Tom Neville
Question:658. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the procedures involved in a scenario (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14362/16]
View answerWork Permits Eligibility
Questions (658)
Written answers
The category of employment in the scenario cited by the Deputy is one which is ineligible for an employment permit and thus one in respect of which an Employment Permit would not be issued.
Grant Payments
Questions (659)
Charlie McConalogue
Question:659. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation when the successful applicants to the community enterprise initiative 2015-17 will be announced; if an organisation (details supplied) has been successful with its application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14412/16]
View answerWritten answers
Enterprise Ireland announced, on 1 June, the applicants that were allocated funding for their proposals under the Community Enterprise Initiative. I am pleased to say that the organization in question was successful in applying for grant assistance towards the cost of the development of a hub to encourage indigenous Irish companies to sell directly across the European Union.
Departmental Data
Questions (660)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:660. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she is satisfied with the level of data collected on the issues that come under her Department's remit; the steps she will take to work with the Administration in Northern Ireland to collect data under her aegis on a North-South basis; and the budgets she will put in place to undertake this work (details supplied). [14444/16]
View answerWritten answers
My department collects a wide range of data across areas of business that come within its remit, including for example data on the issuing of employment permits, the registration of companies, public expenditure on research and innovation, export licensing statistics, the granting of patents and registration of trademarks, and on employment, sales, exports and expenditure by companies which are clients of the enterprise agencies. In addition to data collected in the Offices and Agencies of my Department, key elements of data collection take place through a Surveys Unit in the Department and collaboratively with the Central Statistics Office under a Memorandum of Understanding.
I am satisfied that my Department follows best practice when collecting data and that it has robust procedures in place to ensure that all data that it collects, whether as a statutory requirement or otherwise, is accurate and complete.
The National Competitiveness Council, in their 2015 report, noted that the availability of accurate, timely and relevant data is essential to develop an evidence base, conduct analysis, and formulate policy recommendations. My Department considers the development of data and other statistical and measurement issues on an ongoing basis and my officials are currently engaged in work with the CSO and other Departments and Agencies on the development of improved data across a range of issues including productivity and housing affordability. Officials from my Department attend the Enterprise Statistics Liaison Group convened by the Central Statistics Office. The Enterprise Statistics Group assesses the needs and priorities of key national users of business and enterprise statistics.
Two other recent reports have highlighted areas where better data should be available. A report by the University of Limerick (UL) into the prevalence of zero hour contracts and low hour contracts identified limitations in existing data in these areas. UL made a recommendation as to how this might be addressed in the future, which is being considered in the context of the broader policy response to the UL study.
The Low Pay Commission in its report last July made reference to 'significant gaps in the data which would ideally be available to assist in coming to a recommendation on the level of the minimum wage'. In this context, the cessation by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) of the National Employment Survey a number of years ago has particularly constrained the data available and its timeliness with regard to earnings. The reintroduction of this survey by the CSO as soon as finances permit would be welcomed.
Comprehensive data on Northern Ireland business and economic issues is compiled by bodies such as the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency and their Department for the Economy, and such information is made openly available. In addition, Intertrade Ireland, the cross border body which is co-funded by my Department, had published a wide range of data from various sources, which is of direct relevance to cross border business and economic issues. I do not consider it appropriate that my Department would get involved in collecting data relating specifically to Northern Ireland matters.
My Department, and the agencies under its aegis, share data with their Northern Ireland counterparts in instances where this can bring about mutual benefits. For example the Health and Safety Authority shares information and research on farm safety trends with the Health and Safety Executive of Northern Ireland in order to help address major workplace health and safety risks in the agriculture sector.
Work Permits Applications
Questions (661)
Kevin O'Keeffe
Question:661. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the status of an application by a person (details supplied) for a work permit. [14587/16]
View answerWritten answers
A General Employment Permit in respect of the person named by the Deputy was issued by my Department on 10th November 2015. The Deputy’s query regarding the status of this person’s Immigration Visa application is more appropriate for my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality.
National Standards Authority of Ireland
Questions (662)
Kevin O'Keeffe
Question:662. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the criteria and guidelines that are required to be met under the scheme for quality approved products (details supplied). [14596/16]
View answerWritten answers
The relevant scheme applicable for the timber stakes will depend on which use the producer has in mind for the final product. If he intends manufacturing timber poles for overhead lines the EU Regulation on construction products applies, in which case it would be standard I.S. EN 14229:2010 – Structural Timber – Wood Poles for Overhead Lines.
