Written Answers Nos. 299-317
299. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update on the proposed use for a public building in Dublin 11 (details supplied), which is in the control of the Office of Public Works and which has been lying idle for more than three years. [40997/13]
View answerThe Commissioners of Public Works have agreed to transfer the property in question to Dublin City Council. The legal contracts are currently being finalised and it is expected that the transfer of ownership will be completed shortly.
300. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding plans to reduce the number of quangos; the number of quangos that have been abolished to date; his future plans to reduce the number; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41081/13]
View answerI refer the Deputy to my answer to PQ 39347/13 answered on Tuesday, 24th September, 2013 regarding progress on the agency rationalisation measures contained in the Public Service Reform Plan. My Department is currently monitoring the implementation of the agency rationalisation programme of the Public Service Reform Plan on a quarterly basis. The latest tables which detail this progress to end Quarter 2 2013 can be found at: http://reformplan.per.gov.ie/files/2013/09/Public-Service-Reform-Plan-Rationalisation-Measures-end-Q2-2013.pdf
In summary, the tables show that significant progress has been made by Departments on the implementation of agreed rationalisation measures. To date, rationalisation and amalgamation measures involving 43 bodies have been fully implemented, and measures involving a further 63 bodies are at advanced legislative or administrative stages. Further measures, involving 110 bodies, were identified under a critical review process undertaken in 2012 as part of the Public Service Reform Plan and are currently being implemented.
301. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update on all regulatory impact statements carried out on Bills in his Department since this Government took office to date; if he will list these Bills in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41599/13]
View answerIn response to the Deputy’s question the following is a list of Regulatory Impact Statements carried out on Bills in my Department since 2011:
|
Name of Act |
Regulatory Impact Assessment carried out |
|
Construction Contracts Act |
RIA published on 27 September 2011. Signed into law on 29 July 2013 (subject to a Commencement Order) |
|
Protected Disclosures Bill 2013 |
RIA published alongside the Bill on 3 July 2013. |
|
Freedom of Information Bill 2013 |
RIA published in September 2013. |
|
Regulation of Lobbying Bill |
RIA published on 30 April 2013. |
302. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to make changes or propose changes to the Companies Acts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40503/13]
View answerThe Companies Bill 2012 represents the largest substantive Bill in the history of the State. The Bill consolidates the existing 16 Companies Acts, which date from 1963 to 2012, into one Act and it also introduces a number of reforms which make it easier to operate a company in Ireland. The Bill passed Second Stage in the Dail on 25 April 2013 and Committee Stage is expected to be taken shortly.
303. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the arrangements put in place by his Department to ensure compliance with the Official Languages Act, specifically requirements for signage in departmental offices, schools and third level institutions; details of any assessments undertaken by departmental staff to assess requirements; the number of signs assessed; when any corrective actions were put in place; if any or all of the actions taken by his Department were within the designated timeframes set out in legislation, and if not the reasoning for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40549/13]
View answerS.I. no 391 of 2008, made under Section 9 (1) of the Official Languages Act, 2003 by the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, requires that public bodies must ensure that: a system is in place to confirm that all new signs placed by the public body or on its behalf after 1 March, 2009 comply with the criteria set out in the regulations; any signs placed at any location before 1 March, 2009 but containing an error in the text have been amended by 1 March, 2012; and any signs placed at any location before 1 March, 2009 with the text in English only have been amended by 1 March, 2013.
I can confirm that arrangements are in place in my Department and its Offices to ensure compliance with the requirements of this S.I.
With regard to the requirement to amend signage by the March 2013 deadline, the vast majority of signs in the areas of my Department and its Offices to which the public have access are in both Irish and English. Work is currently at an advanced stage with a view to ensuring that all signs in all buildings of my Department and its Offices are compliant with the requirements of S.I. no 391 of 2008.
The following table shows the position for each building/Office of my Department with regard to meeting the requirements of S.I. no 391 of 2008:
|
Building/Office |
Current Position |
|
Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, 23 Kildare Street, Dublin 2. |
The majority of signs in areas accessed by members of the public are in Irish and English. An assessment of signage was undertaken in early 2013. Following a procurement process, a contractor has been engaged to produce new signage which meets the requirements of S.I. no 391 of 2008. |
|
Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Davitt House, 65A Adelaide Road, Dublin 2. |
The majority of signs in areas accessed by members of the public are in Irish and English. An assessment of signage was undertaken in early 2013. Following a procurement process, a contractor has been engaged to produce new signage which meets the requirement of S.I. no 391 of 2008. |
|
Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Earlsfort Centre, Lower Hatch Street, Dublin 2. |
The majority of signs in areas accessed by members of the public are in Irish and English. An assessment of signage was undertaken in early 2013. Following a procurement process, a contractor has been engaged to produce new signage which meets the requirement of S.I. no 391 of 2008. |
|
Companies Registration Office (CRO), 14 Parnell Square, Dublin 1. |
An assessment of signage was undertaken in 2012 following meetings between CRO and An Coimisinéir Teanga. The old signage was replaced and all the signage has been in compliance with S.I. no 391 of 2008 since March 2013. |
|
Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE), 16 Parnell Square, Dublin 1. |
An assessment of the signs that require change has been undertaken. While many of these signs are bilingual, they are not fully compliant due to the size of the font. The Office is currently addressing the further steps required for full compliance. |
|
Labour Relations Commission, Tom Johnson House, Haddington Road, Dublin 4. |
A number of signs in areas accessed by members of the public are in Irish and English. There are a number of signs in internal areas of the building which require assessment and this will be conducted shortly. |
|
Labour Court, Tom Johnson House, Haddington Road, Dublin 4. |
A number of signs in areas accessed by members of the public are in Irish and English. There are a number of signs in internal areas of the building which require assessment and this will be conducted shortly. |
|
Equality Tribunal, Clonmel Street, Dublin 2. |
All signage in public areas is displayed in both Irish and English. Work is currently underway to translate all other signs into Irish in accordance with the provisions of S.I. no 391 of 2008. |
|
Patents Office, Government Buildings, Hebron Road, Kilkenny. |
Most of the signage is in compliance with S.I. no 391 of 2008. However, in a small number of instances further work is required to ensure full compliance and this work is currently in hand. |
|
National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) offices in Carlow, Cork, Dublin Shannon and Sligo |
All appropriate signs in all NERA’s offices comply with requirements of S.I. no 391 of 2008. However, there are three external signs which are bilingual with the English translation appearing before the Irish translation. As a change to the title of NERA is anticipated with the establishment of the new workplace relations body, it was considered prudent to await the new title before amending these signs. |
304. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide a list of the Acts or specific provisions of Acts under his Department that have not yet been commenced; if it is intended to commence the provision in each case; if so, when; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40602/13]
View answerIn the time available for response to this question, my Department has identified the following provisions of legislation, which have not yet been commenced.
