Written Answers Nos. 114-139
114. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when a stamp 4 update will be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11460/19]
View answerI have been informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned was granted permission to remain in the State as an exceptional measure on an individual and personal basis in July 2015. This permission was subject to a number of conditions including that the person concerned does not become a burden on the State and must be in a position to show evidence of self-sufficiency when renewing their immigration permission. Their immigration permission was renewed on the same conditions in 2016 and 2017.
However, in 2018, the person concerned was unable to show that they continued to meet the criteria outlined in the permission. I understand that they were requested to furnish documentation to enable a decision to be made on their future residence and some documentation is still awaited. I am advised that INIS has recently been in contact with the person concerned who indicated that they will furnish this documentation by the end of this week. When this documentation is received, INIS should be in a position to make a decision on their circumstances shortly thereafter.
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 the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
115. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the areas the €180 million extra funding announced by her for the Brexit emergency fund will be sourced from; if it will come from the ISIF; when it will be made available for lending; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11452/19]
View answer129. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the amount lent out to businesses of the €20 million dedicated to the Brexit emergency fund; the number of companies that have availed of the scheme; the number of companies in the application process awaiting final decision; the number that had their application rejected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11453/19]
View answer130. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the companies awaiting final decision on their application for the Brexit emergency fund by the amount of time those applications have been open; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11454/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 115, 129 and 130 together.
My Department has developed a suite of supports for businesses impacted by Brexit and while it was thought unlikely the State would need to activate rescue and restructuring support it was considered prudent to design a Rescue and Restructuring (R&R) scheme as part of our overall contingency plan for Brexit impacted enterprises.
The R&R scheme was approved by the Commission in November 2017 and has been developed in accordance with the EU Guidelines on Rescue and Restructuring. Under the scheme, an undertaking in difficulty i.e. an undertaking who, without intervention by the State, will almost certainly go out of business in the short to medium term, could receive State aid under certain strict conditions. The scheme provides equity support of up to a maximum of €10m per enterprise and applies to small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
In May 2018 the EU Commission approved an extension to the scheme to provide for Temporary Restructuring aid for companies with acute liquidity needs. Temporary restructuring allows for intervention before solvency has become an issue and would take the form of loans repayable over an 18 month period. In February 2019 the Commission approved amendment to the scheme to increase its nominal budget from €20m to €200m.
In light of the various possible outcomes of Brexit, it was considered prudent to secure Commission approval to increase the ceiling on the R&R scheme (including temporary liquidity support) to €200m. This is a precautionary measure to facilitate the Irish Government to provide targeted supports rapidly if required, to address potential impacts that could result in the loss of regionally significant employers.
To date there have been no applications for R&R. My Department is engaged in ongoing discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform who stands ready to act when and if necessary.
In the meantime, it was considered important that any regulatory requirements, such as state aid clearance, were addressed in advance as part of the Government’s Brexit contingency plans.
116. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the full extent to which job creation through enterprise and innovation continues notwithstanding competition by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11501/19]
View answerI am currently in the process of launching the new Regional Enterprise Plans in every region, with eight Plans launched to date, with the ninth Plan (South-East) scheduled to be launched by the end of this month.
The Regional Enterprise Plans to 2020 are enterprise focused documents that are the result of a refresh and refocus of the Regional Action Plans for Jobs to ensure their relevance and impact out to 2020, so that they continue to deliver jobs across the country, in every region, and can be robust to address the challenges we face, including Brexit.
The principle behind the Regional Enterprise Plans is collaboration between regional stakeholders on initiatives that can help to realise the region’s enterprise development potential. These stakeholders include: Local Authorities, the LEOs, the enterprise agencies, the Regional Skills Forum, tourism bodies, private sector ‘enterprise champions’, the Higher Education Institutes and others.
Enterprise Ireland’s results for 2018 show the progress that the Agency has been making in driving enterprise development at a national and regional level. Enterprise Ireland assisted client companies created 18,846 jobs in 2018 and 64% of the jobs created were outside Dublin with all regions recording increases in employment. There were 215,207 people employed by Enterprise Ireland client companies in 2018, the highest total employment in the history of the Agency. The table following breaks down the number of people employed in Enterprise Ireland client companies in 2018 by county.
