Written Answers Nos. 506-524
506. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if residency can be reviewed in the case of a person (details supplied); the steps the person must take in order to be compliant with registration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36631/18]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned does not have permission to be in the State.
If the person concerned wishes to make a request to the Minister for permission to remain, they may send such a request, in writing, to Unit 1 - Residence Division, Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) 13/14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2. I am informed that the person concerned should specify how long they wish to remain in this State and provide all relevant information and supporting documentation they consider relevant to the particular family circumstances.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by was of the Parliamentary Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
507. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the residency status of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36632/18]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person referred to does not currently have permission to reside in the State, and their most recent permission to remain in the State, on the basis of marriage to an Irish national, expired on 25 August 2016.
I am further advised that the person, having left Ireland, was refused a long-stay Join Family Visa on 16 July 2018, and an appeal was received in the Visa Office in Dublin on 18 August 2018.
Appeals are processed in the order in which they are received in order to be fair to all applicants. While every effort is made to do so as soon as possible, processing times will vary having regard to the volume of appeals received, the resources available to process them and the complexity of the application and subsequent appeal. Processing times may also vary where a detailed assessment of family rights under the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights is required. In the circumstances, therefore, I cannot at this time give a definitive date as to when this particular appeal will be finalised.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
508. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to the fact there is no Garda inspector in the Ballymun area; if this appointment will be made as a matter of urgency in view of high levels of criminal activity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36778/18]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of these resources.
I am informed by the Commissioner that in regard to the deployment of Garda personnel, a distribution model is used which takes into account all relevant factors including population, crime trends and the policing needs of each individual Garda Division. Where a deficiency in resources is identified the matter is considered fully and addressed accordingly.
I am advised that local Garda management are making every effort to tackle criminal activity in the Ballymun area and that a number of measures have been put in place, including additional high-visibility patrols, support from the public order unit and operations by the local drug unit and these will continue into the future.
Appointments to the ranks of Sergeant and Inspector are a matter for the Commissioner under section 14 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005.
I am informed by the Commissioner that the strength of Ballymun Garda Station on 31 July 2018, the latest date for which information is readily available, was 121. There are also 7 Garda Reserves and 8 Garda civilian staff attached to Ballymun Garda Station. When appropriate, the work of local Gardaí is supported by a number of Garda national units such as the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Armed Support Units, the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.
I am further informed by the Commissioner that there are currently 3 Garda Inspectors assigned to Ballymun Garda Station as of 31 July 2018, the latest date for which figures are available. I am also advised by the Commissioner that there are currently competitions in train for promotion to the rank of Sergeant and Inspector with the aim of bringing the strength to 2,000 and 300 respectively, as agreed under the Employment Control Framework. I am assured by the Commissioner that following completion of these competitions the needs of all Garda Divisions including the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) North Division will be fully considered when determining the allocation of Sergeants and Inspectors.
509. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when he expects the construction of a car park at a Garda station (details supplied) to proceed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36798/18]
View answerThe programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation is progressed by the Garda authorities working in close cooperation with the Office of Public Works (OPW), which has the responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. As Minister I have no direct role in the matter.
I have asked the Garda Commissioner for the specific information requested and when it is to hand, I will write to the Deputy directly.
510. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to the overspend of An Garda Síochána primarily due to overtime and related costs; the steps he is taking to address this issue; his plans to ensure that such steps do not impact front-line services. [36864/18]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is the Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote and as such is responsible for the effective and efficient use of the resources at his disposal. Those resources have reached unprecedented levels with a provision for 2018 of more than €1.6 billion, including an allocation of almost €100 million for overtime.
Under the governance and oversight arrangements in place between my Department and An Garda Síochána, the evolution of expenditure is kept under constant review and I have already discussed the financial position with Commissioner Harris. We are agreed that it is essential that value for money is achieved with the resources at his disposal and insofar as the emerging overrun in 2018 is concerned, he will be working with his senior management team to identify any measures that can be taken to ameliorate the situation. My Department will, of course, continue to engage with Garda management on the issue over the remainder of the year.
511. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the status of an application for a permit by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35606/18]
View answerThe Employment Permits Section of my Department inform me that an application for a Dependent Spouse Employment Permit in respect of the person concerned was received on 8 May 2018. Further supporting information has been requested. When this information has been received, this application will be considered.
512. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of inspections carried out by the Health and Safety Authority in tattoo and body piercing businesses in each of the years 2008 to 2017 and to date in 2018, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35840/18]
View answer522. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation her views on the fact that there is no regulation of tattoo and body piercing businesses here; her plans to introduce regulation to ensure these businesses meet minimum standards and basic training standards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35838/18]
View answer523. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of complaints made to the Health and Safety Authority relating to tattoo and body piercing businesses in each of the years 2008 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35839/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 512, 522 and 523 together.
In Ireland, the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) regulates tattoo and body piercing businesses, as places of work, under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. Tattoo and body piercing shops are also currently encompassed by the HSA’s BeSmart system (https://www.besmart.ie/eSMART), which provides an online risk assessment and safety statement tool for businesses.
Tattoo inks are regulated under EU Regulations. Tattoo inks and permanent make-up are mixtures of several chemical substances. Since 2003 regulations on the use of tattoo inks were laid down by the Council of Europe. These regulations were revised in Resolution ResAP 2008 (https://rm.coe.int/16805d3dc4), which lists substances which should not be used in tattoo inks/permanent makeup. Inks used for tattooing should, at a minimum, fulfil those requirements.
The European Commission has recently tasked the European Chemical Agency with assessing the risks of substances in tattoo inks to human health and to also examine the need for an EU-wide restriction on their use. As a result, a restriction proposal was prepared to regulate specific hazardous substances present in tattoo inks so that they are safe. There is no intention to ban tattoo inks or tattooing. The restriction will significantly reduce the potential health risks for people getting new tattoos, such as allergic reactions to tattoo inks and possible long-term effects from exposure to hazardous substances injected under the skin.
Manufacturers and importers of tattoo inks must also comply with obligations under the EU REACH and CLP Regulations, which govern chemical safety. The regulations require them to register the individual substances if they are manufactured or imported in quantities at or above one tonne per year and to classify the substances so that formulators of tattoo inks can use the information to then classify the mixture and ensure the labelling and packaging requirements are also met. Companies selling tattoo inks must provide a safety data sheet, which gives the user information on its composition and safe use. Further details on tattoo inks can be found at the ECHA webpage - https://chemicalsinourlife.echa.europa.eu/are-tattoos-dangerous.
The Department of Health and the Health Service Executive (HSE) are also currently finalising best practice guidelines on infection prevention and control for tattooing and body piercing. The purpose of the document is to provide guidance in relation to infection control, and is aimed at achieving the highest standards of safety and prevention. The guidelines are expected to be published later this year. The HSA actively contributed material in relation to occupational and chemical requirements before and during the public consultation.
My Department is not considering preparing any specific legislation regarding these businesses as it is not considered necessary. The principal issue is public health and therefore any new regulations for these businesses would be a matter for the Department of Health.
Complaints formally recorded by the HSA between 2008 and 2018 in the tattooing/ body piercing section are set out in the following table. My Department and the HSA would also point out that several of these topics including dirty needles and poor housekeeping are expected to be covered in the draft Department of Health guide on infection prevention and control for tattooing and body piercing practitioners and businesses.
|
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2009: Using dirty products to tattoo and pierce members of the public.
2010: Smoking in the workplace and related fire hazards.
2016: Unsafe working at height on roof of tattoo business.
2017: Dirty tattoo needles being used.
2018: Dirty tattoo needles and poor housekeeping.
Inspections carried out by the HSA at tattoo/body piercing businesses between 2008 and 2018 are set out in the following table.
