Written Answers Nos. 46-60
46. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the agencies under the remit of his Department that own land banks; if an examination has been carried out to ascertain if some of the land banks could be used for the provision of housing; if so, the results of this examination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6709/22]
View answerThe agencies of my Department do not own any land banks that could be used for the provision of housing.
IDA Ireland operates a dynamic portfolio of strategic land banks as the availability of an adequate supply of marketable, serviced land and office/industrial buildings is a key element in Ireland's ability to compete for mobile Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). The availability of property solutions eliminates the lead times normally associated with acquiring property, enables clients to plan their property needs with a greater degree of certainty and allows for the commencement of projects at an earlier date by eliminating much of the difficulties associated with land acquisition, planning and construction. These land banks are zoned for industrial usage.
47. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge 2021. [61364/21]
View answerThe National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC) reports to the Taoiseach and the Government, through myself as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment on key competitiveness and productivity issues facing the Irish economy and offers recommendations on policy actions required to enhance Ireland’s competitive position.
On 21 September 2021, the NCPC published Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge 2021, which identified four broad medium- and long-term strategic challenges aimed at enhancing Ireland’s competitiveness and productivity performance. The report made 20 targeted and actionable recommendations to Government in order to secure an improvement in the standard of living for all of society.
A formal response to the Competitiveness Challenge report was coordinated by the Department of An Taoiseach and published on 30 November 2021. Through this mechanism, the Government has officially responded to the Council on all 20 of the recommendations included in its Report, indicating the range of actions and reforms currently or soon to be in train in response to the recommendations. These actions will support Ireland’s competitive position in the coming years.
From my perspective as Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment, I welcome the Council’s analysis and recommendations and my Department will play it’s part in delivering the reforms outlined by the Council in the seven recommendations where it is listed as the primary actor.
48. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on the progress made towards the Economic Recovery Plan target of two and a half million persons in employment by 2024; his views on whether the target needs to be reconsidered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6799/22]
View answerThe Government’s Economic Recovery Plan, published on 1 June 2021, set out renewed supports, investments and policies to underpin economic recovery and transition, including the overarching ambition of having 2.5 million people in work by 2024. This is a medium-term employment target to grow employment and crucially to ensure that these jobs are more productive, innovative, resilient and in new areas of opportunity.
Ireland saw robust increases in employment in the latter part of 2021. The Central Statistics Office’s Labour Force Survey (LFS) Quarter 3 results published on 25th November show that employment levels are approaching the 2.5 million target set for 2024 in the Government’s Economic Recovery Plan. The growth in employment follows similar growth in Q2 and is reflective of the success of the Government’s efforts to help workers and businesses throughout the pandemic, allowing them to return to work relatively quickly as public health restrictions eased and the Government’s vaccination programme was rolled out.
Overall employment levels recovered to 2,471,200 as of Q3 2021, exceeding pre-pandemic levels for the first time. Employment increased in all 14 economic sectors between Q3 2020 and Q3 2021. This reflects the high level of Government supports for more exposed sectors, but also the strong performance of sectors that have been largely insulated from the pandemic.
The recent wave of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has seen widespread global disruption across economies and societies, including in Ireland. While the monthly unemployment rate was 5.3 percent in January 2022, the COVID-adjusted unemployment rate stood at 7.8% in January 2022, up from 7.5%, in December 2021, and 6.9% in November 2021, but down significantly from 21.7% in December 2020. As the economy re-opens, it is anticipated that numbers in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment and the COVID adjusted unemployment rate will begin to fall.
The extension of key supports for businesses and employees as the economy reopens provides a bridge to facilitate a continuing and wider economic recovery over the early part of this year. While some companies will face challenges as supports are gradually withdrawn in line with the evolution of the COVID-19 situation, employment growth, robust economic growth, and strong exchequer figures point to a resilient economy, which bodes well for the medium-term trajectory, and indicates the value of the economic supports during the pandemic.
