Written Answers Nos. 267-283
267. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the actions taken to date by his Department to implement the EU Commission recommendation on collective redress dated 11 June 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1610/15]
View answerThe EU Commission Recommendation on common principles for injunctive and compensatory collective redress mechanisms in the Member States concerning violations of rights granted under Union law has a core purpose to facilitate access to justice, stop illegal practices and enable injured parties to obtain compensation in mass harm situations caused by violations of rights granted under Union law. As such, it is a horizontal measure addressed to Member States and provides common guiding principles in relation to collective redress systems in all areas of law and so is a matter more appropriate to my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality.
268. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to bring forward legislation to implement the recommendations of the 2008 Law Reform Commission report on the Privity of Contract and Third Party Rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1611/15]
View answerThe privity rule is a general principle of contract law and, as such, its reform is a matter for the Minister for Justice and Equality who has responsibility for civil law reform. As is evident from the draft Bill appended to its report, the Law Reform Commission was clear that implementation of its recommendations came within the remit of the Minister for Justice and Equality.
269. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of businesses that have been supported by each local enterprise office in each year since the establishment of the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1629/15]
View answerThe Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) were established on 15 April 2014. Details of their performance during their first year of operation will be available later this quarter when the results of the Annual Employment Survey of LEO clients are collated.
270. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the investment made by his Department to support job creation in each of the past four years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1630/15]
View answerThe funding available to my Department to support job creation is provided through a combination of the Annual Estimates and Own Resource Income (ORI) of the agencies of the Department. The use of Own Resource Income has allowed us to maintain the overall level of investment in support of job creation over the past four years, where direct Exchequer allocations have been required to be scaled back, as with all other areas. The table attached sets out the outturn figures for the period 2011 to 2014 and includes the 2015 allocation recently published in the Revised Estimate. The sanction sought for ORI for 2015 is in line with previous years.
As the Deputy will be aware, the past four years have seen all Departments operating in a challenging fiscal environment. However, over the period 2011 to 2014, my Department has had funding available to support our job creation objectives of €2.27 Billion in Capital across a range of activities, from the provision of direct supports to client companies of the enterprise agency clients to the provision of an enterprise focussed research and innovation system.
The investment by my Department is aligned to and underpins the objectives for recovery and transformation of the enterprise base as set out in the Government's Action Plan for Jobs. The Action Plan for Jobs is a multi-annual strategy initiated in 2012 to ensure a cross-government approach to optimising the environment for enterprise, such that a net additional 100,000 jobs will be created by 2016.
I am pleased to report that good progress is being made on the implementation of the Action Plan for Jobs 2014. My Department is currently completing the preparation of the 2015 Action Plan. Ireland's ranking in terms of competitiveness and ease of doing business continue to improve. On the jobs front, the CSO Quarterly National Household Survey, as of Q3 2014 indicates that 80,000 additional people are at work compared to Q1 2012 when the Government launched the Action Plan for jobs. The enterprise agencies of my Department reported record levels of job creation by their client companies again for 2014. From 2011 to 2014 direct employment in EI supported companies has increased by 16,420 and direct employment in IDA supported companies is up by 22,265 over the period. These direct jobs have also supported the creation of a similar number of indirect jobs in the wider economy through purchases of materials and services locally.
The 2014 Action Plan contains 385 actions to be implemented in 2014 by all 16 Government Departments and by 46 agencies. Cumulatively to the end of the 3rd Quarter 89% of those scheduled for delivery have been implemented. These actions cover delivery of supports for enterprise, actions to develop sectoral opportunities and measures that will strengthen the competitiveness and capacity of our economy to support job growth.
There are also a series of cross cutting Disruptive Reforms being advanced in 2014. They include critical areas where we can win an edge across many sectors and include Big Data/Analytics; ICT Skills; Trading Online; Energy Efficiency; and National Health Innovation Hub. Entrepreneurship; Winning Abroad; and Manufacturing: National Step Change. Each are well advanced in terms of implementation.
Some examples of important initiatives implemented in 2014 include:
- Launch of Local Enterprise Offices
- Launch of "Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur" competition
- New staff in overseas office EI and IDA
- Record levels of new investment by EI and IDA enterprises
- Delivered Smart Futures science, technology and engineering awareness programme
The process involved in APJ has proved effective in driving reforms in the past three years.
|
€m |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 (Provisional) |
|
Total* |
570.928 |
586.433 |
551.161 |
556.356 |
* Includes Total Capital, Capital Carryover plus Own Resource Income Sanctioned, which includes a small amount of current spend.
271. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide details of all jobs announcements in County Cork over each of the past four years of which his Department has been notified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1631/15]
View answerMy Department and its enterprise agencies Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland make job announcements based on the plans and commitments of the enterprises that they are assisting. In many cases, these announcements will set out the job creation plans of the enterprises for a number of years into the future and the Department and its agencies work closely with the promoters to ensure that the jobs envisaged are realised.
I should point out however, that some job creation projects in agency client companies are not announced by the agencies, for example, in cases where the company involved does not wish this to happen.
Accordingly, job announcements are not reflective of the ongoing work of the Agencies in terms of their respective investment in individual companies, which result over time, in job creation.
Employment growth in EI clients in Cork has shown continuous growth over the last four years. Indicative figures from the latest DJEI 2014 Employment Survey show total employment in Cork-based EI clients increasing by around 8% between 2013 and 2014. (Official county based data for 2014 will be available shortly).
Between 2011 and 2014, Enterprise Ireland approved over €64 million specifically to support development projects undertaken by its 600 plus Cork based client companies.
Indicative figures for the period 2011 to 2014 show that the number of IDA Ireland client companies located in Cork, city and county, increased from 135 in 2011 to 146 in 2014, while the total numbers employed in those companies increased by 3,564, rising from 24,981 in 2011 to 28,545 an increase of 14 %.
The following tabular statement sets out details of the employment data for Cork, for Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland respectively.
Press releases relating to job creation issued by my Department’s Press Office are available at http://www.enterprise.gov.ie/en/News/.
Details of Enterprise Ireland's job announcements and those of IDA Ireland are also published on their respective websites – www.enterprise-ireland.com; www.idaireland.com/.
We will forward a list of individual announcements directly to the Deputy.
Table 1: Enterprise Ireland employment data for Cork from the 'Annual Employment Survey'
|
- |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
Number Of Companies |
689 |
690 |
669 |
|
Full Time Jobs |
18,100 |
19,008 |
19,775 |
|
Full-time Gains |
2,055 |
1,751 |
1,741 |
|
Full-time Losses |
674 |
843 |
974 |
|
Full-time Change |
1,381 |
908 |
767 |
|
Other Jobs |
2,162 |
2,221 |
2,437 |
* Employment Data for 2014 is being finalised and will be available shortly.
Table 2: IDA Ireland employment data for Cork from the ‘Annual Employment Survey’
|
- |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
No of Companies |
135 |
140 |
147 |
|
Total Jobs |
24,981 |
26,263 |
27,399 |
|
New Jobs Created (gross gains) |
2,187 |
2,395 |
2,139 |
|
Gross Losses |
-1,189 |
-1,113 |
-1,003 |
|
Net Change |
998 |
1,282 |
1,136 |
* Employment Data for 2014 is being finalised and will be available shortly.
272. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of jobs that have been created by Enterprise Ireland and the Industrial Development Agency supported businesses in each of the past four years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1632/15]
View answerThe Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Annual Employment Survey reports on jobs in companies that are supported by the Enterprise Development agencies. The numbers of jobs created by Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland supported businesses in the past four years are set out in Tables 1 and 2 below.
As Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, I introduced a collaborative, cross- government approach to advancing job creation in the State. The Action Plan for Jobs is an annual plan designed to drive action across all Government Departments and Agencies in a collective effort to put in place the conditions needed to support and grow employment in the State.
Enterprise Ireland’s mission is to support indigenous industry, working with entrepreneurs, Irish businesses, and the research and investment communities to develop Ireland’s international trade, innovation and competitiveness. The ultimate objective is increased employment and prosperity in Ireland. Enterprise Ireland works with High Potential Start-ups (HPSUs) with a capability to start a business and sell in export markets, Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) in manufacturing and internationally traded services, large companies employing 250 or more, and, Irish-based food and natural resource companies that are overseas owned or controlled.
In its "End of Year Statement" published on Monday, January 12, Enterprise Ireland reported that client companies created 19,705 new jobs in 2014. This resulted in a net increase of 8,476 in the total number of people employed by Enterprise Ireland supported companies, the highest net gain in the history of the Agency. This increase in employment reinforces Enterprise Ireland’s strategy of driving innovation, scale and leadership positions in international markets and new sectors.