As tattoo parlours/body piercing premises do not have a unique NACE (Economic Sector) code, these types of premises cannot be individually identified on the HSA’s inspection database. The HSA’s database does allow for employer names and location addresses to be searched using the key words, “tattoo” and “piercing” and inspections identified using these search terms returned the following list of inspections completed:
|
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
It should be noted that the inspection in 2016 related to construction work on a tattoo parlour and did not have any connection to the work of tattooing or body piercing.
513. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if her Department has conducted an analysis of the likely impact of technological automation on future employment opportunities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36438/18]
View answerMy Department provides secretariat support to the Expert Group for Future Skills Needs (EGFSN). The EGFSN is an independent, non-statutory body that identifies the skills required by enterprise across occupations and sectors. In this capacity, the EGFSN is undertaking a report on ‘Skills for the Digital Economy’ as part of its 2018 work programme.
The ‘Skills for the Digital Economy’ report aims to assess the impact of digitalisation on job roles and sectors across the economy in Ireland and to identify potential enterprise and skills policy implications arising from this. The report is taking the medium-term outlook of five years. The study is the product of large amount of desk research combined with the creation of a quantitative model of the Irish economy. The report is also informed by a small number of interviews conducted with employers, representative bodies and employees. The report is currently underway and it is expected to be published by the EGFSN in Q4 2018.
514. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the investigations and preparations her Department is undertaking to support businesses and the export sector in the event of the sterling-euro exchange rate reaching parity in the event of a hard Brexit; if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of retailers regarding the further weakening of sterling; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36961/18]
View answerInformed by detailed research, my Department is putting in place a suite of measures to allow it to respond to the needs of businesses affected by Brexit.
The Brexit Loan Scheme, launched in March of this year and operated by the SBCI, offers affordable working capital to eligible SMEs that are either currently impacted by Brexit or which will be in the future. Funding granted under the scheme must be used to innovate, change or adapt to meet the challenges posed by Brexit.
To assist businesses in responding to Brexit, Enterprise Ireland has a strong programme to build resilience in Irish exporting businesses focused on innovation, market diversification and competitiveness. To this end, EI has established a Prepare for Brexit online portal and communications campaign, an online “Brexit SME Scorecard” to help Irish businesses self-asses their exposure to Brexit, as well as a “Be Prepared Grant” to support SME clients in planning to mitigate risks arising from Brexit. As part of its Brexit awareness-raising activities, EI is rolling out regional Brexit Advisory Clinics and a national Brexit Roadshow. A two-day external Brexit consultancy support is also being rolled out to individual clients to help them develop a detailed sustainable growth plan.
Local Enterprise Offices are also offering Brexit supports including a “Technical Assistance for Micro-enterprises” grant, enabling businesses to diversify into new markets, as well as tailored mentoring to address Brexit-related challenges, and targeted training on specific Brexit-related challenges.
Advisory supports in relation to business planning, such as those provided by the Local Enterprise Offices and Enterprise Ireland, will be particularly important in assisting viable-but-vulnerable SMEs that may be adversely affected due to Brexit. These supports will help raise awareness of both private market financial supports and existing State supports.
The Retail Consultation Forum, which I chair, provides a platform for structured engagement between representatives of the sector and Government. The Forum meets four times per year, and specific issues (e.g. skills) are also pursued through working groups, bilaterals, and information events.
The Forum has proved an important means for communicating the latest updates on Brexit developments to the sector, hearing the views of retailers, and raising awareness of the supports that retailers can avail of.
Earlier this year, my Department hosted a special Brexit presentation event for Forum members to hear about and discuss two pieces of recently published research: “Ireland and the Impact of Brexit” by Copenhagen Economics, and the ESRI research commissioned by the CCPC on “Brexit and Irish Consumer”.
The Retail Consultation Forum will next meet on 20 September, and Forum members in attendance will be informed of the latest Brexit developments and discussion will focus the key issues of concern for the sector.
Regarding the potential for further shifts in the sterling exchange rate in the future, my Department continues to work with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Department of Finance, the SBCI, and its agencies to develop potential supports in response to the needs of businesses exposed to Brexit-related impacts. Roll out of these proposed responses is subject to resources being agreed as part of the annual budgetary process.
