; the membership composition of each; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13559/19]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Details of working groups currently established in my Department are set out in the following table.
| Working Group | Focus of Work | Membership Composition |
|---|---|---|
| Brexit Coordination Group | A forum, chaired by the Minister, comprising enterprise and regulatory bodies within the DBEI remit to update and discuss Brexit impacts and mitigation measures underway/planned | Chief Executive (or Chairperson as appropriate) of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland, The Health and Safety Authority (including INAB), National Standards Authority of Ireland, The Consumer and Competition Protection Commission and The Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority. Senior officials from each of the Divisions of the Department also participate |
| Enterprise Forum on Brexit & Global Challenges | A forum, chaired by the Minister, for discussion of enterprise policy implications arising from Brexit and other Global Challenges, with a particular focus on the implications and impacts for enterprises emerging from the UK’s exit from the EU | Representatives from Ibec, Small Firms Association, Financial Services Ireland, Food & Drink Industry Ireland, ISME, American Chambers, Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association, Irish Exporters Association, Chambers Ireland, Retail Ireland, Retail Excellence Ireland, RGData, representatives from DBEI Agencies and policy officials from across DBEI |
| Cross Divisional Brexit Senior Officials Group | A Departmental forum to ensure a coordinated and coherent approach by the Department and its Agencies in handling preparations and negotiations for the UK exit from the EU | Senior officials from each functional Division in DBEI |
| Brexit Trade and Investment Group | A cross-Departmental forum for examination of trade & investment policy implications arising from Brexit including research commissioned on the strategic implications for Ireland arising from changing EU-UK trading relations after Brexit | Officials from D/Finance, DPER, Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine, D/Taoiseach, Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade, DTTAS and Revenue |
| Brexit Skills Implementation Oversight Group | Implementation of Expert Group on Future Skills Needs report, “Addressing the Skills Needs Arising from the Potential Trade Implications of Brexit” | DBEI (chair), DES, DFAT, D/Taoiseach, DTTAS, Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, InterTradeIreland, LEO network, Office of the Revenue Commissioners |
| High Level ICT Skills Action Plan Group | Development and Implementation of Third ICT Skills Action Plan, Technology Skills 2022 | DBEI/DES (co-chairs), DCCAE, Enterprise Ireland, Higher Education Authority, IDA Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland (Smart Futures), SOLAS, Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, Ibec, MiDAS, Third Level Computing Forum, |
| ADR Working Group | All matters relating to the Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road | DBEI, Health and Safety Authority, Road Safety Authority, National Standards Authority of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency, Dept. of Justice and Equality, Dept. of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Irish National Accreditation Board, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, An Garda Siochana |
| Farm Safety Task Force | Implementation of health and safety related suggestions from farming organisations | DBEI, Health and Safety Authority, Teagasc, Dept. of Agriculture Food and the Marine, Dept. of Education and Skills, Dept. of Employment and Social Protection, Dept. of Rural and Community Development, dept. of Health, Revenue Commissioners, |
| Lifts Advisory Group | Devising a policy for the installation of lifts with adjustments to head space and refuge requirements | DBEI, Health and Safety Authority, Dept. of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Office of Public Works, Engineers Ireland, Association of Chartered Engineers of Ireland, Irish Lift and Escalator Association |
| Interdepartmental Chemicals Group | To ensure that information on chemicals is shared across Government Departments and Agencies and to assist in collaboration | DBEI, Health and Safety Authority, Dept. of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Dept. of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, the Environmental Protection Agency, National Poisons Information Centre, Revenue Commissioners, Dept. of Health, Health Products Regulatory Authority, Dept. of Defence |
| Dangerous Substances Steering Group | To assist in the review of the Dangerous Substances legislation being carried out by DBEI | DBEI, Health and Safety Authority, Dept. of Housing, Planning and Local Government, County and City Management Association, Chief Fire Officers’ Association, Dublin Fire Brigade, Dept. of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, the Environmental Protection Agency, Commission for Regulation of Utilities |
| ILO Interdepartmental Group | DBEI leads on Ireland’s engagement in the International Labour Organisation, a tripartite UN agency with responsibility for employment matters. In 2017 Ireland assumed a Titulaire seat (speaking and voting rights) on the ILO Governing Body (GB) for a three-year period. The ILO IDG was established in 2017 to prepare national positions on all items on the GB’s wide-ranging agenda. In line with the ILO’s unique tripartite nature, each ILO IDG meeting has a segment on exchange of views with the Social Partners which ICTU and Ibec attend | Department of Business, Enterprise & Innovation Department of Education & Skills Department of Justice & Equality Department of Health Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Department of Communications, Climate Action & Environment Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport |
| Inter Departmental Group on Economic Migration Policy | To oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the Review of Economic Migration Policy and the twice yearly review of the occupations lists and to monitor the guiding principles and operation on an ongoing basis. | Senior officials from lead policy Government Departments/Agencies: DPER, DHPLG, DJE, DEASP, DH, DAFM, DTTS, DES, DBEI and SOLAS. |
| High Level Group for Horizon 2020 | Strategy and policies for maximising Ireland’s performance under the 8th Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, Horizon 2020 (2014-2020) | Representatives from Government Departments and Agencies involved in Research and Innovation - including: - Department of Business & Innovation - Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Marine - Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment - Department of Education and Skills - Department of Finance - Department of Health - Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport - Enterprise Ireland - Environmental Protection Agency - Health Research Board - Higher Education Authority - IDA Ireland - InterTradeIreland - Irish Research Council - Irish Universities Association - Marine Institute - Science Foundation Ireland - Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland - Teagasc - Technological Higher Education Association |