The Plan is about the sustainable rebuilding and renewal of our economy, across four pillars: Helping people back into work with supports, intense activation and accelerated reskilling and upskilling opportunities, through Pathways to Work 2021-2025; Re-building sustainable enterprises by future-proofing enterprise to be more resilient, innovative, and productive; A balanced and inclusive recovery through strategic investment in infrastructure and reforms that enhance our long-term capacity for sustainable growth, balanced regional development and by improving living standards; and Ensuring sustainable public finances.
Progress on the wide range of deliverables and workstreams across the four pillars towards this overall ambition is being overseen by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery and Investment and related sub-groups and Senior Official Groups and progress towards the various targets will continue to be monitored carefully. Employment performance and quality will be a core part of this process. A progress report will be advanced in the coming period which will outline the progress the Plan has made in transitioning Ireland’s economy.
49. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has received the Company Law Reform Group report on the splitting of assets. [6806/22]
View answerThe Company Law Review Group (CLRG) is a statutory advisory body charged with advising the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment on matters pertaining to company law. Its membership is broad and representative of all stakeholders, including employee and employer representative groups, the Revenue Commissioners, insolvency and legal practitioners and regulators. Members have an expertise in company law and provide well-rounded analysis on the issues that come before them for consideration.
The Group submitted its report on the consequences of certain corporate liquidations and restructuring practices, including splitting of corporate operations from asset holding entities in group structures, on 21 December 2021.
The issues considered in the report are complex and required extensive discussion and analysis by the CLRG over the course of twelve meetings. The CLRG ultimately concluded that the incidence of abusive practices in corporate restructuring, while attracting significant attention, is in fact low. This conclusion is supported by the Office of Director of Corporate Enforcement which notes that its reviews of liquidations indicate that in over 90% of all liquidations, company directors had acted honestly and responsibly.
Notwithstanding this, the CLRG made eight recommendations for potential amendment to the Companies Act, intended to further enhance the regulatory framework. The Report is under active consideration by officials from my Department in the context of the Plan for Action on Collective Redundancies following Insolvency. The Report will be made publicly available on the CLRG's website once the Tánaiste and I have had an opportunity to consider their analysis and proposals.
As the Deputy may be aware, both myself and Minister English jointly looked at the legislative provisions that deal with redundancy and insolvency from both a company law and an employment law perspective, which come under their respective remits.
The Plan details short-term and medium-term measures that will further enhance the protection of employees, in a way that does not overly impede businesses and their operations. In preparing the Plan, both Minister English and I and Department officials consulted with trade unions and business representative bodies in identifying gaps or deficiencies in company and employment laws that could improve the position of employees who find themselves in a redundancy situation due to company insolvency. Government has already delivered on commitments contained in the Plan and amended the Companies Act to enhance the provision of information to employees as creditors. Government stands ready to progress further amendments to the Companies Act where it will result in real improvements.
50. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on the work of Enterprise Ireland during 2021; the plans of Enterprise Ireland for 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6820/22]
View answerOn 11 January 2022, Enterprise Ireland's end of year results for 2021 were announced.
In total, 20,342 new jobs were created by companies supported by Enterprise Ireland, resulting in a net job increase of 11,911 when job losses are taken into account, the highest annual increase in net employment ever reported by Enterprise Ireland. Total employment by companies supported by Enterprise Ireland in 2021 was 207,894. These positive jobs figures saw increases in employment across all regions in Ireland, with, for example, employment increasing by 9% in the North West and by 7% in the South East. In total, 68% of new jobs created were outside of Dublin.
Other key achievements highlighted in the End of Year Statement included:
- Assistance provided to 125 new start-up companies
- €61.6m in funding approved for 341 Covid-impacted companies in 2021
- 218 companies received funding of more than €100,000 to assist other projects in 2021.
- €14.6m was approved for 1,048 projects under the Ready for Customs Grant.