My Department is also currently exploring the development of a Business Finance Advisory Hub service. This Business Finance Advisory Hub will assist small and medium enterprises in making informed funding and investment decisions and will also focus on business development for a post-Brexit environment.
515. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of IDA visits to counties Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford, respectively, from January to June 2018, inclusive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35412/18]
View answerIDA Ireland’s South-East Region consists of Counties Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford and South Tipperary. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in that region is increasing, with IDA Ireland client companies having created over 1,200 new jobs last year. Total employment in overseas companies there now stands at approximately 15,000 across 75 client companies.
The following table sets out the number of IDA Ireland site visits to Counties Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford in Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of 2018.
|
County |
Q1 2018 Site Visits |
Q2 2018 Site Visits |
|
Carlow |
1 |
2 |
|
Kilkenny |
0 |
2 |
|
Tipperary |
1 |
1 |
|
Waterford |
5 |
9 |
|
Wexford |
0 |
1 |
516. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if a person (details supplied) has permission to work via a work permit; if the person will be awarded permission in the person's own right or as a dependant on the person's parent's permission; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35527/18]
View answerThe Dependant/Spouse Employment Permit replaces the old Dependant Employment Permit. The objective of this type of employment permit is primarily to support the attractiveness of Ireland as a location of employment for potential and current Critical Skills/Green Card Employment Permit holders and Researchers.
Eligible dependent unmarried children, who have been admitted to the State as family members of holders of these categories of Employment Permits and Researchers may apply. Generally, it is illegal for dependants to be employed in Ireland without a valid Employment Permit.
The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that no application has been submitted for a Dependant/Spouse Employment Permit for this individual. If, however, an application is submitted, it will be considered in due course.
517. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the status of a work permit for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35550/18]
View answerThe Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that an application for a General Employment Permit for the person concerned was received on 5 April 2018.
The application was refused on 17th July for a number of reasons including that the foreign national appears to have been in employment in the State prior to this application without an employment permit, the nature of business of the employer and the absence of a signed contract of employment.
A review of this decision was requested on 24th July 2018. The review concluded on 6th September and the original decision was upheld. Additional information provided as part of the review included a signed contract of employment. However, the information received did not adequately address that the employee appears to have been in employment in the State prior to the application without an employment permit and the nature of business of the employer.
The applicant has been notified in writing of this decision and as to the reasons why.
A refusal to issue a permit in this instance does not preclude any further applications as long as all the legislative requirements for the permit are met.
518. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the measures she plans to take in response to the findings of the Personal Injuries Commission that personal injuries awards here are multiples of similar awards in the UK; the action she will take to reduce car and vehicle insurance premiums; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35628/18]
View answerApart from motor insurance, which falls under the remit of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, policy responsibility for insurance is a matter for the Minister of Finance. I, as Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, have no direct policy responsibility for insurance. However, officials of the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, along with other Departments and Agencies, are members of the Cost of Insurance Working Group chaired by the Minister for Financial Services and Insurance, Mr. Michael D'Arcy T.D.
The establishment of the Personal Injuries Commission under the remit of my Department was a recommendation from the Cost of Insurance Working Group Report on the Cost of Motor Insurance approved by Government and published in January 2017.
The Second and Final Report of the Personal Injuries Commission was recently submitted to Minister Donohoe, Minister of State D’Arcy and me. I propose jointly with Minister Donohoe to bring the Report to Government in September and publish it following its consideration by Government. It would therefore be inappropriate for me to make any further comment on the Report at this stage.
519. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if assistance for the development of an aerator (details supplied) will be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35693/18]
View answerThe Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are the ‘first-stop-shop’ for anyone wishing to start or grow a business in their local area. They provide advice and guidance, financial assistance and ‘soft’ supports, including:
- A ‘Technical Assistance for Micro-enterprises’ grant designed to support qualifying businesses to diversify into new markets, enabling companies to explore and develop new market opportunities;
- Roll out of ‘Lean for Micro’ nationwide which will make small businesses more efficient and competitive;
- Tailored mentoring to address business challenges;
- Targeted training on specific challenges such as Brexit, including financial aspects and capability building in innovation, competitiveness and opportunity diagnosis.
