Tuesday, 16 May 2017

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Questions (13)

Gerry Adams

Question:

13. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on health is scheduled to hold its next meeting. [21954/17]

View answer

Written answers

The Taoiseach

The Cabinet Committee on Health last met on 27 April and will be scheduled to meet again in the coming weeks.

Questions Nos. 14 to 16, inclusive, resubmitted.

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Questions (17, 18)

Joan Burton

Question:

17. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on arts, Irish and the Gaeltacht last met. [20444/17]

View answer

Mattie McGrath

Question:

18. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Taoiseach the number of times the Cabinet committee on arts, Irish and the Gaeltacht has met since the formation of the current Government. [21840/17]

View answer

Written answers

The Taoiseach

I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 18 together.

The Cabinet Committee on Arts, Irish, the Gaeltacht and the Islands last met on the on Monday 27th February. Its first meeting was on the 13th of October 2016 and the date of the next meeting has not yet been finalised.

Questions Nos. 19 to 21, inclusive, resubmitted.

Programme for Government Implementation

Questions (22)

Micheál Martin

Question:

22. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the publication on 18 April 2017 of the progress report on A Programme for a Partnership Government. [20720/17]

View answer

Written answers

The Taoiseach

The Government published its second progress report on the Programme for a Partnership Government last month and laid it before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Last week, the Government also published its Programme for Government Annual Report 2017 setting out the progress made on a significant number of commitments right across Government over the past 12 months. It reflects the hard work underway across all Government Departments to deliver across a wide range of issues over the lifetime of this Government.

Questions Nos. 23 to 26, inclusive, resubmitted.

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Questions (27)

Eamon Ryan

Question:

27. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Taoiseach when the next meeting of the Cabinet committee on infrastructure, environment and climate action will take place. [20727/17]

View answer

Written answers

The Taoiseach

The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, Environment and Climate Action meets regularly. The last meeting of the Committee took place on 15 May 2017. The next meeting of the Committee will be scheduled shortly.

Questions Nos. 28 to 30, inclusive, resubmitted.

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Questions (31, 32)

Micheál Martin

Question:

31. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the number of times the Cabinet committee on Brexit has met since June 2016. [21845/17]

View answer

Seán Haughey

Question:

32. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Taoiseach the number of times the Cabinet committee on Brexit has met since January 2017; and if he will report on the Government's publication, Ireland and the negotiations on the UK's withdrawal from the European Union. [21847/17]

View answer

Written answers

The Taoiseach

I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 32 together.

The Cabinet Committee on Brexit has met 3 times in 2017 on 26 January, 8 March and 26 April. It has met a total of 8 times since its first meeting on 8 September 2016.

On 2nd May, the Government published a comprehensive document on Ireland and the negotiations on the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union.

Following on from this publication, work will begin shortly to prepare a further paper on economic implications of the Brexit challenge. This will draw on the work to date across Departments, which will be developed to mitigate emerging sectoral challenges. These plans will build on ongoing cross-Government research, analysis and consultations with stakeholders, and will reflect the core economic themes of the Taoiseach's speech to the IIEA on 15 February last including:

- sustainable fiscal policies to ensure capacity to absorb and respond to economic shocks, not least from Brexit;

- policies to make Irish enterprise more diverse and resilient, to diversify trade and investment patterns, and to strengthen competitiveness;

- prioritising policy measures and dedicating resources to protect jobs and businesses in the sectors and regions most affected by Brexit;

- realising economic opportunities arising from Brexit, and helping businesses adjust to any new logistical or trade barriers arising;

- making a strong case at EU level that Ireland will require support that recognises where Brexit represents a serious disturbance to the Irish economy.

Questions Nos. 33 to 35, inclusive, resubmitted.

Departmental Bodies

Questions (36)

Eamon Ryan

Question:

36. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Taoiseach when the next meeting of the National Economic and Social Council will take place. [21883/17]

View answer

Written answers

The Taoiseach

The process of appointing a new National Economic and Social Council is almost complete. I expect that the new Council will meet in early June.

