Bruton, RichardWednesday, 15 February 1995 |
Dáil Éireann Debate
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Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Investment in Irish Steel.
Was asked: the amount of subsidisation, finance or equity contributed to or held by the Government in Irish Steel from 1983 to 1994; and the plans, if any, he has for the company in regard to further finance int...
Was asked: the level of the Government's proposed capital injection to Irish Steel; the amount per job that this represents; if EU approval has been given for this proposal; and if he will make a statement on th...
I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 16 together. In my written reply to Deputy O'Rourke on 26 January, I set out the details of Government financing and subsidies for Irish Steel in the years 1983 ...
I will deal with the Deputies' questions seriatim. On the question of delays, clearly any incoming Government needs to give very careful consideration to a project which is so important to the Cobh a...
I assure the Deputy that no information about potential companies interested in participating with Irish Steel in this project is being released from my Department.
The company is concerned about its ability to meet production targets and is very anxious to be in a position to guarantee the Government that it has the capacity to meet those targets which are clear...
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Departmental Unit.
Was asked: if he will give details of the special unit in his Department which was announced following the recent dispute in a company (details supplied) in Dublin 24; and the way in which he proposes that this ...
Was asked: the measures, if any, which have been taken by him to establish a special unit in his Department to assist the social partners in developing new ways of working, increasing labour management co-operat...
I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 20 together. Work is progressing in my Department on establishing the special unit signalled in the Programme for Government to assist the social partners in dev...
A unit will be established to deal with new ways of working, increasing labour/management co-operation and strengthening partnership at an enterprise level. Part of its task will be to foresee the c...
A budget is being provided to fund the work of this unit. I assure the Deputy that support will be provided under the industry operational programme to help industries under threat to foresee those t...
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Long Term Unemployed.
Was asked: if he will consider a policy of targeted number reductions on long term unemployment.[3346/95]
The Deputy is well aware that, despite the continued improvement in the economy and the downward trend in unemployment over the past year, long term unemployment will remain a problem for this country...
This matter is the source of particular concern. I can confirm that the number of long term unemployed increased by almost 17,000 between April 1992 and April 1994. However the most recent half year ...
That is correct. The Government is giving this matter priority. A sum of £6 million has been set aside in the budget to establish on a pilot basis, a local employment service targeted at the long te...
The Deputy is correct. The ESRI has forecast — this is disturbing — that the number of long term unemployed could remain at 130,000 even after a further five year period of growth. It is clear that i...
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Competition Bill, 1994.
Was asked: the plans, if any, he has to change the thrust of the proposed competition Bill following the views expressed by him in a newspaper article (details supplied).
The policy agreement for Government provides for the strengthening of the competition law by giving the Competition Authority powers of enforcement and by enabling the courts to impose stiff fines on ...
I hope to introduce amendments to the existing Bill on committee rather than draft a new one. Consultation is necessary. I have been in contact with the Office of the Attorney General to seek advice...
I am surprised the Deputy who is a former Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise and Employment is suggesting legislation introduced by the previous Government is the product of the effort...
Under Government procedures, I understand that such matters are considered by the Cabinet which takes careful account of any views expressed. The previous Government came down on one side of the issu...
I would be happy to take the question; I did not realise it was ruled out of order.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Enterprise Boards.
Was asked: the projects which have applied for grant-aid from each of the county enterprise boards since their establishment; the projects which have been approved; the number of jobs generated by each project; ...
My Department is made aware only of projects which are approved for grant aid by the boards. I do not have the information sought by the Deputy on the projects which have applied to the board for gr...
Decisions such as the one described by the Deputy are delegated to the local board and would not be routinely brought to my attention. The boards must take into account certain criteria in deciding on...
Written Answers. - Community Employment Schemes.
Was asked: the current position in relation to the refusal of trade unions to allow Dublin Corporation operate community employment schemes; if this matter has been referred to the Central Review Committee set u...
I am very pleased to be able to tell the House that two community employment projects have been approved recently for Dublin Corporation and will commence later in the year. The Deputy may be aware th...
Written Answers. - Job Creation.
Was asked: the specific industry and specific job creation targets set by his Department for 1995; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Was asked: the proposals, if any, he has to create job opportunities for young people and school leavers in 1995; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 35 together.
Written Answers. - Artists' Interests.
Was asked: the manner in which artists and artists' concerns have been accommodated on county enterprise boards throughout the country.
The composition of county enterprise boards represents a partnership between elected representatives, State agency personnel, the social partners at local level and local business and voluntary sector...
Written Answers. - Small Business Task Force Recommendations.
Was asked: the programme for the implementation of the 121 recommendations of the Small Business Task Force; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Consistent with the undertaking in, A Government of Renewal, a concerted programme to help small business is being pursued within my Department. This programme will build on the advances made under t...
Written Answers. - Safety in the Chemical Industry.
Was asked: if he will report to Dáil Éireann on the Health and Safety Authority's special inspection survey of safety in the chemical industry in view of the accident at a plant (details supplied); the course of...