This continuation of employment growth demonstrates clearly the direct impact that increasing exports has on jobs in Ireland. Enterprise Ireland supported companies now, directly and indirectly, account for more than 300,000 jobs in the Irish economy - 16% of total workforce. Significantly, Enterprise Ireland clients recorded the lowest level of job losses since 2000.
Total direct employment (full and part time) in Enterprise Ireland client companies stood at 180,072 in 2014. Of these, 156,202 were full-time jobs, while 23,870 were part-time.
Total employment at IDA client companies now stands at 174,488, the highest level in the history of IDA Ireland. The job performance took place against a particularly challenging European economic environment and a changing corporate taxation landscape. IDA has now exceeded the jobs and investment targets set under its Horizon 2020 Strategy and is currently finalising a new Five Year Strategy to take the organisation into a new phase of development.
A dynamic talent pool in Ireland, improved macroeconomic conditions and a concentration on several core sectors were among the contributors to the strong 2014 performance.
There were 197 investments in 2014, equating to a 20% increase on 2013. There was a notable rise in new name investment, with 88 new name investors in 2014, equating to a 13% increase on 2013. Among the leading investments secured during the year were Amazon, Bristol Myers Squibb, Fidelity, LinkedIn, Survey Monkey, Air Bnb, PayPal, Ericsson, SAP, Johnson & Johnson, West Pharmaceuticals, Zendesk, Adroll and New Relic.
There were job gains across most sectors IDA is focused on, but particularly in digital media/content, ICT, international financial services, life sciences and business services.
Table 1 – Number of Jobs created by Enterprise Ireland
Source: Annual Employment Survey Results 2011 - 2014
|
- |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
|
New Jobs Created (Gross Gains) |
13,719 |
17,390 |
18,033 |
19,705 |
Table 2 – Number of Jobs created by IDA
|
- |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
|
New Jobs Created (Gross Gains) |
14,432 |
15,215 |
15,104 |
15,012 |
273. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will seek assurances from the Industrial Development Agency that attention is being paid to the job creation needs of Tallaght, Dublin 24; if he will ask the IDA to confirm the number of times investment visits were made to Tallaght in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1645/15]
View answerInformation in relation to IDA Ireland sponsored site visits by potential investors is provided on a county basis only. I am informed by IDA Ireland that during 2014 there were 205 IDA Ireland-sponsored site visits by potential investors to Dublin City and County. These visits were from new companies visiting the location for the first time and also from senior executives of existing client companies. It must be remembered that the final decision on where to visit and where to locate are made by the investor.
At the end of 2014, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 596 IDA Ireland-supported companies in Dublin employing 70,989 people. IDA Ireland works closely with these companies to ensure their long term sustainability and to encourage their growth, development and continuing re-investment in their sites.
As is evidenced with IDA Ireland investment announcements over the past number of years, a significant number locate in Dublin so it is reasonable to expect that this trend will continue.
Typical examples of the type of investments which were announced in West Dublin during 2014 which will impact positively on the surrounding area including Tallaght, include the announcement in January by Aspen, a global pharmaceutical company, in City West that it was expanding its Irish operation by adding 42 new high quality jobs. These jobs will require the necessary skillsets in areas such as pharmaceutical production, quality control and assurance, regulatory affairs and supply chain management. In April, Alexion announced plans to expand its operations in Ireland following the acquisition of a new site in West Dublin. The Company expects that this expansion will create approximately 200 new jobs at Alexion as part of an investment of approximately €75million over the next number of years.
SAP announced in May that the company was increasing investment in the Business Objects Software Limited’s Development Centre in City West with the creation of 60 jobs.
I am confident that these investments will have a positive impact directly and indirectly on job creation in the greater Dublin area which includes Tallaght.
274. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide details of all consultancy firms engaged by his Department during 2014; if he will also provide details of all the relevant fees paid to those firms during the period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1670/15]
View answerThe following table details all fees paid by my Department to consultancy firms during 2014.
|
Company Name |
Fees Paid € |
|
Ward Solutions |
35,178.00 |
|
Rits |
2,236.00 |
|
Version 1 |
4,174.00 |
|
Copenhagen Economics |
167,788.00 |
|
Clarion consultants |
52,275.00 |
|
Barberry Limited t/a Keating and Associates |
3,136.50 |
|
Trigraph Professional Services Limited |
4,305.00 |
|
CM International |
6,000.00 |
|
Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government |
2,600.00 |
|
Insight Statistical Consulting/Fitzpatrick Associates |
19,188.00 |
|
DCU/Fitzsimons Consulting |
20,000.00 |
|
Insight Statistical Consulting |
5,683.00 |
|
Indecon Economic Consultants |
14,482.00 |
|
IDC |
31,863.57 |
|
CM International |
36,469.00 |
|
Fitzpatrick Associates |
14,391.00 |
|
Insight Statistical Consulting |
44,034.00 |
|
PWC |
15,612.00 |
|
PWC |
34,440.00 |
|
PWC |
28,911.00 |
|
Technopolis |
62,180.20 |
|
Tom Martin & Associates |
13,577.48 |
|
AECOM |
78,702.00 (Of this, National Training Fund contribution 60,601.00) |
|
DKM RPS |
50,353.00 |
|
Technopolis |
58,244.00 |
|
Cambridge IP |
40,966.38 |
|
Technopolis |
14,741.55 |
|
Ernst & Young |
61,461.00 |
|
RSM McClure Watters |
82,617.21 |
|
Indecon Economic Consultants |
39,145.00 (Of this, National Training Fund Contribution 30,142.00) |
|
Technopolis |
25,570.00 |
|
Matheson |
20,690.94 |
|
Cyril O’Neill Legal Costs Accounts |
8,470.34 |
|
Mazars LLP |
24,000.00 |
|
O’Mara Geraghty McCourt Solicitors |
738.00 |
|
Enterprise Registry Solutions Limited |
1,181,671.00 |
|
Kodak Alaris Limited |
19,397.95 |
|
Dell |
7,280.37 |
|
Sabeo Technologies |
1.943.40 |
|
BT Communications Ireland Limited |
6,519.00 |
|
Qualcom Systems Limited |
8.680.03 |
|
DNM Technology |
10,455.00 |
|
Digicom |
3,785.29 |
|
Inventise Business Solutions Limited |
10,947.00 |
|
Elavon Merchant Services Limited |
43,452.89 |
275. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of reports that the Health and Safety Authority have received to date from members of the public of incidents arising from building contractors installing or attempting to install water meters in residential areas on behalf of Irish Water; the number of occasions the Health and Safety Authority has conducted investigations of such incidents; the number of times work stations have been closed down even on a temporary basis; and the number of findings that have been made against contractors installing water meters for unsafe work practices. [1704/15]
View answerThe Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 (the Act) applies to Irish Water and all other employers/contractors engaged in activities relating to the installation of water meters and the Health and Safety Authority retains all powers conferred on it by the Act.
Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 duties are placed on employers in regard to the retention and preservation of the health and safety of their employees, and similarly to others including non-employees either present at a place of work under the control of the employer or employees not in the direct employment of the employer responsible for the place of work. As with all workplaces, any works carried out by Irish Water in respect to the installation of water meters can be subjected to a workplace health and safety inspection. Similarly, as with all employers, the company is required to prepare and maintain a written risk assessment relating to all work practices and the outcome of this risk assessment must be taken into account in the preparation, by the company, of its safety statement.
The carrying out of inspections and investigations of incidents or complaints relating to sub-categories of contractors form part of the day to day operational functions of the Health and Safety Authority and I, as Minister with delegated responsibility for occupational safety and health, have no direct function in regard to these day to day matters.
276. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation when it is planned to launch the creating competitive regions strategies; and if, with particular reference to the west of Ireland, there has been stakeholder consultation and engagement in creating the strategy. [1756/15]
View answerThe aim of the Action Plan for Jobs is to help enterprises to create employment in all regions of the country. While employment has increased nationally by approximately 80,000 since the start of the Action Plan process in 2012, not all regions are yet fully experiencing the benefits of economic recovery. The Unemployment Rate for the Midlands and South East regions, for example, stand at 14.5% and 13.7% respectively. This compares to the national average of 11.1% in the latest Quarterly National Household Survey published by the Central Statistics Office.
The 2014 Action Plan for Jobs contained a number of commitments to support competitive regions, including the development a framework for Regional Enterprise Strategies. This framework, which has been developed by my Department, provides a model which will be used to support a co-ordinated approach to maximise the jobs potential of each region in the country.