Questions Nos. 37 to 47, inclusive, resubmitted.

Questions Nos. 48 to 60, inclusive, answered orally.

Workplace Relations Commission

Questions (61)

Clare Daly

Question:

61. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of WRC inspections and investigations that have taken place to date in 2017 in the horse racing industry, with particular regard to stable and stud staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22659/17]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Inspectors of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) carry out inspections of employer records with a view to determining compliance with employment rights and employment permits legislation.

The WRC’s work programme for 2017 makes specific provision for a compliance and enforcement campaign within the equine sector generally, including the horse racing industry. Inspections under this campaign will check compliance with, among other requirements, national minimum wage rates, employment permit obligations and working hours provisions including those relating to rest breaks, leave, public holiday and Sunday work entitlements.

Other WRC initiatives in the equine sector include an awareness and education programme in tandem with stakeholder engagement with the overall objective of achieving employment rights compliance. I am advised by the WRC that planning and scoping arrangements for this campaign have been completed and that inspection appointment letters have issued to those employers who will be inspected under the initial phase of the campaign. It is expected, therefore, that the majority of inspections will rollout from next week onwards. However, 9 inspections have already been undertaken in 2017.

Employees who feel that they are not receiving their statutory employment rights entitlements may make a complaint through the WRC’s website at www.workplacerelations.ie. Complaints are, depending on their nature and the legislation involved, dealt with by investigation by inspectors or referred by the Director General for adjudication by Adjudication Officers.

Local Enterprise Offices

Questions (62)

Fiona O'Loughlin

Question:

62. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if the local enterprise office grant and support scheme will receive more funding in 2018 in order to allow a greater number of small businesses and start-ups to avail of support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23036/17]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

In Budget 2017, I secured an additional €4m in Capital funding for the LEOs, which brought the total Capital allocation for this year to €22.5m.

This funding is used to provide direct financial supports to eligible LEO clients, including Feasibility, Priming, and Business Development Grants. The funding is also used to deliver “soft” supports comprising training, mentoring and sign-posting/referral.

The additional allocation for 2017 enables the LEOs to assist microenterprises navigate challenges posed by Brexit, including a new Technical Assistance Grant, a LEO Innovation Investment Fund, as well as tailored training, mentoring and information provision.

In 2016 the LEOs provided grant assistance to almost 1,000 microenterprises; training to over 27,500 participants; and mentoring to almost 7,500 participants. In addition, 1,842 young entrepreneurs engaged with Ireland's Best Young Entrepreneur programme, which carries an investment fund of €2 million.

My aim is to build on that performance in 2017 and future years and my officials will be working with Enterprise Ireland and the LEOs to identify their funding requirements for next year as part of the 2018 Estimates cycle.

Brexit Issues

Questions (63)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

63. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her plans to minimise the impact of Brexit in County Donegal; the engagement she has had with the IDA to ensure it secures new investment in County Donegal in view of Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22853/17]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

I fully appreciate the importance of ensuring that Irish businesses, including those located in Donegal, are best able to withstand the pressures that Brexit may exert. That is why, for example, I secured additional financial resources to support the strategic response to Brexit by our enterprise agencies.

IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland (EI) and the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are now engaging on an ongoing basis with client companies from all over Ireland regarding the commercial impact of Brexit on Irish firms. The Agencies also have plans in place to both mitigate the challenges and maximise the opportunities that may arise on account of the UK's decision to leave the EU.

I am very much conscious of the particular trade implications that Brexit may have for border counties, such as Donegal. InterTradeIreland is currently undertaking a number of initiatives to assist companies in those locations that may be potentially affected by Brexit. Last year the LEOs, EI and IDA supported 7,978 jobs in Donegal with the IDA recording seven site visits to the County last year, up from five the year before, with one additional visit recorded in Q1 this year.

More broadly, the Regional Action Plan for the North East/North West includes measures aimed at supporting the creation of 28,000 new jobs across Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan and Louth by 2020. Significant progress has already been made towards that target, with 5,742 more people in employment across the region since the start of 2016.

Question No. 64 answered with Question No. 53.