Was asked: the terms and scope of the review by the Health and Safety Authority of chemical plants; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 18 together. In September 1993, the former Minister for Labour requested the Health and Safety Authority to conduct a comprehensive review of safety in the Iris...
Written Answers. - County Enterprise Boards.
Was asked: if he will broaden the scope of the county enterprise boards in making funding available for brochures and packaging for start-up businesses or small businesses; his views on whether domestic marketin...
I have noted the Deputy's suggestion, and will bear it in mind in the context of my ongoing review of general policy in relation to the county enterprise initiative.
Written Answers. - Proposed Consumer Bill of Rights.
Was asked: the progress, if any, that has been made in formulating a consumer bill of rights guaranteeing standards of service from semi-State companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I signed Regulations on 1 February 1995 giving effect to an EU Directive on Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts. These Regulations were laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas on 3 February. The prim...
Written Answers. - County Enterprise Boards.
Was asked: if he has satisfied himself with the operation of the county enterprise boards which have been established in each county; the proposals, if any, he has to make changes in regard to their operation an...
Was asked: if he has satisfied himself with the operations of the county enterprise boards in creating jobs; the proposals, if any, he has for co-ordination between boards in different areas of the country who g...
Was asked: the progress and success of the county enterprise boards; the submissions, if any, he has received to amend or alter the role of the county enterprise boards; and if he will make a statement on the ma...
I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 23 and 64 together. The county enterprise boards have been operating subject to interim guidelines since they were set up in late 1993. Since establishment, their ...
Written Answers. - STIAC Report.
Was asked: if he has received the STIAC report; and, if so, when he will publish the report.
I received the report of the Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council on 12 January. The report is detailed and comprehensive, covering a wide range of issues. It contains some 150 recommen...
Written Answers. - County Enterprise Boards.
Was asked: if he will alter the structure of county enterprise boards to ensure that members of the Dáil are included on boards relevant to their constituencies.
The composition of county enterprise boards includes persons who are representative of bodies at county level which have the right to make nominations, such as the relevant local authority, the social...
Written Answers. - Inward Investment Conference.
Was asked: the plans, if any, he has for co-ordinating a submission to the proposed Philadelphia Conference on Inward Investment to Northern Ireland and Border counties; and if he will make a statement on the ma...
I would point out to the Deputy that the subject matter of the conference he refers to extends considerably beyond the remit of my Department. He will also wish to know that the venue for the confere...
Written Answers. - Motor Fuels.
Was asked: if he has satisfied himself with the progress being made closing the gap between tax exclusive motor fuel prices in Ireland and in the rest of the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Our pre-tax prices are higher than the European average according to a recent EU survey.The Fair Trade Commission's 1990 report of its inquiry into the supply and distribution of motor fuels pointed ...
Written Answers. - Companies' Grant-Aid.
Was asked: his views on whether Irish companies are given substantially less grant-aid per job than foreign companies locating in Ireland in view of the fact that the State demands equity in Irish companies whic...
Over the years there has tended to be a significant disparity in the sustained cost per job for overseas and indigenous industry, although in recent years there has been a noticeable closing of the g...
Written Answers. - Science and Technology Reviews.
Was asked: the reason the proposals for science policy are being prepared by a non-statutory committee and not by the semi-State body established by law for this purpose; the reasons he is not giving effect to t...
Previous national reviews of science and technology were carried out by the OECD on our behalf. When considering the present review, different possibilities were examined, including: using the OECD a...
Written Answers. - Industrial Relations.
Was asked: in view of the industrial relations defects which were identified in recent disputes in both public and private sector companies, the plans, if any, he has to promote better industrial relations; and ...
I assume the Deputy is referring to recent disputes that arose, in the main, as a result of rationalisation/restructuring measures which were by their very nature extremely complex and sensitive. The...
Written Answers. - Redundancy Statistics.
Was asked: the total number of redundancies reported to his Department during 1994; the comparative figures for 1993; the proposals, if any, he has for reducing the number of redundancies; and if he will make a ...
The total number of redundancies notified to my Department in 1994 was 15,224, a decrease of 16.5 per cent on the comparative figure for 1993 of 18,238.
Written Answers. - County Enterprise Boards.
Was asked: the number of jobs which were created in the year 1994 by each of the county enterprise boards; and the budget allocation and expenditure of each county enterprise board.
A tabular statement compiled from the returns supplied by the 35 county enterprise boards which I propose to circulate with the Official Report sets out the information sought by the Deputy. County En...
Written Answers. - Sunday Trading.
Was asked: in view of the proposals made by the MANDATE union to the effect that Sunday trading is damaging employment and is leading to the closure of smaller stores, the legislation, if any, he proposes to int...
I refer the Deputy to the detailed replies given in the House to priority-oral questions on 26 October 1994 and to a written question on 31 January 1995 in this regard — reference Official Report of 2...
Written Answers. - County Enterprise Boards.
Was asked: if he will review the practice of non-payment of travelling expenses to members of county enterprise boards in view of the fact that members of some boards have journeys in excess of 100 miles to atte...