Under the Industrial Development Act 1993, Forfás is the overall employer of both its own staff and those of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland.
The Industrial Development (Enterprise Ireland) Act, 1998, made provision for Enterprise Ireland (Sections 18, 19 and 20) and IDA (Sections 36, 37 and 38) to assume the role of employer, subject to Ministerial Order, should this become necessary at some time in the future. The Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Act 2003 (Sections 19, 20 and 21) made similar provision for SFI to assume the role of employer. These sections have not been commenced.
The following Sections of the Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Act 2003 have not been commenced: Section 19, which concerns the powers of Science Foundation Ireland to employ its own staff; Section 20, which concerns arrangements for when staff of Forfás are seconded to Science Foundation Ireland; and Section 21, which concerns arrangements for superannuation being administered by Science Foundation Ireland for its employees. As Forfás continues to be the legal employer of all staff in a number of agencies under the aegis of my Department, including those of Science Foundation Ireland, it has not been appropriate or necessary to commence these three sections in the 2003 Act.
With the proposed integration of Forfás into my Department, it will be necessary to establish these agencies as employers of their own staff on the dissolution of Forfás. These matters will be addressed in the context of the forthcoming Industrial Development (Forfás) Bill which will dissolve Forfás and transfer its functions to the Department of Jobs and Enterprise.
In relation to the Dangerous Substances Act 1972, provisions relating to explosives which did not commence are:
Part II of that Act, Section 7 (1) and the Schedule to that Act in so far as they refer to the Towns Improvement (Ireland) Act 1854, the Explosives Act 1875, the Customs and Inland Revenue Act 1883, the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 and the Revenue Act 1909; Section 7 (2) of that Act, and any other provision of the Dangerous Substances Act 1972, to the extent that the provision is applicable to or for the purposes of explosives within the meaning of section 9 (1) of that Act.
It is not intended that Sections 48 and 49 of the Consumer Protection Act 2007 will be commenced as the Attorney General has advised that the provisions are inimical to the maximum harmonisation nature of the Directive on Unfair Commercial Practices which was transposed into Irish law by the Consumer Protection Act 2007.
Section 109 of the Company Law Enforcement Act 2001 would enable the Director of Corporate Enforcement to levy fines for company law breaches subject to summary prosecution. It is proposed that the Company Law Enforcement Act 2001 will be repealed by the Companies Bill. Following enactment of this Bill, consideration will be given as to the timing of the commencement of the provisions in the Act.
Section 31 of the Investment Funds, Company and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2005 has been partially commenced. The Section has not been commenced as regards the repeal of existing market abuse laws as they relate to unregulated markets. A proposal for an EU Regulation, extending the Market Abuse Directive to new markets, is currently under negotiation at EU level by the Department of Finance.
Section 62 would allow Directors acting for more than one company to send a single notification to Companies Registration Office regarding a change in his or her name or address. To implement the provision will require software development, in addition to Orders specifying forms to be used and fees to be applied, before it can be commenced.
Section 72 has been partially commenced by the Investment Funds, Companies and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2005 (Section 72) (Commencement) Order 2012 (S.I. 449/12).
Sections 9(2)(l), 15(2), 26, 29(5), 34, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 and 59 of the Companies (Auditing and Accounting) Act 2003 have not been commenced or given effect to date but, provisions with equivalent or broadly equivalent effect , are being included in the Companies Bill 2012.
305. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the level of compliance with European Union directives within his ministerial areas of responsibility; the current fines resulting from non-compliance, and potential fines resulting from current non-compliance the State is or may be exposed to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40638/13]
View answerMy Department ensures that a high profile is given to ensuring that a good performance on the transposition of EU Directives is maintained. In that regard, transposition is monitored on a regular basis within the Department. My Department has three EU Directives due for transposition by the end of 2013. One of these is currently overdue – EU Directive 2010/32/EU implementing the Framework Agreement on prevention of injuries from sharp instruments in the hospital and healthcare sector. A number of issues arose late in the legal settlement process and further engagement was required on a technical matter with the Commission which meant that the transposition deadline for this Directive could not be met. My Department is currently in the process of finalising the legal transposition text.
There are no current fines levied against any EU Directives which are under the remit of my Department. The issue of potential fines would only arise if these have already been specified in a particular case and to date this has not arisen. I will continue to give a high level of political commitment to the ongoing monitoring and management of the transposition of EU Directives within my Department.
306. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the jobs lost in Industrial Development Agency client companies for each salary band from €20,000, in bands of €10,000, for each year since 2007. [40674/13]
View answerThe Forfás Annual Employment Survey reports on job gains and losses in companies that are supported by the Industrial development agencies. However, I am informed by IDA Ireland that the Forfás Employment Survey does not track jobs lost by salary. Details of the number of jobs lost in client companies of IDA Ireland in the 6 year period from 2007 to 2012 inclusive are set out in the attached tabular statement. I am glad to say that figures for 2012 show that job losses in IDA client companies continued to decline with 6,152 jobs being lost during 2012. This figure represents a decrease of over 60% on the figures for 2009.
Table showing the number of jobs lost in IDA Ireland Client Companies in each of the years 2007 to 2012
|
Year |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
|
IDA Client Companies Job Losses |
9,631 |
10,154 |
17,911 |
9,635 |
6,950 |
6,152 |
307. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of jobs promoted by the Industrial Development Agency for which a salary is in excess of €150,000 per year. [40675/13]
View answerDetails of the number of jobs promoted by IDA Ireland by salary scale are set out in the tabular statement for the years 2007 to 2012.
IDA supports job creation where a company is making a new investment in Ireland. This includes new companies opening in Ireland for the first time or the expansion of an existing operation in Ireland. The job creation support focuses on the average salaries of total new jobs created in a company. Looking at the past 6 years (2007 – 2012), the agency did not support any jobs where the average salary was greater than €150,000 per year.
Table showing the salary scales of jobs created by IDA Client Companies for each of the years from 2007 to 2012
|
Salary Scales |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
|
20,000 - 40,000 |
2,743 |
4,201 |
1389 |
5681 |
3722 |
4,584 |
|
40,000 - 60,000 |
3,829 |
4,414 |
1791 |
2998 |
4095 |
6,242 |
|
60,000 - 80,000 |
132 |
1,040 |
40 |
188 |
569 |
434 |
|
80,000 - 100,000 |
70 |
25 |
0 |
0 |
295 |
242 |
|
100,000 -120,000 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
241 |
0 |
89 |
|
120,000 - 140,000 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
60 |
|
140,000 - 160,000 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
6,774 |
9,680 |
3,220 |
9,108 |
8,681 |
11,651 |
308. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of jobs promoted by the Industrial Development Agency in customer care, international sales and research and development for each year since 2007. [40677/13]
View answerThe Forfás Annual Employment Survey reports on job gains and losses in companies that are supported by the Industrial Development agencies. Details of the number of jobs created and the number of jobs created in Customer Care and International Services by IDA Ireland Client Companies in the six year period from 2007 to 2012 inclusive are set out in the attached tabular statements.
I am informed by IDA Ireland that the Forfás Employment Survey tracks employment by NACE codes (pan-European classification system which groups organisations according to their business activities). Customer care and International sales jobs would most likely fall within the International Services code. The agency has also informed me that research and development is carried out by companies across all sectors.
Table showing the number of jobs created by IDA Ireland Client Companies in each of the years from 2007 to 2012
|
- |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
|
No. of Companies |
1,070 |
1,043 |
1,019 |
1,014 |
1,004 |
1,033 |
|
Total Jobs |
155,949 |
152,514 |
138,171 |
139,760 |
145,847 |
152,785 |
|
Total New Jobs Created |
9,335 |
6,719 |
3,568 |
11,224 |
13,037 |
12,722 |
Table showing the number of jobs created by IDA Ireland Client Companies under the International Services NACE code in each of the years from 2007 to 2012
|
International Services |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
|
No. of Companies |
338 |
342 |
345 |
356 |
383 |
401 |
|
Permanent Employment |
45,346 |
45,780 |
41,197 |
43,057 |
46,823 |
51,128 |
|
Gross Gains (New Jobs) |
3,837 |
4,269 |
2,340 |
6,365 |
6,644 |
6,185 |
309. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of jobs promoted by the Industrial Development Agency that require a foreign language to native speaker level for each year since 2007. [40678/13]
View answerI am informed by IDA Ireland that they are unable to provide the number of jobs promoted that require foreign language skills at native speaker level as the Forfás Employment survey does not track the language skills of employees in individual companies. The Agency has explained that research undertaken by the Expert Group on Future Skills identifies foreign language skills as a key skill requirement for enterprise trade and export performance. This includes the foreign owned multinational sector. In some cases the requirement is for native language speakers, due to the nature of the job/function. In other cases, employees with high, but non-native, language proficiency are what is needed, particularly where other highly sought after skills are also required, such as engineering, ICT etc.
To underpin the overall development of the foreign owned multinational sector in Ireland, it is important that Ireland meets the requirements of its multinational client base for both native and non-native language skill requirements. IDA client companies primarily use Ireland as a base to service to the European and Asian markets. These companies understand the importance of proficiency in local market languages to successfully compete and sustain growth in a market. Language skills are particularly important for sales and marketing and HR staff but increasingly, FDI companies are seeking employees with backgrounds in science, technology, engineering and maths that also have a proficiency in more than one language.
Ireland’s availability of skilled labour is one of the primary reasons cited by IDA clients for establishing their operations in Ireland. A scaling up in the supply of domestic foreign languages capability in second and in third level will enhance Irelands’ proposition for foreign direct investment.
310. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to have a trade mission to South Africa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40716/13]
View answerA Trade Mission to South Africa and Nigeria is planned for 11 – 15 November 2013. The Trade Mission will be led by Mr Joe Costello, T.D. Minister of State, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade with responsibility for Trade & Development. The Trade Mission is part of Enterprise Ireland’s ongoing commitment to drive trade with Africa and will cover Johannesburg, Cape Town and Lagos. There will be a strong focus on some of the key growth sectors as identified in the Enterprise Ireland market strategy for South Africa, these include: Telecommunications, Education and Financial Services Technologies. The Trade Mission will coincide with AfricaCom, the annual Pan-African exhibition and congress for all telecommunications professionals where there will be an Ireland stand with Enterprise Ireland clients participating.