Over the past number of months, officials from Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and my Department have been involved in a series of engagements with the main stakeholder groups in the Midlands to discuss the strengths and opportunities that can be built upon to support enterprise and jobs growth in that region. This consultation process has provided valuable input to the drafting of a Regional Enterprise Strategy for the Midlands which I aim to publish over the coming weeks. Similar strategies for the other regions will be commenced over the course of the year, on a phased basis.
I have previously indicated that the next Regional Enterprise Strategy to be developed after the Midlands will cover the South East region. The order in which subsequent Regional Enterprise Strategies are to be completed has not yet been finalised, but the decision will be informed by factors such as regional unemployment levels.
Consultation with regional stakeholders will be a key component of the development of the Enterprise Strategies for each region, including the West of Ireland.
277. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide in tabular form the number of EU directives which remain to be implemented within his Department; the name of these directives; the timeframe for the implementation of these directives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1796/15]
View answerMy Department is proactive in ensuring that good performance on the transposition of Directives is consistently maintained. Within my Department, transposition is monitored through a customised intranet database which is used as a central management and information tool to track the implementation of Directives on an ongoing basis. This complements the central tracking and monitoring of transpositions carried out by the Department of the Taoiseach. Updates on transposition of directives are also provided to the Management Board of my Department.
A total of five Directives require to be transposed by my Department up to the end of 2015. A full list of the Directives to be transposed up to 2016 is set out below and is also available on the Department’s website at www.djei.ie.
EU Directives Transposition Table as at 12 th January 2015
DIRECTIVES TO BE TRANSPOSED IN 2015 (Five)
|
Description of Directive |
Unit Responsible |
Deadline for Transposition |
|
1. Directive 2014/68/EU on the harmonisation of the laws of the member states relation to the making available on the market of pressure equipment (Recast) |
Safety, Health and Chemicals Policy Unit |
28/02/2015 |
|
2. Directive 2012/18/EU on the control of major-accident hazards involving dangerous substances |
Safety, Health and Chemicals Policy Unit |
31/05/2015 |
|
3. Directive 2014/27/EU on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures |
Safety, Health and Chemicals Policy Unit |
01/06/2015 |
|
4. Directive 2013/11/EUon Alternative Dispute Resolution for consumer disputes and amending Regulation (EC) 2006/2004 and Directive 2009/22/EC |
Competition and Consumer Policy Unit |
09/07/2015 |
|
5.Directive 2013/34/EUon the annual financial statements, consolidated financial statements and related reports of certain types of undertakings |
Company Law Unit |
20/07/2015 |
|
6.Directive 2014/26/EU on collective management of copyright and related rights and multi-territorial licensing of rights in musical works for online use in the internal market. |
Intellectual Property Unit |
10/04/2016 |
|
7.Directive 2014/29/EUrelating to simple pressure vessels |
Competition & Consumer Policy Unit |
19/04/2016 |
|
8. Directive 2014/30/EU on the harmonisation of the laws of Members States relating to Electromagnetic Compatibility (Recast) |
Enterprise Development Unit |
19/04/2016 |
|
9. Directive 2014/31/EU on the harmonisation of the laws of Members States relating to the making available on the market of non-automatic weighing instruments |
NSAI Liaison & Standards Unit |
19/04/2016 |
|
Description of Directive |
Unit Responsible |
Deadline for Transposition |
|
10. Directive 2014/32/EU relating to the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relation to the making available on the market of measuring instruments (Recast) |
NSAI Liaison & Standards Unit |
19/04/2016 |
|
11. Directive 2014/34/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres (Recast) |
Safety, Health and Chemicals Policy Unit |
19/04/2016 |
|
12. Directive 2014/35/EUof the European Parliament and Council on the Harmonisation of the laws of Member States relating to Electrical Equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits |
Competition & Consumer Policy Unit |
19/04/2016 |
|
13. Directive 2014/56/EU on statutory audits of annual accounts and consolidated accounts |
Company Law Unit |
17/06/2016 |
|
14. Directive 2014/67/EU on the posting of workers |
Employment Rights Unit |
18/06/2016 |
|
15.Directive 2013/35/EU on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents (electromagnetic fields) |
Safety, Health and Chemicals Policy Unit |
01/07/2016 |
|
16. Directive 2014/95/EU on disclosure of non-financial and diversity information by certain large undertakings and groups. |
Company Law Unit |
06/12/2016 |
|
17. Directive 2014/104/EUon certain rules governing actions for damages under national law for infringements of the competition law provisions of the Member States and of the European Union |
Competition and Consumer Policy Unit |
27/12/2016 |
278. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide in tabular form the number, name and date of Bills initiated in his Department that have been subject to the pre-legislative scrutiny procedure in the Oireachtas. [1817/15]
View answer279. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide in tabular form the number, name and date of Bills initiated in his Department since September 2013. [1832/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 278 and 279 together.