On the establishment of the county enterprise boards my predecessor decided that members of the boards would not be entitled to claim expenses for attendance at board meetings. This position remains ...
Written Answers. - Late Payment of Business Debt.
Was asked: if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties caused to the business sector, in particular, small businesses, in view of the delays in the payment of bills by public authorities; the plans, if a...
I am aware of the difficulties in the cashflow, and indeed the possible survival, of businesses arising from the late payment of business debt. These difficulties, like most other business difficulti...
Written Answers. - Forbairt Capital Allocation.
Was asked: if the reduction in the Forbairt capital allocation will hinder the development activities of Forbairt; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I take it that the Deputy is referring to the Exchequer allocations for Forbairt's grants to industry budget recently published in the Abridged Book of Estimates for 1995. First, I would point out tha...
Written Answers. - Community Employment Schemes.
Was asked: his views on the exclusion of certain categories of social welfare recipients, particularly women, from participation in community employment schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Community employment is the principal manpower intervention aimed at the long-term unemployed. It is directed at persons who are either 21 years of age or over and in receipt of unemployment assistan...
Written Answers. - County Enterprise Boards.
Was asked: if he will broaden the terms of the county enterprise boards to take into account the potential of the services sector which in the last three years created 47,000 jobs; and if he will make a statemen...
The county enterprise boards were established as a nationwide measure to provide a new source of support for local enterprise initiatives. They were established to fill a gap in the support mechanisms...
Written Answers. - Captive Insurance Companies.
Was asked: the number of captive insurance companies registered at the International Financial Services Centre; and the opportunity which exists to expand the number of insurance companies in that centre.
The number of captive insurance companies approved to locate in the International Financial Services Centre, IFSC, as of today's date stands at 115. The first captive insurance company was establishe...
Written Answers. - Granting of Designated Status.
Was asked: the plans, if any, he has to grant designated status as an area of high unemployment to Balbriggan, County Dublin, in view of its tradition of industrial activity; and if he will make a statement on t...
The Industrial Development Act, 1986 provides for a range of industrial incentives including capital grants. The normal maximum level of capital grant provided for by the Act is 45 per cent. However...
Written Answers. - Repair and Recycling Enterprise.
Was asked: the plans, if any, he has to submit to the Department of the Environment data on the employment potential to be achieved from repair and recycling enterprise in advance of the waste Bill being publish...
I share the Deputy's concern that the employment potential to be achieved from repair and recycling enterprise should be maximised.Because of my general concerns in this area I am currently considerin...
Written Answers. - Employment Creating Projects.
Was asked: if he will review the Industrial Development Authority criterion which prevents grant assistance for the collection, baling and packaging of waste paper from industrial, commercial and consumer source...
The terms and conditions under which the industrial development agencies can advance grant assistance to employment-creating projects are generally set out in the Industrial Development Acts 1986-1993...
Written Answers. - Operational Programme for Industrial Development.
Was asked: if he is committed to the full implementation of the Operational Programme for Industrial Development 1994 to 1999; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I am committed to the full implementation of the Operational Programme for Industrial Development 1994-1999. The programme represents an agreed approach between the EU Commission and Ireland to indus...
Written Answers. - Task Force Report on Small Business.
Was asked: if he is committed to the full implementation of the recommendations contained in the task force report on small business; the time scale for the recommendations to be implemented; and if he will make...
Consistent with the undertaking in A Government of Renewal, a concerted programme to help small business is being pursued within my Department. This programme will build on the advances made under th...
Written Answers. - EU Initiative on SMEs.
Was asked: if the proposals to be implemented under the SME community initiative sponsored by the EU will be drawn up in consultation with organisations representing small business additional to existing program...
The EU Initiative on SMEs offers a small fund of structural funding (£22.9 million over 5 years) designed to complement other developmental activity in Ireland by means of specific actions targeted a...
Written Answers. - Scam Marketing Companies.
Was asked: if his attention has been drawn to recent concerns expressed to the effect that Ireland was earning a reputation as a shelf location for scam marketing companies in view of weaknesses in the law; the ...
I would refer the Deputy to a reply to a similar question on 23 June, 1994 (Volume 444 — (No. 3) Col. No. 720). As was made clear on that occasion the activities of these companies were aimed wholly ...
Written Answers. - World Economic Forum Report on Competitiveness.
Was asked: in view of the findings of a recent world economic forum survey on competitiveness that the price of new industrial capital equipment in Ireland is more expensive than that in other countries, his vie...
I understand that the World Economic Forum report on competitiveness suggests that the rate of increase in machinery and equipment prices is somewhat higher in Ireland than in most other European coun...
Written Answers. - County Enterprise Boards.
Was asked: if he has satisfied himself that the system of county enterprise boards is the most effective means of promoting enterprise which could be deployed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The county enterprise boards were established to fill a gap which had been identified in the range of support services for local enterprise. Their role is to develop indigenous potential and to stimu...
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