| Innovation 2020 Implementation Group | Drive Implementation of Innovation 2020, Ireland's strategy for research and development, science and technology | Chaired by DBEI, the Group consists of high-level representation from research funding Government departments and agencies. |
| Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI) National Oversight Group | The National Oversight Group was established to give overall strategic direction to the establishment and development of HIHI and it is responsible for setting the appropriate level of ambition at each stage of its future development. | The Group is chaired by an independent industry expert, has joint deputy chairs from DBEI and D/Health and comprises senior executives from EI, HSE, HRB, SFI, and IDA Ireland. HIHI are also represented. |
| National Advisory Committee on Ireland’s membership of ESO (the European Southern Observatory) | The National Advisory Committee on ESO is to provide guidance to the Irish delegates, contribute to national strategy and drive engagement of research and industry from Ireland’s recent membership. | The group is co-chaired by the Irish delegates to ESO Council, one is an astronomer and one from D/BEI. The group includes all Irish delegates to ESO, and national offices, and high-level representation from research agencies, industry, academia and Government Departments. |
| State Aid Technical WG | Scoping and designing schemes to support enterprises impacted by Brexit in line with State Aid rules. | Representatives from DG Competition, Department of Business, Enterprise & Innovation, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Enterprise Ireland |
| Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Stakeholder Forum | The Forum was established to implement and support the actions in Ireland’s Corporate Social Responsibility Plans. The current plan is Towards Responsible Business’ Ireland’s National Plan on Corporate Social Responsibility 2017-2020. | DHR Communications, Business in the Community Ireland, Chambers Ireland, IBEC, ICTU, Irish Small Firms Association, Abbott, Afanite, Bank of Ireland, Continuum, Danone, Dawn Meats, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, ESB, Grant Thornton, Hotel Doolin, IBM, KPMG, LIDL, The Little Milk Company, Marks and Spencer, Musgrave, Pramerica, Transdev, Ulster Bank, Vodafone, D/Business, Enterprise and Innovation, D/Communication, Climate Action and Environment, D/Education and Skills, D/Employment Affairs and Social Protection, D/Foreign Affairs and Trade, D/Health & Healthy Ireland, D/Justice and Equality, D/Rural and Community Development, D/Taoiseach, Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland, EPA, IDA, LEO – Head of Enterprise Network Representative, NSAI, Science Foundation Ireland Kemmy Business School University of Limerick, DCU, Business to Arts, Northside Partnership, Volunteer Ireland, Clean Technology Centre, |
| Retail Consultation Forum | The objective of establishing the Retail Consultation Forum is to provide a platform for a structured engagement between the Retail sector and relevant Government Departments/bodies. | Retail Ireland Retail Ireland Skillnet Retail Excellence RGDATA Chambers Ireland Irish Small & medium Enterprises Irish Small Firms Association CSNA Irish Pharmacy Union Hardware Association of Ireland Fishers of Newtownmountkennedy Ecco Ireland Fitzpatrick Wholesales Dolmen Catering Mace Blackrock Musgrave Group TU Dublin, Aungier Street Campus Dublin Town BID Retail Ireland Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation Department of the Taoiseach Department of Finance Department of Education and Skills Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment Department of Health Waterford City and County Council – Local Government Management Agency Representative Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government Department of Rural and Community Development |
| National Design Forum | The National Design Forum brings together all relevant stakeholders in order to move forward with the design agenda. Stakeholders include representatives from the design sector, the business sector, the education sector and relevant Government Departments and agencies. The key purpose of the Forum is to discuss key issues of relevance, with a view to identifying practical actions which could be taken by government (national or local), or by industry itself, to support the sector. The Minister chairs the meetings, which take place 3-4 times per year. | Chaired by Minister Heather Humphreys and composed of representatives from DBEI, Enterprise Ireland, Local Enterprise Offices, IDA Ireland, DCCoI, various third level institutions, business associations, and individuals who work in the design space. |
| Advisory Group in Small Business | The purpose of the Advisory Group on Small Business is to provide a platform for structured engagement between small business owners, their representative bodies, and the Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection, with a view to influencing policy. | Chaired by Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection, Pat Breen TD and attended by members of DBEI, SFA, ISME, IFA, Retail Excellence, Enterprise Ireland, Design and Crafts Council of Ireland, Irish Hotel Federation, National Association of Community Enterprise Centres, Tax Institute and several small businesses. |
| Advisory Board for the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) | The Advisory Board has been established to oversee the design and implementation of competitive calls for the DTIF and to make recommendations to the Minister regarding the projects to be funded under this programme. | The Advisory Board is chaired by D/BEI (Assistant Secretary) and includes senior representatives from Department of Education and Skills; Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland. |
| dbeinnovation (formerly New Ways of Working group – established in 2015) | dbeinnovation aims to further embed a culture of innovation across the Department and act as a vehicle for cross cutting and collaborative change. Its objectives are to: - ensure strong staff engagement, deliver positive changes to the working environment, collaboratively tackle cross cutting issues, and to support, drive and implement civil and public service reform.Four sub-groups currently exist under dbeinnovation; Mobility Sub-group, Innovation Culture Sub-group, Corporate Social Responsibility Sub-group, the Green Team Sub-group. | dbeinnovation comprises of a steering committee and a number of sub-groups that are set up to drive initiatives around specific topics. Both dbeinnovation’s steering committee, and its sub-groups, seek to establish membership that ensures cross-divisional, cross-location, and gender representation. The steering committee is chaired by the Secretary General. |
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