- 1,375 overseas contracts secured with Enterprise Ireland assistance and the resumption in September 2021 of physical trade missions.
In addition, Enterprise Ireland launched its new three-year strategy, entitled ‘Leading In A Changing World’. The strategy sets out five key strategic ambitions for Irish enterprise and for Enterprise Ireland over the period 2022-2024 and beyond.
This strategy fully aligns with Government's ambition to bring job opportunities and growth to all parts of Ireland increasing total employment to a record high of 2.5 million by 2024. I welcome in particular the ongoing efforts being made to diversify our export markets, increase the number of start-ups by 20% and to improve our productivity. I also welcome the commitment that both Enterprise Ireland and the LEOs, working together, will ensure that companies of all sizes will be provided with a flexible service model in response to their growth and development needs. This will ensure that both Enterprise Ireland and the LEOs will continue to be an integral part of balanced regional development in the future.
My Department will be working closely with Enterprise Ireland to ensure the success of this ambitious plan.
51. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has plans to introduce measures to help businesses deal with increased electricity costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7005/22]
View answerWholesale and retail energy costs, electricity and natural gas, have risen significantly over the past year, primarily driven by the market price for natural gas internationally. The global natural gas price spiked in December, and has been volatile since, due to a combination of international geopolitical factors, lower-than-usual reserves, and regional supply chain and weather issues.
I am extremely conscious of the pressure that high and volatile electricity costs can put on a business, particularly small enterprises, those with tight margins and those particularly dependent on certain fuels.Energy bills can be an inflexible component of the cost base of a business in the short-term; and in certain energy intensive sectors, these are a key element of competitiveness.
Energy costs are volatile historically. Ireland is particularly dependent on natural gas for electricity generation, heating and industry, and therefore recent international price spikes are a cause for concern for the Government and a threat to competitiveness. However, these increases are unlikely to last indefinitely as the market responds. Recent global price volatility for fuels is yet another reminder that our society and our businesses should increasingly be looking to reduce our exposure to fossil fuels.
The electricity and gas retail markets in Ireland operate within a European Union regulatory regime in which electricity and gas markets are commercial, liberalised, and competitive. Operating within this overall EU framework, responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets, is solely a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), which was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity and gas markets following the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act (ERA), 1999. The CRU is an independent statutory regulator and is accountable for the performance of its functions to the Oireachtas. The Deputy may wish to note that CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, which enables them raise questions on general energy regulatory matters to CRU for timely direct reply.
To deliver price competitiveness over the medium-term, Government is determined to deliver a diversified energy system, with significant support for energy efficiency and renewables, alongside independent regulation that protects consumers and delivers efficient, competitive energy retail and wholesale markets.
There are a range of incentives and advice available to business to help them use energy efficiently, diversify their fuel use and switch to renewable energy sources. Small businesses can currently receive an energy audit voucher from SEAI to get professional advice on how to increase efficiency and reduce their costs. Other financial supports include incentives for electric vehicles, the Support Scheme for Renewable Heat, grants for microgeneration, the EXCEED programme, as well as GreenStart and GreenPlus programmes available from Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland. The Green 4 Micro programme from Local Enterprise Offices can also provide advice on energy efficiency and renewables. In December I launched an online portal - the 'Climate Toolkit 4 Business' - which helps businesses to measure their carbon footprint, develop an action plan and navigate the available assistance.
52. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will consider adding physiotherapy and occupational therapy to the critical skills occupation list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6875/22]
View answerThe State's employment permit system is designed to supplement Ireland's skills and labour supply over the short to medium term by allowing enterprises to recruit nationals from outside the EEA, where such skills or expertise cannot be sourced from within the EEA at that time.
The system is, by design, vacancy led and managed through the operation of the occupation lists: the critical skills list in respect of skills that are in critical shortage in the labour market and the ineligible occupations lists for which a ready source of labour is available from within Ireland and the EEA.