The objectives of this mission are as follows: To raise Ireland’s profile as a trading partner in Africa and to emphasise the message that “Ireland is open for business”; and to increase Irish exports to Southern and Western Africa.
Africa is one of the fastest growing economic regions in the world. Southern Africa and West Africa are two of the key growth regions in Africa with growth of 3% and 9% forecasted respectively for 2013. Enterprise Ireland has made a strong commitment to Africa by opening its first office in 2012 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The main objective of this office is to pro-actively support Irish companies to export to the Region (over 300 Enterprise Ireland clients are currently exporting to the Region) and to actively drive export growth.
311. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of cases that have been taken by workers or their unions to the rights commissioner, Employment Appeals Tribunal and Labour Court in 2011 and 2012; the timeframe and the average waiting time to have cases heard in each of these bodies. [40974/13]
View answerThe Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) received 8,004 referrals from employees/trade unions in 2011 and 4,977 in 2012. The average waiting time to be heard was 76.5 weeks in 2011 and 79.5 in 2012. To address waiting times and maximise efficiency, Divisions of the EAT have extended sitting times, are dealing with more cases per hearing. This approach has resulted in a significant increase in the number of claims disposed of over the past few years: 2010 – 6,064(+ 30%); 2011 – 6,723(+ 11%); 2012 -7,624(+ 13%). In addition, in planning its work schedule, the Tribunal targets geographic areas by longest waiting period and highest level of claims outstanding.
The Rights Commissioner Service received 9,206 referrals in 2011 and 8,852 referrals in 2012. While the Service does not differentiate between employer/employee referrals in terms of data capture, the vast majority of such referrals comprise workers’ claims. At end-2012 claimants were being offered a first Hearing within 8-12 weeks of receipt. It should be borne in mind that there is a holding period specified in some legislation (e.g. 3 weeks for unfair dismissals and industrial relations cases. It is accepted that a minimum period of 6-8 weeks for scheduling a hearing is appropriate, as this provides adequate notice and allows sufficient time for preparation by both parties and minimises the number of adjournment requests. In addition, claims are now also screened for suitability for the Early Resolution Service (ERS) of the Labour Relations Commission. Any claims unresolved by the ERS are generally scheduled for a hearing within 4 weeks.
The Labour Court hears claims under various separate pieces of legislation, some of which are lodged as direct claims to the Court and others which come to the Court by way of appeal or implementation from the other Employment Rights bodies. The Labour Court received a total of 1254 referrals in 2011 and 1254 referrals in 2012; these were comprised of a range of referrals by workers or their representatives and employers or their representatives. Similar to the Rights Commissioner Service, the Labour Court does not differentiate referrals by referrer.
The majority of the Labour Court's Dublin based cases are heard within 12 weeks with an average of approx. 10 weeks and the majority of regional cases are heard within 6 months with an average of approx. 4/5 months. The option of having a regional case transferred to a Dublin hearing is available should the parties wish to have the hearing within a shorter timescale.
312. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the findings that are made in favour of employees by the rights commissioner, Employment Appeals Tribunal and Labour Court in 2011 and 2012; the number of times these outcomes have not been honoured by the employers; the number of times these instances have been referred to the National Employment Rights Authority for enforcement; and the rate of success for enforcing these outcomes. [40975/13]
View answerOnce a complaint submitted to any of the Employment Rights bodies listed has been either adjudicated upon or withdrawn/settled, the body in question has no further role in the matter. The complaints submitted are often complex and range across a number of employment-related areas. The bodies do not collect data on the findings that are made in favour of employees or employers.
In the event that an award made by a body remains outstanding the person(s) affected may seek the Minister's assistance in having this enforced. In such instances, the enforcement function is carried out on behalf of the Minister by the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA). NERA received 79 award referrals in 2011 and 75 in 2012 (see Table 1 below).
|
CASES |
2011 |
2012 |
|
Cases on hand start of year |
54 |
89 |
|
New Cases Received |
79 |
75 |
|
Cases Closed |
44 |
59 |
|
Cases on hand end of year |
89 |
105 |
The value of the arrears paid to employees as a result of civil enforcement for both 2011 and 2012 respectively is as follows;
|
YEAR |
Arrears Paid to employees as a result of civil enforcement by NERA |
|
2011 |
€84,796.00 |
|
2012 |
€50,557.00 |
A "fit for purpose" workplace relations system must be supported by proportionate, effective and efficient compliance and enforcement measures. It is my view that the current system of enforcement of employment rights awards is cumbersome, expensive and, accordingly, not "fit for purpose". For this reason, I am proposing to make provision in the Workplace Relations Bill for a range of enhanced compliance measures, including the use of Compliance Notices, Fixed Charge Notices and a new mechanism for enforcing awards of the WRC Adjudicators and Labour Court Determinations. I am confident that the introduction of these measures will provide for more proportionate, efficient and effective enforcement of employment law.
313. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide information related to the State's involvement in the initiative connectireland.com; the amount the website cost to develop and maintain to date; the amount awarded in a finder's fee; the amount such awards that have been made since the launch of the initiative in March 2012; the number of jobs that have been created as a direct result of the initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41007/13]
View answerConnectIreland.com is the biggest website for the Succeed in Ireland initiative, which is a new, innovative and ambitious scheme, put in place by the Government as part of Action Plan for Jobs 2012. The initiative is intended to complement IDA’s efforts to attract more fast-growing emerging companies to Ireland and focuses on generating projects from Small and Medium Sized Enterprises. The Government recognises that, while IDA Ireland does excellent work in attracting large companies to invest, establish operations and create jobs in Ireland, any measures that can extend the reach of IDA, particularly to smaller companies who would consider investing and creating jobs in regional locations, is very positive for Ireland. Many of the projects delivered so far by the initiative will be located in regional towns which would not ordinarily be considered by large companies of the type usually attracted by IDA, and the same is true of many of the projects currently in the pipeline. The initiative is managed by Connect Ireland under a contract with IDA Ireland. The cost of administering the scheme is covered by Connect Ireland and that includes web-site development costs.