The IDA’s results for 2018 demonstrate the progress we have been making in encouraging regional investment. Last year, 56% of all new jobs created by the Agency’s overseas clients were in locations outside Dublin. Every region in the country saw FDI-driven job gains. There are now over 132,000 people employed in IDA client firms outside the capital, representing 58% of IDA-supported employment. These are all promising figures and show how real strides have been made in boosting FDI-related job creation across Ireland. The table following breaks down the number of people employed in IDA Ireland client companies in 2018 by county.
In 2018 the Local Enterprise Offices supported clients increased employment by 8,007 gross new jobs which resulted in 3,656 net jobs being created across the LEO client portfolio bring the total number employed to 36,666. Also, in 2018, the LEOs provided training to 34,907 participants. Of these, 3,944 participants took part in the LEO-run ‘Start Your Own Business’ programmes. The table following breaks down the number of people employed in LEO supported enterprises in 2018 by county.
We will continue to do our utmost to reinforce and strengthen these positive trends and to further job creation across the entirety of the country.
|
EI jobs by County |
2018 |
|
Carlow |
3,221 |
|
Cavan |
5,842 |
|
Clare |
4,102 |
|
Cork |
23,902 |
|
Donegal |
3,818 |
|
Dublin |
76,815 |
|
Galway |
8,091 |
|
Kerry |
4,727 |
|
Kildare |
8,923 |
|
Kilkenny |
4,549 |
|
Laois |
1,527 |
|
Leitrim |
607 |
|
Limerick |
9,553 |
|
Longford |
2,979 |
|
Louth |
5,923 |
|
Mayo |
4,692 |
|
Meath |
7,135 |
|
Monaghan |
5,626 |
|
Offaly |
4,307 |
|
Roscommon |
1,764 |
|
Sligo |
1,916 |
|
Tipperary |
5,921 |
|
Waterford |
6,849 |
|
Westmeath |
3,536 |
|
Wexford |
4,674 |
|
Wicklow |
4,208 |
|
Total |
215,207 |
|
LEO jobs by County |
2018 |
|
Carlow |
1153 |
|
Cavan |
1374 |
|
Clare |
1270 |
|
Cork city |
810 |
|
Cork South |
1393 |
|
Cork West/North |
957 |
|
Donegal |
1294 |
|
Dublin City |
1736 |
|
Dublin DLR |
1695 |
|
Dublin Fingal |
1031 |
|
Dublin South |
1491 |
|
Galway County/City |
1116 |
|
Kerry |
1295 |
|
Kildare |
1239 |
|
Kilkenny |
1257 |
|
Laois |
635 |
|
Leitrim |
437 |
|
Limerick |
1926 |
|
Longford |
1195 |
|
Louth |
982 |
|
Mayo |
1224 |
|
Meath |
1255 |
|
Monaghan |
1164 |
|
Offaly |
1063 |
|
Roscommon |
857 |
|
Sligo |
920 |
|
Tipperary |
1295 |
|
Waterford |
1447 |
|
Westmeath |
1172 |
|
Wexford |
1308 |
|
Wicklow |
675 |
|
Total |
36666 |
117. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the degree to which her Department continues to compete with issues arising from Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11502/19]
View answerMy Department, and its agencies have, and continue to be, centrally involved in supporting businesses to prepare for the challenges of Brexit. Actions to get Ireland Brexit ready have already been taken by the Government, with dedicated measures announced in Budgets 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Over the course of the last three budgets I have introduced, through the enterprise agencies, an extensive suite of enterprise supports to assist firms to meet the challenges presented by Brexit. They range from liquidity support through short-term and longer-term loans, to restructuring aid for businesses in severe operating difficulties. The majority of enterprise supports are open to all companies, including SMEs and not just those that are clients of the enterprise agencies.
Specifically, these supports include:
- The €300 million Brexit Loan Scheme launched in March 2018 providing loans of up to 3 years to businesses impacted by Brexit. As of this month, 350 firms have been approved under this Scheme by the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) in the agrifood, retail and distribution, manufacturing, hospitality and transport sectors, and €15.73 million in loans to 63 businesses has been sanctioned at bank level;
- A €300 Longer Term Loan Scheme was approved in Budget 2019. Legislation was passed in December 2018 to provide for loans of 8 to 10 years for investments in fixed assets. This Scheme will be launched shortly and I would like to encourage businesses to start preparing their plans to avail of this facility;
- Enterprise Ireland is working closely with regionally important larger companies in exposed sectors such as food to support strategic investments to build resilience – EI invested €74 million in these businesses in 2018;
- An expanded network of overseas offices and in-market supports to help firms diversify markets and to consolidate market share in the UK where appropriate.