Changes to the employment permit occupations lists are made where there are no suitable Irish/EEA nationals available, development opportunities are not undermined, genuine skills shortage exists rather than a recruitment or retention problem and Government education, training and economic development policies are supported.
The lists are reviewed twice a year to ensure their ongoing relevance to the State’s human capital requirements, guided by available research undertaken by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN), and the Skills and the Labour Market Research Unit (SLMRU) in SOLAS. Cognisance is also taken of education outputs, sectoral upskilling and training initiatives and contextual factors such as Brexit and more recently COVID 19 and their impact on the labour market. The views of the relevant policy Departments are taken into account as well as those of the Economic Migration Interdepartmental Group which my Department chairs and on which a number of Departments are represented.
Changes announced in June 2021 removed a number of health care occupations from the Ineligible Occupations List including Chartered Physiotherapist and Occupational Therapist. This provides access to the General Employment Permit for non-EEA nationals wishing to take up employment in the State as a Chartered Physiotherapist or Occupational Therapist.
The General Employment Permit is the primary vehicle used by the State to attract third country nationals in occupations with remuneration thresholds of generally €30,000. The General Employment Permit is also subject to a Labour Market Needs Test (LMNT), demonstrating that the employer was unable to fill the position from the Irish and EEA labour market.
The public consultation to the next review is planned for opening in Quarter 1 2022 and will be announced on the website of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Any sector wishing to have an occupation added to the Critical Skills Occupation List can make their case as part of the biannual review process.
53. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when he plans to publish the regional enterprise plans; the amount of funding that will be allocated to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6815/22]
View answerRegional enterprise development and sustainable local job creation is a key policy priority of mine and this Government.
Throughout 2021, my Department has overseen the development of nine new Regional Enterprise Plans to 2024. These are ‘bottom-up’ plans, developed by regional stakeholders which identify growth opportunities, recognise vulnerabilities, and enable job creation across the nine regions of, North-East, North-West, Midlands, West, Mid-East, Mid-West, South-East, South-West and Dublin.
The Regional Steering Committees are chaired by senior industry figures and include the Enterprise Agencies, LEOs, Regional Assemblies, Local Authorities, Higher Education bodies, and others, all of whom are focused on creating and sustaining employment opportunities in the region. Each Plan will contain a set of objectives and related actions to be delivered by end 2024 which are complementary to and support existing Government and agency initiatives.
The Regional Enterprise Plans to 2024 are currently being finalised and will be published and launched across the country over February and March this year.
The Deputy will be aware that my Department has approved over €126 million in funding to 79 enterprise strengthening projects in every region over a series of competitive calls since 2017. This has been provided through Enterprise Ireland via the Regional Enterprise Development Fund, the Border Enterprise Development Fund and the Regional Enterprise Transition Scheme that assisted the development of collaborative regional projects that drive delivery of the objectives developed in the previous Regional Enterprise Plans.
I can advise the Deputy that in addition to the €5 million allocation for regional enterprise funding in Budget 2022, my officials are in the process of exploring new significant sources of funding to drive implementation of the nine Regional Enterprise Plans. I expect to announce details on new regional funding shortly.
54. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide a report on the Enterprise Ireland supports for jobs and business in County Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6716/22]
View answerMy Department together with Enterprise Ireland is committed to building on the South East’s regional strengths working with partners such as the Local Enterprise Offices, the South East BIC and New Frontiers Carlow IT, to deliver initiatives that assist entrepreneurship and foster a new generation of innovative and ambitious start-ups in Carlow and the South East.
In 2021, 3,500 people were employed across 66 Enterprise Ireland client companies in County Carlow and 524 jobs were created by Enterprise Ireland client companies, resulting in a net increase in employment of 274 jobs. This strong figure demonstrates the resilience of export led industry in Carlow in what was a challenging year.