Under the Succeed in Ireland initiative, IDA Ireland will pay a finder’s fee of up to a maximum of €4,000 excluding VAT on the creation of a sustainable job i.e. a job that has been in place for 2 years. As the initiative has been in existence since March 2012, no such fees have yet been paid by IDA Ireland. To date 10 projects, with the potential to create 292 jobs, have been approved with the majority of these being outside of Dublin. An evaluation of the project was carried out earlier this year by officials of my Department in conjunction with IDA and Connect Ireland, which showed that Connect Ireland has built an impressive pipeline of future jobs announcements predominantly from the SME sector. I am pleased with the success of the initiative to date and look forward to future announcements and continuing success of the initiative in the years ahead.
314. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps he is taking to ensure that trained Irish chefs are provided with opportunities to work in this country (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41022/13]
View answerThe National Tourism Development Authority, Fáilte Ireland, which comes under the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, is the lead agency responsible for encouraging, promoting and supporting the recruitment, training and education of people for the tourism industry.
Over the past 20 years, Fáilte Ireland has been responsible for the development of many successful Tourism and Hospitality courses which are currently being delivered in colleges around Ireland today. These courses have been developed by Fáilte Ireland working in conjunction with educational providers such as the Institutes of Technology and most recently with Colleges of Further Education. They include craft based training (Chefs / Bar and Restaurant Skills, etc) courses as well as a range of other courses designed to prepare individuals for a career in the Tourism and Hospitality industry across a wide range of disciplines
There are currently 1,600 job seeker chefs registered with the Department of Social Protection. Over the period January to September 2013, there were 2,250 vacancies for chefs advertised through the public employment services. The vacancy data from the National Skills Bulletin produced by the Skills and Labour Market Research Unit in FÁS on behalf of the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs indicates that there are no shortages for chefs but that there are potential retention issues within the sector.
Follow up surveys to track the labour market outcomes for trainees completing craft based training courses are commissioned on a recurrent basis by Fáilte Ireland. In the most recent of these surveys, a minority of persons not working as chefs cited the absence of employment opportunities to work as a chef as their main reason for not working as a chef. Among persons not working as chefs, the findings of the most recent survey point to a combination of four job-related factors as influencing their decision to not work as chefs, namely, unsuitable working hours, low pay, temporary work, and a lack of promotion opportunities.
The authors of the 2012 study prepared for Fáilte Ireland concluded that measures to address the disinclination of a substantial minority of trainees completing courses in professional cookery to seek employment as a chef fall largely within the remit of the sector since measures to improve pay and conditions are relevant to addressing recruitment difficulties where these arise and to ensuring more broadly that the supply of trained personnel is fully retained in the sector.
315. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide in tabular form, on a county basis for 2011 and 2012, each Industrial Development Agency supported jobs announcement; the number of jobs announced at the time of announcement; the number of jobs actually created at each site as at 30 August 2013; an explanation for any disparity between the jobs announced and the jobs created; and his views on the practice of job announcements. [41043/13]
View answerDetails of IDA job announcements by location for the period 2011 and 2012 is set out in the accompanying tabular statement (Table A).
Details of employment data for 2011 and 2012 are also set out in the attached tabular statement. (Table B).
These jobs are expected to come on stream over the next three years. However, it must be remembered that for a variety of reasons, some job creation projects are not announced, for example, in cases where the company involved does not wish this to happen.
It is also important to note that the number of jobs created by IDA companies typically exceeds the number of jobs actually announced.
The Forfás Annual Employment Survey reports on job gains and losses in companies that are supported by the enterprise development agencies. Data is compiled on an annualized basis and is aggregated at county level. The information is provided by companies on a confidential basis for statistical purposes only. It is therefore not possible to provide information at company level or for individual locations throughout the country.