The County Enterprise Boards (Dissolution) Bill 2013, which was published on 31st July 2013, has been subject to the Oireachtas pre legislative scrutiny procedure. In addition, the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill, although not yet initiated, completed pre legislative scrutiny on the draft Heads in December 2014.
The following Bills were initiated by my Department, since 1st September 2013:-
1 st September 2013 – 31 st December 2014
|
Title of Bill |
Date of Bill |
|
Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013 |
8th November 2013 |
|
Industrial Development (Forfás Dissolution) Bill 2013 |
19th December 2013 |
|
Competition and Consumer Protection Bill |
27th March 2014 |
|
Employment Permits (Amendment) Bill 2014 |
17th April 2014 |
|
Workplace Relations Bill |
30th July 2014 |
|
Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014 |
31st July 2014 |
With regard to the Workplace Relations Bill the policy document 'Legislating for a World Class Workplace Relations Service' upon which the Draft Scheme of the Workplace Relations Bill was drafted was referred to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation for scrutiny in July, 2012. I also appeared before this Oireachtas Committee in July, 2012 to discuss the proposed Workplace Relations legislation.
280. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of secondments from his Department to external private firms in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and to date in 2015; the firms involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1846/15]
View answer281. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of secondments based in his Department from external private firms in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and to date in 2015; the firms involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1860/15]
View answer282. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his Department has a policy regarding secondments from and within his Department to external firms; when the policy was initiated and last updated; the details of the policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1874/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 280 to 282, inclusive, together.
I can advise the Deputy that in the period in question there have been no secondments in or out of my Department to external private firms.
A Staff Exchange Scheme between the Civil Service and the Private Sector was announced on a pilot basis by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in 2013. The scheme is available to staff in my Department at Higher Executive Officer, Administrative Officer, Assistant Principal and Principal Officer grades. However, given the significant reduction in staff numbers in my Department, approval of an application is subject to confirmation from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform that, in accordance with the terms of the scheme, an applicant may be replaced for the duration of the temporary assignment. Aside from that aspect, there are no impediments to staff of my Department participating in the exchange scheme.
Finally, some staff have moved in the period in question on assignment to the EU institutions, where, notwithstanding the downsizing pressures on the Department, such assignments were considered to be in the broader developmental interests of the staff concerned, the Department and the wider Civil Service.
283. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of new rules and regulations that came into force on 1 January 2015 regarding persons applying sprays and pesticides, the training courses that are being made available; the cost of same; the agency involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1045/15]
View answerThe Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive establishes a framework for European Community action to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides by setting minimum rules to reduce the risks to human health and the environment that are associated with pesticide use. It also promotes the use of integrated pest management. The Directive is designed to further enhance the high level of protection achieved through the entire regulatory system for pesticides.
Implementation of the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive relies heavily on the training of the various people involved at all levels of the industry, including Professional Users i.e. any individual who applies professional use Plant Protection Products.
From 26th November 2015, it is mandatory for all Professional Users to be registered with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and, in order to do so, must be appropriately trained. The following courses will meet the requirements for registration:
- FETAC 5N0731, Hand Held Pesticide Application or
- City & Guilds, PA1 + PA6, Hand Held Applicators.
- FETAC 5N1797, Boom Sprayer Pesticide Application or
- City & Guilds, PA1 + PA2, Tractor-mounted sprayer.
Any individual who has already successfully completed training to the above standards (or equivalent) need not undertake any further training in order to register with my Department.
Any (FETAC or C&G) accredited provider can deliver these courses and there is a list of such providers available on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine website ( http://www.pcs.agriculture.gov.ie/SUD.htm ). This list is updated regularly.
As each provider has its own pricing structure, potential participants can get details on the cost of courses by contacting them directly.