Additionally in January 2022, Carlow LEO announced that 203 client companies in Carlow currently employ 1,015 people, an increase of 265 jobs in 2021 and a net gain of 47 jobs in the year.
In 2021, Enterprise Ireland paid €4.9 million to Enterprise Ireland client companies in County Carlow. These investments have helped companies in County Carlow to innovate, to invest in capital equipment, and to create new jobs in the county.
Under the Regional Enterprise Development Fund over €4 million has been approved to four projects in County Carlow namely, InsurTech Network Centre, Crystal Valley Tech, Incupharm and the National Design Innovation Hub. This will assist new collaborative and innovative initiatives that can make a significant impact on enterprise development in the region and nationally.
A further €377,520 was approved for IT Carlow under the Regional Technology Clustering Fund to assist the development of an industry-led Engineering Cluster to expand capability and competitiveness in the South East of Ireland.
In response to Covid-19, my Department, through Enterprise Ireland, funded the Enterprise Centres Scheme for both profit and not for profit Enterprise Centres. Two Enterprise Centres in Carlow (ERIC Centre and Carlow Enterprise House) were approved €128,478 under this scheme.
Enterprise Ireland will continue to work closely with clients in Carlow and every county to strengthen their growth plans as well as assisting companies on transformation initiatives such as green, climate change, digitisation and sustainability.
55. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the financial supports available from his Department and through the agencies under the remit of his Department for the development of enterprise centres through community and or local authority development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7062/22]
View answerEnterprise Centres provide important infrastructure for entrepreneurs and are an essential part of the start-up ecosystem across Ireland. The Centres, many of which are regionally based, provide space, mentoring and support to start-up founders and teams, helping them to scale internationally.
To date, my Department has provided funding of €250 million administered by Enterprise Ireland to support the establishment of some 270 Enterprise Centres throughout Ireland, of which approximately 40 of these Centres originated from the Regional Enterprise Plans.
This investment has enabled the establishment of physical space for entrepreneurs, start-ups, scaling companies, SMEs and a balance of small scale FDI. This has enabled the delivery of enterprise relevant programmes to companies and the provision of physical spaces to support remote working.
Since 2017, Enterprise Ireland has administered Departmental funding to 91 projects totalling €16.4 million under both the Regional Enterprise Development Fund and the Community Enterprise Centres Schemes.
On 20 November 2020, €8.24 million in grants, administered through Enterprise Ireland, for 95 Enterprise Centres around the country was announced. This funding will ensure that these Enterprise Centres, many of which have been negatively impacted by COVID-19, can sustain their businesses, pivot and further develop their services, to continue to assist the development of our start-up companies.
Currently, an Enterprise Ireland open ‘Regional Development Feasibility Fund’ is available to promoters seeking to scope out and investigate the viability of larger full-scale projects such as remote working hubs. A feasibility grant of €15,000 or 50% of eligible costs, whichever is lesser, is available to qualifying applicants meeting the required criteria.
In addition, over the next 20 years, advances in digital technologies will transform the enterprise potential across the country, particularly in our smaller towns and rural areas. To maximise those opportunities, co-working spaces (or “eHubs”), are envisaged under Project Ireland 2040 as part of an ongoing suite of measures to encourage greater levels of collaboration between entrepreneurs in accessing available supports and assistance in helping to make their businesses grow.
There are a broad range of other hub-type facilities, both publicly and privately funded, around the country including Community Enterprise Centres and incubator/accelerators that are being considered by the National Hub Network Working Group in their mapping of a national network of remote working facilities. The Department of Rural and Community Development leads on this mapping initiative. The DCRD has invested significantly in remote working infrastructure & connectivity through the Broadband Connection Point Network initiative and a number of programmes and schemes including the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and the Leader Programme.
In addition, the first allocation of €3 million in Budget 2022 was announced for the European Digital Innovation Hubs as part of the EU Digital Europe Programme which will provide over time a total of €13.4 million in funding to Ireland focused on bringing digital technology to businesses, SMEs, citizens and the public sector.
56. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has plans to engage with an organisation (details supplied) in relation to the report on the right to request remote working, specifically, the reasons to allow an employer to deny a remote working request; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6996/22]
View answerOn 25 January the Government approved the priority drafting of the Right to Request Remote Working Bill 2022. I carried out a public consultation in April 2021 and there was significant engagement, which included submissions from both employer and trade union representative groups. I have also been updating the employer and trade union representative groups on the legislation through the Labour Employer Economic Forum.
Pre-legislative scrutiny of the General Scheme by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment commenced this week. Employee and Employer Representative Groups may also have an opportunity to address the Committee. If so I would be interested to hear what they have to say. I will consider suggestions from all sides to improve the legislation.
An employer may, having given the application due consideration, decline a request for remote working stating the business grounds for so doing. The intention is that where a request is declined, it must be clear to the employee the reason it has been declined. The grounds included are drawn from the submissions received within the public consultation and also reflect the international review of similar legislation. The new law is intervening in the relationship between employee and employer and it has to strike a balance that is legally sound.
The Department is currently looking further at the legal issues related to the redress provisions and a right of appeal, and is taking legal advice on the matter.
My officials and I will be happy to engage with ICTU over the coming weeks to discuss the legislation.
57. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his legislative priorities in the area of insurance, specifically personal injuries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6813/22]
View answerInsurance reform is one of Government’s top priorities. The Cabinet Committee Sub-Group on Insurance Reform, of which I am a member, published the Action Plan for Insurance Reform in December 2020. This is one of the most important programmes of reform that this Government will undertake.
Across Government Departments significant legislative reforms have already been completed.
Principal actions delivered to date include the establishment of the Office to Promote Competition in the Insurance Market and the Insurance Fraud Coordination Office. Legislation to strengthen the laws on perjury has been enacted. The commencement of the Personal Injury Guidelines is a milestone reform. Under the Guidelines award levels have reduced across nearly all ranges with the level of reduction ranging from 31% to 69% depending on the severity of injury. PIAB data shows a significant downward shift in award values which will reduce the cost of claims.
Following Government approval, the Department of Finance published the General Scheme of the Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021 on October 20, 2021, to enhance transparency and ensure consumer protection. The Bill covers a number of insurance-related matters. Drafting of the Bill has now commenced.
While progress on these actions is welcome, Government is committed to doing more to reduce insurance costs. The Minister for Justice is considering legislative proposals to reform the law in the area of occupier’s liability.
In terms of legislation under the aegis of my Department, yesterday I published the General Scheme of the Personal Injuries Resolution Board Bill 2022. The General Scheme proposes to amend the Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003-2019 in a number of ways including:
- PIAB will be given a new function – to offer mediation as a means of resolving a claim.
- PIAB will retain claims of a wholly psychological nature.
- PIAB will deepen its analysis and public information roles.
- PIAB will have additional time to assess claims where an injury is yet to settle rather than releasing to litigation.
- The Court’s discretion regarding costs in litigation will be tightened.
I am determined to progress this legislation to enactment in 2022 and I am confident that these reforms will increase the number of personal injury claims resolved through the PIAB process.
On the 31st of January 2022, the Tánaiste and I published the Competition (Amendment) Bill 2022 to give more powers to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) and the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) to protect consumers and challenge anti-competitive practices by business.
Implementation of these legislative reforms together with the other actions set out in the Action Plan will deliver meaningful reform of the insurance market and create the conditions for the provision of affordable insurance for consumers and business.
58. Deputy David Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the nine new regional enterprise plans to 2024; when he expects these plans to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6937/22]
View answerRegional enterprise development and sustainable local job creation is a key policy priority of mine and this Government.