Table A showing details of IDA Job Announcements for 2011
|
Company |
Location |
Jobs |
|
Ericsson |
Athlone |
100 jobs |
|
Quest Software |
Cork |
150 jobs |
|
EMC |
Cork |
- |
|
FMC |
Cork |
- |
|
Easylink |
Cork |
20 jobs |
|
McAfee |
Cork |
30 jobs |
|
Aruba Networks |
Cork |
40 jobs |
|
MSD |
Cork |
70 jobs |
|
BioMarin |
Cork |
100 jobs |
|
Sangart |
Cork |
120 manufacturing jobs and 125 construction |
|
VMware |
Cork |
250 jobs |
|
Kirchoff |
Donegal |
- |
|
Murex |
Dublin |
30 |
|
PayPal |
Dublin |
150 customer support positions |
|
|
Dublin |
100 jobs |
|
Asset Control |
Dublin |
50 jobs |
|
Marketo |
Dublin |
125 jobs |
|
Zynga |
Dublin |
- |
|
BNY Mellon |
Dublin |
50 jobs |
|
Symantec |
Dublin |
60 jobs |
|
Butterfield Fulcrum |
Dublin |
60 jobs |
|
BSB |
Dublin |
120 jobs |
|
Allianz |
Dublin |
50 jobs |
|
Wolters Kluwer |
Dublin |
13 RD&I jobs |
|
EADS / Eurocopter |
Dublin |
- |
|
PayPay |
Dubin |
200 jobs |
|
Citrix |
Dublin |
50 jobs |
|
Pfizer |
Dublin |
400 construction jobs |
|
HCL |
Dublin |
80 jobs |
|
Arvato Finance |
Dublin |
150 jobs |
|
D&B |
Dublin |
75 jobs |
|
Biotrin |
Dublin |
40 jobs |
|
Caci |
Dublin |
- |
|
|
Dublin |
200 construction jobs 30 full time and contractor jobs |
|
|
Dublin |
- |
|
Allianz Worldwide Care |
Dublin |
128 jobs |
|
HedgeServ |
Dublin |
300 jobs |
|
IBM |
Dublin |
200 jobs |
|
Engine Yard |
Dublin |
30 jobs |
|
Pinger |
Dublin |
15 jobs |
|
Commence |
Dublin |
20 jobs |
|
LANDesk Software |
Dublin |
15 jobs |
|
Misys |
Dublin |
35 jobs |
|
Dell |
Dublin / Limerick |
150 jobs |
|
SAP |
Dublin and Galway |
100 jobs |
|
Prometric |
Dundalk |
100 jobs |
|
Valeo |
Galway |
100 jobs |
|
Zenimax |
Galway |
Hundreds of jobs |
|
Metal Improvement Company |
Galway |
20 – 30 jobs |
|
Avaya |
Galway |
75 jobs |
|
HP |
Galway |
50 jobs |
|
NEI |
Galway |
50 jobs |
|
Aspect |
Galway |
- |
|
Alere |
Galway |
100 jobs |
|
Delcath |
Galway |
A number of marketing, sales, and logistic support jobs |
|
EA and BioWare |
Galway |
200 jobs |
|
CareFusion |
Galway |
35 jobs |
|
HP |
Galway |
- |
|
Pivot |
Galway |
100 jobs |
|
Covidien |
Galway & Athlone |
- |
|
Fidelity |
Galway and Dublin |
100 technology jobs |
|
JRI-America |
Kerry |
100 jobs |
|
Intel |
Kildare |
850 Construction 200 Manufacturing |
|
Teleflex |
Limerick |
80 jobs |
|
Analog |
Limerick |
100 jobs |
|
Glass Lewis |
Limerick |
15 jobs |
|
ON Semiconductor |
Limerick |
69 jobs |
|
Gilt Groupe |
Limerick and Dublin |
100 – 200 jobs |
|
Allergan |
Mayo |
20 manufacturing jobs |
|
Kelcourt |
Offaly |
55 jobs |
|
Harmac |
Roscommon |
100 jobs |
|
Boston Scientific |
Tipperary |
- |
|
MSD |
Tipperary |
- |
|
Genzyme |
Waterford |
- |
|
Bausch and Lomb |
Waterford |
- |
|
Mycroft |
Waterford |
50 jobs |
|
AMS |
Westmeath |
50 jobs |
|
NPD |
Westmeath |
100 jobs |
|
Coca Cola |
Wexford and Louth |
100 jobs |
Table B showing Employment Data for 2011 and 2012
|
- |
2011 |
2012 |
|
Total Jobs |
145,847 |
152,785 |
|
Permanent Employment |
130,499 |
136,505 |
|
Gross Gains (New Jobs) |
11,594 |
11,790 |
|
Other Jobs |
15,348 |
16,280 |
|
Jobs Announced |
7,270 |
8,504 |
|
Company |
Location |
Jobs |
|
Nypro |
Bray |
100 |
|
IERC |
Cork |
N/A |
|
Big Fish Games |
Cork |
30 |
|
Eli Lilly |
Cork |
200 + 300 construction jobs |
|
Pepsi Co |
Cork |
N/A |
|
M/A – COM Tech |
Cork |
30 |
|
Red 5 Studios |
Cork |
30 |
|
GE Healthcare |
Cork |
N/A |
|
Hittie Microwave Corp |
Cork |
30 |
|
Entercoms |
Cork |
30 |
|
Stryker |
Cork |
20 |
|
Nextag |
Drogheda |
125 |
|
Yapstone |
Drogheda |
120 |
|
BSkyB |
Dublin |
800 |
|
Webroot |
Dublin |
N/A |
|
Workday |
Dublin |
100 |
|
Mastercard |
Dublin |
130 |
|
Microsoft |
Dublin |
- |
|
Datalogic ADC |
Dublin |
30 |
|
Indeed.com |
Dublin |
N/A |
|
BlackRock Inc |
Dublin |
25 |
|
CULTURE TRANSLATE |
Dublin |
30 |
|
Nimbles Apps |
Dublin |
10 |
|
Unique Digital Ltd |
Dublin |
N/A |
|
Amgen |
Dublin |
100 |
|
Total Defence |
Dublin |
100 |
|
IBM |
Dublin |
- |
|
Smartbox |
Dublin |
Currently 50, potentially 20 additional jobs over 18 months |
|
Amazon |
Dublin |
Over 100 jobs |
|
IDG Connect |
Dublin |
125 |
|
Van Tibolli |
Dublin |
25 |
|
Md7 |
Dublin |
N/A |
|
Infobright |
Dublin |
- |
|
Aasonn |
Dublin |
30 |
|
Qualvu Inc. |
Dublin |
15 |
|
Maples Group |
Dublin |
75 |
|
Nuance |
Dublin |
40 |
|
Salesforce.com |
Dublin |
100 |
|
Guidewire |
Dublin |
N/A |
|
Ancestry.com |
Dublin |
50 |
|
Aris Global |
Dublin |
50 |
|
SumUp |
Dublin |
40 |
|
Xtralis |
Dublin |
50 |
|
Arvato |
Dublin |
100 |
|
Hubspot |
Dublin |
150 |
|
Aspen |
Dublin |
44 |
|
Munich Re |
Dublin |
17 |
|
LogMeIn |
Dublin |
50 |
|
Anamie Advisors Ltd |
Dublin |
- |
|
Clearstream |
Dublin |
100 |
|
Dropbox |
Dublin |
- |
|
Mandiant |
Dublin |
100 |
|
Kobo / Rakuten |
Dublin |
30 |
|
Sogeti |
Dublin and Galway |
65 |
|
Mylan |
Dublin and Galway |
500 |
|
SAP |
Dublin and Galway |
250 |
|
Xilinx |
Dublin and Cork |
60 |
|
Fidelity |
Dublin / Galway |
200 |
|
PayPal |
Dundalk |
1,000 |
|
Diaceutics |
Dundalk |
20 |
|
National Pen |
Dundalk |
250 |
|
Cisco |
Galway |
115 |
|
Merit Medical Systems |
Galway |
200 |
|
Delcath |
Galway |
N/A |
|
EA Games |
Galway |
300 |
|
Synchronoss |
Galway |
30 |
|
Butterfly Fulcrum |
Galway |
250 |
|
HP |
Galway / Kildare |
280 |
|
Fujitsu |
NUI Galway |
N/A |
|
Envelope Supply Company |
Kilkenny |
32 |
|
MGS |
Leixlip |
150 |
|