If the products are for roadside fencing, the National Roads Authority may require the producer to be a member of the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) roadside fencing scheme. This scheme is based on Irish Standard I.S. 435 – Timber Post and Rail Roadside Fencing.
The NSAI provides certification to both standards. The producer should contact the NSAI directly by phone at (01) 807 3800 or through the website www.nsai.ie for further information on purchasing standards or how to become certified to either standard.
Waste Management Regulations
Questions (663)
Clare Daly
Question:663. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation further to Parliamentary Question No. 613 of 24 May 2016, to clarify if the practice referred to falls within her remit, given the response of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to Parliamentary Question No. 394 of 31 May 2016, namely, that this is a consumer protection issue; and to investigate the practice referred to and the consumer protection implications thereof. [14687/16]
View answerWritten answers
The previous questions referred to by the Deputy concerned a claim that a company will now only accept payment of invoices for bin charges through an online billing system for electronic tags thereby putting persons without access to the Internet at a disadvantage. The general consumer protection legislation for which my Department has responsibility does not contain provisions on the form to be taken by payment invoices. The need for such provisions has not arisen to date as it is in the interest of businesses to facilitate payment by customers by providing that payments can be made in a number of different ways. In the case of certain regulated sectors, such as energy and household waste collection, service providers are required to have customer charters intended to safeguard the interests of users of the services.
As stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question Number 613 of 24 May 2016, the Customer Charter for Household Waste Collection constitutes the Sixth Schedule to the Waste Management Collection (Permit) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 820 of 2007) enacted by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government as amended most recently by the Waste Management (Collection Permit) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 (S.I. No. 197 of 2015) and the Waste Management (Collection Permit) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 (S.I. No. 24 of 2016). This Customer Charter requires service providers to provide ‘the highest standards in the provision of waste management services to their customers’ in respect of general customer service; communication with customers; pricing, charging mechanisms and access to account information; and complaint procedures and dispute resolution. Matters relating to the billing and payment practices of companies engaged in household waste collection would accordingly be most appropriately dealt in my view through the Customer Charter for the sector.
Consumer Protection
Questions (664)
Clare Daly
Question:664. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation further to Parliamentary Question No. 34 of 28 April 2016, if she will provide a likely date upon which the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission will provide an update on its investigation of this issue. [14688/16]
View answerWritten answers
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission which is statutorily independent in the exercise of its enforcement function has advised me that the matter referred to in the Deputy’s question is under examination along with a number of other consumer issues which have arisen as a result of the introduction of a pay by weight charging structure for household waste. The Commission has further advised that it cannot comment on the matter or give a time frame for the completion of its examination.
Ministerial Correspondence
Questions (665)
Éamon Ó Cuív
Question:665. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of representations she has received from Members of the Oireachtas and the number of these to which she had not issued a substantive reply by 31 May 2016 by month of initial receipt, from 1 January 2015 to 30 April 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15040/16]
View answerWritten answers
In the period 1 January 2015 to 30 April 2016, there were 428 representations listed as being from Members of the Oireachtas logged on the representations database of my Department. This figure does not include any follow up correspondence which may have arisen on these representations.
Out of the 428 representations referred to above, there were nine that had yet to be replied to substantively as at 31 May 2016. Three of these were received in April 2016, three in March 2016, one in February 2016, one in July 2015 and one in November 2015.
Education Welfare Service
Questions (666)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Question:666. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will arrange that an educational welfare officer will contact a person (details supplied) regarding a school place for their child. [14684/16]
View answerWritten answers
I have asked Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to look into the case raised by the Deputy and provide an update to the Deputy on this matter.
Grant Payments
Questions (667)
Niall Collins
Question:667. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs how a group (details supplied) can apply for and receive an annual grant for operating purposes similar to other comparable support groups and to whom does it make this application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14697/16]
View answerWritten answers
I wish to advise that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, which comes under the remit of my Department, is the statutory agency with responsibility for the funding of community and voluntary services for children and families.
I have forwarded your correspondence to Tusla for its consideration and for direct reply to the organisation concerned.