Furthermore, a strong focus is now being placed on upskilling and familiarisation around customs:
- As a result of the additional funding provided to the LEOs in 2019, additional support for training in customs procedures is being made available to companies, helping them navigate the post-Brexit trading environment, and supporting market diversification. I was pleased to launch the first of these Customs Training Workshops, along with the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, in Cavan on 25 February last.
- An online Enterprise Ireland ‘Customs Insight Course’ also helps businesses looking at customs for the first time to understand key concepts, documentation and processes. It advises on the key actions companies can take to prepare for Brexit and highlights the various supports available.
In addition, an EU State aid approved Rescue and Restructure Scheme is in place to deal with events such as sudden shocks. A recent announcement of an increase in sanction from €20 million to €200 million is most welcome and is a demonstration of the commitment of support from the EU Commission. This increased budget allows the Irish State to put in place a fund, should it be required, to offer both rescue aid and temporary restructuring aid to SMEs in financial difficulty or experiencing acute liquidity needs. The scheme will be activated if and when it is needed.
A further important aspect of supporting businesses in the face of a hard Brexit relates to a range of regulatory functions undertaken by regulatory agencies within my Department and additional funding was made available in the context of Budget 2019. The agencies involved are the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, the Health and Safety Authority, the National Standards Authority of Ireland, the Irish National Accreditation Board and the Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority. These agencies play a vital role in supporting businesses to operate effectively, especially in the area of certification and standardisation.
In addition, over the course of the last 18 months, officials from my Department have been in regular dialogue with the European Commission about the scope of additional enterprise support measures that we may require in a hard Brexit.
In January I met with Commission Vestager to outline the consequences of any disorderly exit on the Irish economy and the Commissioner acknowledged that Ireland is more exposed than any other EU member State to the impacts of Brexit.
The Commissioner committed to providing the highest level of cooperation with Ireland including a dedicated team to deal with Irish cases in an expedited way and intensified engagement between my Department and DG Competition continues.
In terms of a legislative response to Brexit, my Department is sponsoring Part 3 of the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2019. This part increases the ability of Enterprise Ireland to provide a competitive and flexible offering to its client companies in terms of R&D grants and will allow Enterprise Ireland to provide low interest debt instruments.
In summary, I am satisfied that my Department, its offices and agencies, are preparing to the greatest extent possible for Brexit.
118. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if she remains satisfied regarding the availability of power communications technology to facilitate job creation throughout the regions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11504/19]
View answerThe feasibility of power communications technologies as a means of providing quality broadband infrastructure in the regions is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment but clearly, reliable high-speed broadband is essential to increase the attractiveness of regional areas for investment.
Delivering improved connectivity can enhance the growth prospects of small and micro businesses and create opportunities arising on a regional basis, such as, remote working, cloud computing and business efficiencies, all of which serve to diversify the rural economy.
High quality telecommunication infrastructure is fundamental to capturing new opportunities for entrepreneurship and improving regional and sectorial economic growth. Access to high speed broadband is crucial for the growth of small and micro businesses, as it facilitates digitalisation, improves their online visibility and expands their export base, as highlighted by ESRI research last year. According to this research, the online presence was vital in the facilitation of export participation by Irish services firms with many selling products online.
Enhancing Ireland’s international and national connectivity with adequate and competitively priced broadband service is also critically important to attract and sustain the current and future investments in ICT, digital media and other data intensive sectors. While the Irish economy is one of the fastest growing in the world, some regions in Ireland suffer from a lack of adequate critical infrastructure. In order to unlock the potential of regional locations, the Government, through the implementation of the National Planning Framework and the full roll out of the National Broadband Plan, is committed to providing adequate infrastructure which will increase the regional attractiveness as a location for inward investment.
Substantial investment has been made by the private and public sector to date which has significantly improved broadband offering in recent years, especially in urban centres. Since the publication of the National Broadband Plan in 2012, the commercial telecommunications sector has invested over €2.75 billion on upgrading and modernising networks which support the provision of high speed broadband and mobile telecommunications services.
Access to connectivity continues to improve. In 2016 1.2 million (52%) of all premises had access to high speed broadband, this increased to 1.6 million (71%) in 2018.