Consero ExtenSys Inc KeyedIn Solutions DITA Inc ZenDesk |
Letterkenny Dublin Limerick |
122 |
|
Cook Ireland |
Limerick |
12 |
|
Cetra |
Limerick |
20 |
|
Imosphere |
Limerick |
17 |
|
ZMDI |
Limerick |
35 |
|
Northern Trust |
Limerick |
400 |
|
Allergan |
Mayo |
200 |
|
Lafferty Group |
Mayo |
40 |
|
Succeed in Ireland |
National |
30 |
|
Abbott |
Sligo |
175 |
|
ResMed |
UCD |
50 |
316. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide in tabular form on a county basis for 2011 and 2012 each Enterprise Ireland supported jobs announcement; the number of jobs announced at the time of announcement; the number of jobs actually created at each site as at 30 August 2013; an explanation for any disparity between the jobs announced and the jobs created and his views on the practice of job announcements [41044/13]
View answerWith regard to individual company announcements, the appended table sets out the number of job announcements made by Enterprise Ireland (EI) clients in association with EI, in the years 2011 and 2012.
It is generally expected that jobs announced as part of a joint press release will come on stream in a three year period following the announcement. It should however, be noted that some job creation projects are not announced, for example in cases where the company does not wish for publicity. Where a client company wishes to publicly announce new jobs created, Enterprise Ireland can facilitate this announcement by issuing a press release in conjunction with the company. While the number of jobs created at each site can be commercially sensitive and therefore not published individually, Enterprise Ireland tracks all jobs created, by reference to the commitment given in the legal agreement entered into between the Agency and the company at the time of support approval. EI may withdraw, or claw back, any funding approved or paid out to a company where the legal agreement has been breached.
The overall jobs performance by EI client companies including where the jobs are created is subject to a number of factors. The employment performance of EI client companies is measured annually by the Forfás Employment Survey. This survey, typically carried out in October of each year in respect of the previous year, is reported on, in agency end-of-year statements and annual reports, and details the employment position of agency clients. Table 1 summarises the total number of jobs created in 2011 and 2012. The 2013 survey, which will be available in the early part of 2014, will detail the jobs created by EI clients in 2013.
As Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, I welcome all announcements concerning the creation of jobs, which is a key priority for the Government.
Table 1 : EI Client Jobs Created (Full Time), 2011-2012
|
Year |
Jobs Created (Full Time) |
|
2011 |
14,023 |
|
2012 |
12,861 |
List of Job announcements made by Enterprise Ireland (EI) clients in association with EI, in the years 2011 and 2012.
|
Date |
Company |
Location |
Invest |
Jobs |
Project Activity |
|
January 10/01/2011 |
Clearstream Technologies |
Wexford |
70 jobs |
Wexford Firm Clearstream Technologies Announces 70 jobs with Enterprise Ireland Support http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/News/PressReleases/2011-Press-Releases/Wexford-Firm-Clearstream-Technologies-Announces-70-jobs-with-Enterprise-Ireland-Support.html |
|
|
March 18/03/2011 |
Combilift |
Monaghan |
25 |
Monaghan’s Combilift announces 25 New Jobs As a Result of Growing International Demand http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/News/PressReleases/2011-Press-Releases/Monaghan%E2%80%99s-Combilift-announces-25-New-Jobs-As-a-Result-of-Growing-International-Demand.html |
|
|
April 18/04/2011 |
Apex Fund Services |
Dublin |
50 |
Apex Fund Services Announces 50 New Jobs in Ireland http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/News/PressReleases/2011-Press-Releases/Apex-Fund-Services-Announces-50-New-Jobs-in-Ireland.html |
|
|
May 12/05/2011 |
Rockboro Analytics |
Cork |
50 |
New Internationally Focused Credit Analysis Company Launched in Cork – 50 new jobs http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/News/PressReleases/2011-Press-Releases/New-Internationally-Focused-Credit-Analysis-Company-Launched-in-Cork-.html |
|
|
June 02/06/2011 |
HPSU |
310 – Q1 HPSU Aggregate announcement |
310 new jobs to be created in Government-supported start-up companies http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/News/PressReleases/2011-Press-Releases/310-new-jobs-to-be-created-in-government-supported-start-up-companies-.html |
||
|
09/06/2011 |
Southwestern |
Cork |
150 |
Minister Bruton Announces 150 new jobs in Clonakilty, Co. Cork http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/News/PressReleases/2011-Press-Releases/Minister-Bruton-Announces-150-new-jobs-in-Clonakilty,-Co-Cork.html |
|
|
July 15/07/2011 |
C&F Green Energy |
Galway |
145 |
Taoiseach Announces 145 Jobs in Wind Turbine Manufacturing in Athenry Co. Galway http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/News/PressReleases/2011-Press-Releases/Taoiseach-Announces-145-Jobs-in-Wind-Turbine-Manufacturing-in-Athenry-Co-Galway.html |
|
|
August 29/08/2011 |
SolanoTech |
Westmeath |
25 |
Software technology company SolanoTech creates 25 new jobs http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/News/PressReleases/2011-Press-Releases/Software-technology-company-SolanoTech-creates-25-new-jobs.html |