Supports available through the LEOs are focused on capability building, market diversification, driving increased competitiveness, and promoting innovation so that LEO client companies can succeed.
I would suggest that the project promoter make contact with the LEO in his area. The LEO will be able to provide information on the supports that they provide, and can also advise on other sources of support, such as programmes run by other Government agencies and sources of finance etc that may be relevant to the project. Contact details for all the LEOs can be found at localenterprise.ie.
520. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation her plans to improve supports available to small and medium-sized businesses run by Irish persons based abroad who wish to move their operations back here. [35793/18]
View answerThere are a broad range of Government supports available to SMEs to help them start, grow and succeed, including access to finance, management development, mentoring, business development, market supports and trade promotion.
The online tool - www.supportingsmes.ie is a cross-governmental initiative to help Irish start-ups and small businesses navigate the range of Government supports. By answering eight quick questions in the online tool, a small business can find out which of the over 170 Government business supports from over 30 different Government departments and agencies are available to them.
The Online Tool also assists business in locating their nearest Local Enterprise Office (LEO). The network of 31 LEOs provides a first stop shop for small businesses seeking supports and for people who wish to start their own business. The LEO financial supports are aimed at micro-enterprises (less than 10 employees). However, businesses with more employees can seek guidance and non-financial supports from the LEOs. For more information please visit www.localenterprise.ie.
Back for Business is a new pilot initiative to foster and support entrepreneurial activity among emigrants returning or recently returned to live in Ireland. This innovative initiative is funded through the Emigrant Support Programme by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade which seeks to facilitate in practical ways those who left Ireland and want to return home. The initiative addresses the challenges that all early stage entrepreneurs face with a particular focus on the additional barriers and challenges faced by those who have been out of the country for some time. This can often result in their local knowledge, contact base and professional and personal networks being less developed than those of typical entrepreneurs. Back for Business aims to bridge this gap. For more information on the Back for Business initiative please visit www.backforbusiness.com.
521. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation her plans to address barriers (details supplied) to small and medium-sized businesses run by Irish persons based abroad who wish to move their operations back here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35794/18]
View answerThe barriers identified for returning Irish emigrants have been the subject matter of a report, commissioned by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and published in February 2018 – Economic Report on Addressing Challenges Faced by Returning Irish Emigrants. This report - undertaken by Indecon Economic Consultants - includes a chapter on entrepreneurial-related barriers related to difficulties in setting up a business upon return including those barriers outlined in the Deputy's question for those transferring their operations to Ireland. These include barriers to opening bank accounts, transferring driving licenses, company incorporations and the entrepreneurial-related barriers including difficulties in setting up a business upon return, (e.g. re-establishing contact & networks, lack of local market knowledge, knowledge of legal frameworks, lack of expertise, Government & non-Government supports).
This report proposes a number of recommendations aimed at alleviating these barriers. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is driving this initiative and progressing the recommendations of the report with the relevant Government Departments and agencies.
With regard to financial barriers and funding supports, my Department, through Enterprise Ireland, runs the Start in Ireland programme to attract overseas entrepreneurs to start their businesses in Ireland. EI’s website details the supports available to overseas entrepreneurs, eligibility criteria etc. https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/Start-a-Business-in-Ireland/Startups-from-Outside-Ireland/. EI have launched several calls for Competitive Start Funds, with a particular focus on overseas entrepreneurs.
The Companies Registration Office (CRO) is the statutory authority for registering companies in Ireland. The process of incorporation and registration of a company requires delivery of a constitution, a Form A1 containing necessary details on the company and a registration fee, in accordance with the Companies Act 2014 to the Registrar of Companies. On the registration of the constitution, the Registrar will certify in writing that the company is incorporated and issue a certificate of incorporation.