Complementing the commercial investment with continued Government investment through the National Broadband Plan intervention is essential in the delivery of a future-proofed network to support a high-quality affordable broadband service across all regions. Broadband and mobile telecoms services available in the State have improved in recent years, challenges in delivering high speed broadband services across rural areas (due to the relatively small and disperse population) remain.
I will ensure that my Department continues to participate with all relevant Government Departments to support the further roll-out of broadband and other infrastructure to facilitate job creation in the regions.
119. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the involvement her Department has had with companies in Britain which may be reviewing their operations there in view of Brexit. [8459/19]
View answerMy Department continues to work with IDA Ireland to attract new foreign direct investment (FDI) - Brexit-related or otherwise - to Ireland. The Agency’s Brexit-strategy has involved significant engagement with potential clients, both in the UK and elsewhere, who are considering expanding or locating in Ireland. This strategy has been supported by a multi-media marketing campaign highlighting Ireland’s advantages in a post-Brexit context. IDA staff have also participated in a range of relevant conferences and events around the world to help build awareness of Ireland as a preferred post-Brexit investment destination.
To date, IDA Ireland has reported winning approximately 55 Brexit-related investments with employment potential of more than 4,500 roles over the next two to three years. The financial services sector accounts for 62% of all Brexit related investments to date and 44% of jobs (approx. 2,000). The remaining investments have come from life sciences and engineering (22%) and the broad technology and online/e-commerce sectors (16%).
It's important to remember that securing new FDI, whether Brexit-related or otherwise, remains a complex process as decisions on where to relocate or invest can be influenced by many different considerations. Moreover, engagement with potential investors does not always lead to new projects on the ground in Ireland. The IDA though will continue to work with overseas firms to highlight Ireland's suitability as a location for Brexit-related investment.
Separately, a number of UK companies are seeking to establish in Ireland as notified bodies in order to maintain their EU status. To date, five UK notified bodies have been appointed as notified bodies in Ireland with a further two applications expected. I understand also that INAB, the national body in Ireland with responsibility for the accreditation of laboratories, certification bodies and inspection bodies, has 26 Brexit-related applications for accreditation, several of which are from existing UK notified bodies seeking to become notified bodies in Ireland.
120. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the status of the additional jobs created over 2018 in the mid-west region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11296/19]
View answerThe Mid-West region has shown excellent progress in employment levels since the launch of the Regional Action Plan for Jobs 2015-2017. From Q1 2015 (baseline year) to Q4 2018, a total of 14,700 more people are now in employment in the Mid-West region.
From Q1 2015 (baseline year) to Q4 2018, unemployment has more than halved in the Mid-West region falling from 12 percent to 5.6 percent.
We remain committed to achieving an overall jobs uplift of between 10 and 15 per cent in each region by 2020 and to bring and/or maintain unemployment levels in each region to within at least one percentage point of the State average.
To that end, in April 2018, I asked all the Regional Action Plan for Jobs Implementation Committees, including the Mid-West region, to start a process to refresh and refocus all Regional Plans to ensure their relevance and impact out to 2020, so that they continue to deliver jobs across the country, in every region, and are robust enough to address the challenges we face, including Brexit.
The outcome of this refresh process is nine new Regional Enterprise Plans to 2020, which build on the very strong progress made on employment creation under the Regional Action Plan for Jobs 2015-2017. I am currently in the process of launching the new Plans, with eight Plans launched to date, including for the Mid-West.
Shaped from the ‘bottom-up’ by regional stakeholders, and overseen by my Department, the new Regional Enterprise Plans to 2020 complement national level policies and programmes emanating from the ‘top-down’ and, there is strong alignment with Ireland’s national enterprise policy, Enterprise 2025 Renewed and the forthcoming Future Jobs Ireland initiative.
The principle behind the Regional Enterprise Plans is collaboration between regional stakeholders on initiatives that can help to realise the region’s enterprise development potential so that all regions can meet and exceed the regional job creation targets set to 2020. These stakeholders include: the Local Authorities, the LEOs, the enterprise agencies, the Regional Skills Forum, tourism bodies, private sector ‘enterprise champions’, and others.
It is also important to note that as well as meeting the numerical targets, it is also about creating jobs that are of good quality and sustainable over the longer term.