|
|
10/08/2011 |
HPSU |
445 – Q2 HPSU aggregate announcement |
445 new jobs to be created in Government-supported start-up companies http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/News/PressReleases/2011-Press-Releases/445-new-jobs-to-be-created-in-Government-supported-start-up-companies.html |
||
|
September 02/09/2011 |
Fort Technologies |
Dublin |
10 |
Fort Technologies creates 10 jobs and announces launch of SilverLine cloud services http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/News/PressReleases/2011-Press-Releases/Fort-Technologies-creates-10-jobs-and-announces-launch-of-SilverLine-cloud-services-.html |
|
|
October 07/10/2011 |
Sureskills |
Dublin |
25 |
Irish Company Sureskills Expands Workforce to Support Growing International Business http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/News/PressReleases/2011-Press-Releases/Irish-Company-Sureskills-Expands-Workforce-to-Support-Growing-International-Business.html |
|
|
24/10/2011 |
Vistamed |
Leitrim |
79 |
Minister Bruton Announces 79 New Jobs at Carrick-On-Shannon Medical Devices Firm http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/News/PressReleases/2011-Press-Releases/Minister-Bruton-Announces-79-New-Jobs-at-Carrick-On-Shannon-Medical-Devices-Firm.html |
|
|
Bord Na Mona |
Midlands |
91 |
91 new jobs at Bord na Móna in €6m investment http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/News/PressReleases/2011-Press-Releases/91-new-jobs-at-Bord-na-M%C3%B3na-in-%E2%82%AC6m-investment.html |
||
|
21/12/2011 |
HPSU |
528 – Q3 aggregate HPSU announcement |
528 new jobs to be created in government-supported start-up companies – Bruton http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/News/PressReleases/2011-Press-Releases/528-new-jobs-to-be-created-in-Government-supported-start-up-companies.html |
|
Date |
Company |
Location |
Invest |
Jobs |
Project Activity |
|
|
13/01/2012 |
Eishtec |
Waterford |
250 |
Major expansion by Eishtec with new contract and jobs creation. |
||
|
23/5/2012 |
Dawn Meats |
Waterford |
€300m |
65 |
Dawn Meats announces major expansion and 65 new jobs with EI support |
|
|
25/6/2012 |
EirGen Pharma |
Waterford |
30 |
EirGen Pharma 30 new jobs |
||
|
16/01/2012 |
Sysnet Global Solutions |
Dublin |
€1.34m |
30 |
SysnetGlobal solutions 30 new jobs |
|
|
10/01/2012 |
Blueface |
Dublin |
€1m |
12 |
Blueface announces €1m R&D Investment |
|
|
12/11/12 |
Tech Centre Spinouts |
Dublin |
30 |
12E2&ICMR Tech Centre Spinouts €3.5 m capital investment from the state and the private sector |
||
|
17/05/2012 |
Copperfasten |
Galway |
€500k |
37 |
Copperfasten announces €500k new investment and 37 new jobs |
|
|
25/05/2012 |
Irish Medial Devices |
Tipperary |
€3m |
40 |
Irish Medical Devices from TECHNOPATH announces €3m investment and 40 new jobs |
|
|
25/6/2012 |
Danone Baby Nutrition |
Wexford |
€14.5m |
45 |
45 new jobs and investment of €20 m |
|
|
16/7/2012 |
Shay Murtagh Precast |
Westmeath |
€3m |
41 |
41 new jobs and 3m investment |
|
|
09/10/2012 |
GenCell Biosystems |
Limerick |
€2.7m |
20 |
Established facility in Raheen Limerick |
|
|
9/10/12 |
Kerry Group |
Kildare |
€100m |
800 |
€100m investment create 800 jobs & 400 construction jobs: Global Technology and Customer Innovation centre |
|
|
29/02/12 |
HPSU 2011 approvals |
HPSU Approvals Class of 2011 1,600 new jobs (incl: jobs previously announced in HPSU quarterly announcements 2012) |
||||
|
26/7/2012 |
HPSUs |
911 |
911 New jobs in HPSUs Class of 2012 - 53 new HPSU’s approved in the first half of 2012 |
317. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation further to Parliamentary Questions Nos 480, 482 and 523 of 18 September, 2013, when Directive 2011/83/EU on consumer rights is to be transposed, and whether a provision will be included expressly to prohibit service providers from accepting payment for services offered by means of the service provider using cold-calling as a way of advertising and promoting its services, until the cooling off period has expired. [41084/13]
View answerIt is not possible to include a provision along the lines suggested by the Deputy in the Regulations to be enacted to transpose Directive 2011/83/EU. Article 9(3) of the Directive provides as follows: " The Member States shall not prohibit the contracting parties from performing their contractual obligations during the withdrawal period. Nevertheless, in the case of off-premises contracts, Member States may maintain existing national legislation prohibiting the trader from collecting the payment from the consumer during the given period after the conclusion of the contract."
While the Article permits the very small number of Member States that currently prohibit payment in off-premises contracts during the cooling-off period to retain these national legislative provisions, it does not permit Member States who do not already have such provisions to introduce them. As I indicated in my reply to the previous questions on this issue referred to by the Deputy, the Directive enhances in a number of other ways the information and cancellation rights of consumers who conclude off-premises or distance contracts, including the extension of the cooling-off or cancellation period from 7 to 14 days.