Throughout 2021, my Department has overseen the development of nine new Regional Enterprise Plans to 2024. These are ‘bottom-up’ plans, developed by regional stakeholders which identify growth opportunities, recognise vulnerabilities, and enable job creation across the nine regions.
The Regional Steering Committees are chaired by senior industry figures and include the Enterprise Agencies, LEOs, Regional Assemblies, Local Authorities, Higher Education bodies, and others, all of whom are focused on creating and sustaining employment opportunities in the region.
Following in-depth consultation and engagement across the regions, each plan will contain a set of objectives and related actions to be delivered by end 2024. These objectives are complementary to and support existing Government and agency initiatives.
The Regional Enterprise Plans to 2024 are currently being finalised by my Department. They will be published and launched across the country over February and March this year.
My Department has approved over €126 million in funding to 79 enterprise strengthening projects in every region over a series of competitive calls since 2017. This has been provided through Enterprise Ireland via the Regional Enterprise Development Fund, the Border Enterprise Development Fund and the Regional Enterprise Transition Scheme. Together, these funds assisted the development of collaborative regional projects that drive delivery of the objectives developed in the previous Regional Enterprise Plans.
I can advise the Deputy that in addition to the €5 million allocation for regional enterprise funding in Budget 2022, my officials are in the process of exploring new significant sources of funding to drive implementation of the nine new Regional Enterprise Plans. I expect to announce details on new regional funding shortly.
59. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps he is taking to strengthen consumer rights; and the initiatives he is undertaking to introduce the concept of a circular economy in key economic sectors. [6832/22]
View answerI will be introducing new and enhanced consumer protections measures shortly with the publication of the Consumer Rights Bill 2022 and its introduction into the Houses.
The purpose of this Bill is to give effect to a number of EU consumer rights Directives, including:
1. Directive 2019/770 on certain aspects concerning contracts for the supply of digital content and digital services;
2. Directive 2019/771 on certain aspects concerning contracts for the sale of goods; and
3. the main provisions of Directive 2019/2161 on the better enforcement and modernisation of Union consumer protection rules.
The Bill will also consolidate, modernise and enhance domestic consumer contract law by bringing existing provisions together in a single enactment.
The main provisions of the Bill include:
- rights and remedies in consumer contracts for the sale of goods;
- rights and remedies in consumer contracts for the supply of digital content and digital services;
- rights and remedies in consumer contracts for non-digital services;
- consumer information and cancellation rights;
- unfair terms in consumer contracts;
- unfair commercial practices;
- enhanced enforcement measures available to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC).
As you may be aware the Government approved the General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021, brought forward in June 2021 by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.
As regards my own Department, it is engaged in the delivery of the aims set out in the New Consumer Agenda, which seeks to empower consumers to play an active role in the green and digital transition.
As part of the actions contained in the Agenda, the European Commission aims to bring forward proposals that will fight practices such as ‘greenwashing’ and early obsolescence and to promote practices that support a circular economy such as the right to repair. The European Commission will assess, in the context of its review of the Sales of Goods Directive, how to further promote repair and encourage more sustainable, ‘circular’ products. It will also review the General Products Safety Directive and carry out analysis of the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive and Consumer Rights Directive to see if further actions are needed. The outcome of the Commission’s deliberations may result in legislative changes in these areas for Ireland.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), as part of the EU CPC Network, undertook a sweep on greenwashing in November 2020 in order to provide consumer protection authorities with more data and to promote compliance. The CCPC identified traders for review across the financial, textile, beauty and vehicle sectors as part of this sweep and undertook compliance activities. The CCPC will continue to monitor and encourage compliance across all areas of consumer rights including those related to the circular economy. The CCPC will continue to highlight the need for products to be safe and compliant for their entire lifecycle. In addition to safety, this will assist in reducing early obsolescence and unnecessary waste. The CCPC has engaged with DG Competition in relation to the development of guidelines on the conditions in which cooperation between competitors can contribute to more sustainable products or production processes.