The Government is focused on this agenda at the national level through the Future Jobs Ireland initiative, and we are focused on this agenda through these new Regional Enterprise Plans.
121. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the status of the additional jobs created over 2018 in the western region. [11298/19]
View answerThe recently published Q4 2018 CSO Labour Force Survey employment figures are overall very positive. Figures show that overall, employment continues to grow strongly with 50,500 jobs created in the year from Q4 2017 to Q4 2018. This brings total employment to 2,281,300, the highest number at work ever recorded.
The West region has shown excellent progress in employment levels since the launch of the Regional Action Plan for Jobs 2015-2017. From Q1 2015 (baseline year) to Q4 2018, a total of 32,800 more people are now in employment in the West region. From Q4 2017 to Q4 2018, a total of 8,300 additional people are now in employment.
From Q1 2015 (baseline year) to Q4 2018, unemployment has more than halved in the West region falling from 12.6 percent to 5.8 percent.
We remain committed to achieving an overall jobs uplift of between 10 and 15 per cent in each region by 2020 and to bring and/or maintain unemployment levels in each region to within at least one percentage point of the State average.
To that end, in April 2018, I asked all the Regional Action Plan for Jobs Implementation Committees, including the West region, to start a process to refresh and refocus all Regional Plans to ensure their relevance and impact out to 2020, so that they continue to deliver jobs across the country, in every region, and can be robust to address the challenges we face, including Brexit.
The outcome of this refresh process is nine new Regional Enterprise Plans to 2020, which build on the very strong progress made on employment creation under the Regional Action Plan for Jobs 2015-2017. I am currently in the process of launching the new Plans, with eight Plans launched to date, including for the West.
Shaped from the ‘bottom-up’ by regional stakeholders, and overseen by my Department, the new Regional Enterprise Plans to 2020 complement national level policies and programmes emanating from the ‘top-down’ and, there is strong alignment with Ireland’s national enterprise policy, Enterprise 2025 Renewed and the forthcoming Future Jobs Ireland initiative.
The principle behind the Regional Enterprise Plans is collaboration between regional stakeholders on initiatives that can help to realise the region’s enterprise development potential so that all regions can meet and exceed the regional job creation targets set to 2020. These stakeholders include: the Local Authorities, the LEOs, the enterprise agencies, the Regional Skills Forum, tourism bodies, private sector ‘enterprise champions’, and others.
It is also important to note that as well as meeting the numerical targets, it is also about creating jobs that are of good quality and sustainable over the longer term.
The Government is focused on this agenda at the national level through the Future Jobs Ireland initiative, and we are focused on this agenda through these new Regional Enterprise Plans.
122. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the amount sitting with the Personal Injuries Assessment Board; the purpose of the board holding those funds; if an assessment has been undertaken to ascertain if there is excess funds in the board and the possible options to use the funds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11409/19]
View answerThe Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) is a self funding agency and does not receive Exchequer funding. PIAB generates a fee income from claimants (€45) and respondents, generally insurers, of €600.
When PIAB was established, it was faced with a number of legal cases challenging certain aspects of the legislation and the way in which PIAB operated. It was considered prudent that PIAB retain reserves to meet these challenges as the costs could be significant. The cases and the numerous linked cases were subsequently dismissed.
Following their audit of PIAB’s accounts in 2017, the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), recommended that my Department and PIAB agree an appropriate level of revenue reserves to be retained by PIAB and the basis for holding such a reserve.
The C&AG also recommended the introduction of appropriate legislation to deal with excess funds held by PIAB (excess funds being those remaining when all operational, capital and contingency costs have been met). Legal advice obtained by my Department and independently by PIAB at that time was to the effect that legislative change was required to enable the Board to remit excess moneys to the Exchequer.
Section 13 of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) Act 2019, which was signed into law by President Higgins on 25 February 2019 and is due to be commenced shortly, implements the recommendation from the C&AG. Section 13 inserts a new subsection 74(a) into the Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003, to provide that PIAB shall “remit to the Minister, for the benefit of the Exchequer, any moneys in excess of those authorised to be retained by the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. “
PIAB is independent in the exercise of its statutory functions and I am not permitted in my executive function to interfere in any way with the day to day operations and functions of PIAB. However, the Act provides that I, as Minister, will have regard to the operational, capital and contingency costs of PIAB when determining the sum to be retained.