The Companies Act 2014 consolidated the existing 17 Companies Acts, which date from 1963 to 2013, into one Act and introduced a number of reforms, designed to make it easier to operate a company in Ireland. The Act provides significant benefits to companies by reducing unnecessary administrative burdens and making company law obligations easier to understand.
The CRO is the central repository of public statutory information on Irish companies. To assist anyone considering incorporation of a company, it provides an Information Leaflet on the incorporation process, available free of charge at https://www.cro.ie/Publications/Publications/Information-Leaflets.
The Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) also provides a Quick Guide and an Information Booklet, available free of charge at http://www.odce.ie/en-gb/publications/companylawguidance/informationbooks.aspx.
Information on a range of supports available to assist companies, is available on the Business Regulation website, http://www.businessregulation.ie/Supports-for-business/. My Department’s website also includes a dedicated page on support for SMEs, available at https://dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Supports-for-SMEs/.
DFAT has implemented several of the Indecon Report’s recommendations in relation to information provision. An enhanced ‘Returning to Ireland’ section, containing more information and advice for returning emigrants, has been developed for the dedicated diaspora website, the Global Irish Hub. DFAT is working closely with the Citizen’s Information Board to ensure that returning emigrants have the best information and advice possible to assist them in making the return back to Ireland by preparing and publishing a number of advice notes for people returning to Ireland to live. These are located on its Global Irish website here. Under the section on finances there are notes on car insurance and on setting up bank accounts. These aspects are within the remit of the Minister for Finance.
Minister of State Cannon has also written to all motor insurance underwriters that operate in Ireland requesting information as to their approach, with a view to further information on motor insurance for returning emigrant drivers being made available.
Details on transferring drivers’ licences are available on the NDLS website, https://www.ndls.ie/holders-of-foreign-licences.html#to-apply-to-exchange-a-foreign-driving-licence-issued-by-a-member-state-of-the-european-union-european-economic-area. These are within the remit of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.
On the issue of insurance costs, the price of motor insurance as measured by the CPI increased by approximately 40% in the period 2014-2016, but prices have moderated in recent months. The Government recognises that rising insurance costs for enterprise are an issue and the Minister for Finance established the Cost of Insurance Working Group in July 2016. The Group published its first Report on the Cost of Motor Insurance in January 2017. The establishment of the Personal Injuries Commission, strengthening the power of PIAB in terms of addressing cases of non-cooperation and examining the frequency of the publication of the Book of Quantum, were key recommendations.
In January 2018, following approval by Government, Minister D'Arcy at the Department of Finance published the Cost of Insurance Working Group Report on the Cost of Employer and Public Liability Insurance. This Report makes 15 recommendations with 29 associated actions to be carried out. My Department in conjunction with PIAB has lead responsibility for Recommendation 9, which relates to a review of the operation of the six-month standstill period provided for in the PIAB Act 2003, with a timeline of completion by Quarter 2 of 2019.
In December 2017, my Department published the First Report of the Personal Injuries Commission. The Report is the first phase of an eighteen-month work programme. Implementation of the actions in this Report will help to bring more consistency to medical reporting and diagnosis of personal injuries, leading to a better functioning personal injuries environment in the future. The Final Report of the Personal Injuries Commission deals mainly with the benchmarking of Irish personal injury award levels and an examination of alternative compensation and resolution models in other jurisdictions and makes a number of recommendations. The purpose of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) Bill 2018 is to amend the existing legislation to strengthen PIAB in terms of operational issues to ensure greater compliance with the PIAB process and encourage more claims to be settled through the PIAB model. The Bill includes the recommendations from the Cost of Insurance Working Group Motor Report.
The ongoing work of the Personal Injuries Commission and the complementary work of the Cost of Insurance Working Group should contribute to a better functioning personal injury litigation system and should also help to deliver reduced premiums for businesses.
524. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if her attention has been drawn to a case (details supplied); and her plans to investigate whether the company's actions are in breach of the law. [35853/18]
View answerThis issue is a matter for my colleague Regina Doherty T.D. the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