Therefore, it is intended that PIAB will be permitted to retain sufficient funds to meet these costs. Officials of my Department have met with PIAB on the matter of reserves and the Board of PIAB is currently engaged in formulating a proposal for a reserves policy to be agreed by myself and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
The cumulative reserve held by PIAB at September 2018 is €17.9M.
123. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the dates of meetings held between her Department and officials from a company (details supplied); the main purpose of each meeting in each of the years 2012 to 2018 and to date in 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11432/19]
View answer124. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the dates of meetings held between her Department and officials from a company (details supplied); the main purpose of each meeting in each of the years 2012 to 2018 and to date in 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11433/19]
View answer125. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the dates of meetings held between her Department and officials from a company (details supplied); the main purpose of each meeting in each of the years 2012 to 2018 and to date in 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11434/19]
View answer126. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the dates of meetings held between her Department and officials from a company (details supplied); the main purpose of each meeting in each of the years 2012 to 2018 and to date in 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11435/19]
View answer127. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the dates of meetings held between her Department and officials from a company (details supplied); the main purpose of each meeting in each of the years 2012 to 2018 and to date in 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11436/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 123 to 127, inclusive, together.
The remit of my Department involves significant engagement with business in Ireland involving small and large indigenous companies and multinational corporations. Therefore, my Department has had a significant number of meetings and engagements with the companies in question during the seven year period covered by these questions and a variety of issues across the wide remit of the Department would have been discussed at these meetings.
In the time available, the following list of meetings with the companies in question has been collated, however it is not possible to supply a definitive list of the dates of every individual meeting that may have taken place.
|
Date |
Meeting |
|
3 February 2012 |
Meeting between officials and Facebook to discuss the amendment of Section 40 of the Copyright and Related Rights Act |
|
5 April 2012 |
Meeting between officials and Google in the context of my Department’s responsibility for administering EU licensing requirements for the export of Dual-use items to third countries |
|
20 February 2013 |
Meeting between Facebook and Minister Sherlock on general copyright issues |
|
16 May 2013 |
Minister Bruton meeting senior Facebook Executive |
|
25 June 2013 |
Meeting between officials and Microsoft on Trade Marks Directive |
|
3 September 2013 |
Meeting between officials and Microsoft in the context of my Department’s responsibility for administering EU licensing requirements for the export of Dual-use items to third countries |
|
15 January 2014 |
Informal meeting with Apple on topics such as the app economy and innovation. |
|
5 February 2014 |
Meeting of Google with Minister Bruton about Data |
|
27 March 2014 |
Meetings between officials and Google on Trade Marks Directive |
|
29 August 2014 |
Meeting between officials and Microsoft in the context of my Department’s responsibility for administering EU licensing requirements for the export of Dual-use items to third countries |
|
12 September 2014 |
Minister Bruton meeting with Apple to discuss their Cork plant and their report on the app economy. |
|
15 October 2014 |
Meeting between Google and officials on copyright and trademark issues |
|
7 November 2014 |
Minister Bruton meeting with Apple to discuss Budget 2015 Initiatives and other developments |
|
4 December 2014 |
Meeting between the Secretary General and Google on a number of issues |
|
5 December 2014 |
Meeting between Department and Google about Overview of Google investment in Ireland, Update on business development and future trends, Knowledge Box proposal & Entrepreneurship & Innovation policy in the EU context |
|
9 December 2014 |
Meeting between officials and Google in the context of my Department’s responsibility for administering EU licensing requirements for the export of Dual-use items to third countries |
|
18 March 2015 |
Meeting between Google and officials on general copyright issues |
|
3 June 2015 |
Minister Bruton meeting Senior Facebook Executives to discuss investment |
|
8 October 2015 |
Meeting between Minister Bruton and Google Executive to discuss developments at Google including the creation of Alphabet and data centre development in Ireland. |
|
17 December 2015 |
Meeting with Minister Bruton to discuss details of previously announced expansion and other issues |
|
15 February 2016 |
Meeting between officials and Microsoft on the Annual Business Survey of Irish Economy Expenditure |
|
26 April 2016 |
Meeting between Google and officials on copyright issues |
|
1 June 2016 |
Minister Mitchell O Connor meeting Senior Microsoft Executives to discuss Company development, Cloud Computing, US Developments & Data Centres |
|
15 September 2016 |
Meeting between Apple and Minister Mitchell O'Connor to discuss the proposed extension of activities in Cork, and timescales, and update on proposed development of data centre in Athenry, and general review of other areas |
|
6 March 2017 |
Meeting between Facebook and officials on EU Copyright Directive |
|
6 March 2017 |
Meeting between Google and officials on EU Copyright Directive |
|
29 June 2017 |
Meeting between Microsoft and officials on EU Copyright Directive |
|
11 October 2017 |
Roundtable event attended by Minister Breen, Facebook, Apple and Google |
|
24 October 2017 |
Meeting between officials and Facebook, IBEC and Google on EU Copyright Directive |
|
27 November 2017 |
Meeting between officials and Facebook on EU Copyright Directive |
|
11 January 2018 |
Meeting between officials and Google on EU Copyright Directive |
|
1 February 2018 |
Minister Humphreys meeting Apple to discuss; Apple in Ireland – scale, activities, direct and indirect employment levelsApple in Cork – update on extension of campus and proposed scale of activities, general overview of other areas, including App Economy |
|
7 March 2018 |
Minister Breen meeting Apple to discuss issues - Platform Regulation - National Digital Strategy - GDPR/Data Protection Bill - Digital Single Market - Digital Safety |
|
22 March 2018 |
Meeting between officials and Microsoft in the context of my Department’s responsibility for administering EU licensing requirements for the export of Dual-use items to third countries |
|
26 March 2018 |
Meeting between officials and Facebook on EU Copyright Directive |
|
25 April 2018 |
Officials from my Department attended a workshop convened by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer and Microsoft |
|
7 November 2018 |
Conference call between officials and Apple on platforms to business regulation |
|
13 December 2018 |
Visit of DBEI officials to Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 2 regarding the use of Google’s Foundry as a potential venue for a DBEI internal event |
|
30 January 2019 |
Walkthrough by DBEI officials in Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 2 regarding finalising plans for DBEI internal event on 1st February |
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1 February 2019 |
Courtesy greeting between DBEI Secretary General and DBEI officials and Google in Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 2 |
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27 February 2019 |
Meeting with American Chamber of Commerce and Microsoft |
As a significant user of Microsoft software products, officials from the Department’s ICT Unit met with Microsoft on a number of occasions since 2012. These meetings were about routine matters such as service delivery, product capability, and licensing issues. Because of the routine nature of such meetings, detailed records are not kept. No discussions on matters of public policy would have taken place.
Meetings would also have taken place on an occasional basis between the Employment Permits Section of my Department and the companies concerned to discuss and explain the employment permit system during the period in question.
128. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if an application for a work permit will be reviewed in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11442/19]
View answerThe Employment Permits Section of my Department inform me that an application for a General Employment Permit in respect of the named individual was received on 15 January 2019. On 26 February 2019, this application was refused because the named individual was in the State without current immigration permission.
In addition to being informed of the decision to refuse this application, the applicant was also informed that they could request a review of this decision. My officials inform me that, to date, no such request has been received.
A refusal to grant an employment permit does not preclude an applicant from submitting another application for a new employment permit. Such an application should comply with all of the legislative requirements for the particular employment permit type.
131. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health the action he will take to ensure that all graduates at a school (details supplied) will start adult day service in September 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11414/19]
View answerThe Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives.
This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.
As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
132. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health the amount allocated through his Department and or the HSE for the provision of services to persons suffering from gambling addiction in each of the years 2015 to 2018; the number of persons availing of such services in each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11292/19]
View answerAs this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
133. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of additional home help for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11304/19]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
134. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the status of an application for a medical card by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11318/19]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
135. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of home help for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11320/19]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
136. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the future of a building and site (details supplied); if the State asset, historical workhouse and famine graveyard will be put to public use or sold; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11321/19]
View answerAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the management of the healthcare property estate, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to you in relation to this matter.
137. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health when an ophthalmologist will be appointed to University Hospital Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11322/19]
View answerAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
138. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health his plans to provide for a community intervention team to support patients who have been discharged from Wexford General Hospital; the estimated cost to provide such a service similar to those in counties Kilkenny and Waterford; the additional staff that would be required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11323/19]
View answer139. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health the criteria for providing community intervention teams at hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11324/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 138 and 139 together.
The Deputy has clarified that his question on the criteria for the provision of Community Intervention Team services refers to the community setting and not the hospital setting. I have arranged for the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy on these matters.
