Parliamentary questions

Trade Relations

Bernard Durkan

95. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the degree to which efforts continue to be made to identify new markets throughout the European Union and globally for Irish exports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16011/20]

Industrial Development

Bernard Durkan

96. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the degree to which he continues to support and drive the creation of new enterprises in the indigenous sector nationally with particular reference on the need to encourage the generation of employment throughout the regions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16012/20]

Foreign Direct Investment

Bernard Durkan

97. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the degree to which he remains confident that Ireland continues to have the ability to attract foreign direct investment at a level required meet the economic needs of the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16125/20]

Departmental Schemes

David Stanton

98. Deputy David Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the range of supports that will be put in place to support remote working; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16126/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

David Stanton

99. Deputy David Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the measures being put in place to help business move online during the Covid-19 crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16127/20]

Enterprise Support Services

Neale Richmond

100. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the specific measures being considered to protect businesses facing into the Covid-19 recovery, which will affect businesses long after 1 January 2021, and a potential no-trade deal Brexit simultaneously; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16128/20]

Brexit Supports

Neale Richmond

101. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the measures that will be put in place to protect vulnerable industries, particularly the agrifoods industry, post Brexit in view of the fact no trade deal will be better than the UK and Ireland both trading within the EU single market (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16129/20]

Company Law

Alan Farrell

102. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the measures that will be put in place to reform company law in view of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16130/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Alan Farrell

103. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if the business restart grant will be reviewed; if further grant supports for SMEs will be considered in view of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16131/20]

Business Regulation

Mary Butler

7. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the potential supports available for a person (details supplied); his views on whether the EU definition of undertaking in difficulty is prohibitive for many businesses such as this one; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13724/20]

Employment Rights

Bríd Smith

8. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the action he plans to take in view of the High Court ruling on sectoral employment orders, SEOs, recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13727/20]

Employment Rights

Bríd Smith

9. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if he will introduce emergency legislation to ameliorate the impact from the recent High Court ruling on the SEO regarding electrician workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13728/20]

Employment Rights

Richard Boyd Barrett

10. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the action he plans to take in view of the High Court ruling on SEOs recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13729/20]

Employment Rights

Richard Boyd Barrett

11. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if he will introduce emergency legislation to ameliorate the impact from the recent High Court ruling on the SEO regarding electrician workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13730/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Fergus O'Dowd

12. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if he will address a matter raised in correspondence from a person (details supplied) on guidelines for reopening business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13758/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Michael Healy-Rae

13. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if the restart grant will be extended to sole traders and other businesses that do not pay commercial rates (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13792/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Imelda Munster

14. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the supports available to sole traders affected by Covid-19, in particular those that do not pay rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13800/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Imelda Munster

15. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the specific supports, including financial supports and guidelines or advice provided to those working as taxi drivers or chauffeurs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13801/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Neale Richmond

16. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the precise amount distributed to each local authority for the restart grant by local authority in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13828/20]

Work Permits

Bernard Durkan

17. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if consideration will be given to an application for a work permit in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13844/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Catherine Murphy

18. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the business supports available that are specific to the taxi and small private bus hire sector in the context of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13849/20]

Employment Rights

Pádraig O'Sullivan

19. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if the removal of a sectoral employment order setting out pay rates, pension and sick pay entitlements in the electrical industry will have consequences for the rest of the construction sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13864/20]

Employment Rights

Bríd Smith

20. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to appeal the High Court decision on the electrical contractor's sectoral employment order; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13910/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

James O'Connor

21. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if he will address the issue of the allocation of restart grants by local authorities due to insufficient funding which prevents them from allocating funding to companies outside of phases 1 and 2 under the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business even if the application has been successfully processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13982/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

James O'Connor

22. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if support will be provided to the publican sector with regard to the issue of loss of stock due to its perishable nature as a result of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13983/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Claire Kerrane

23. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation further to Parliamentary Question No. 422 of 16 June 2020, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that not all tradespersons continued to operate as a result of Covid-19; if such persons can apply for the restart grant in view of the fact they are returning to their work the same as the self-employed and businesses that pay rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13986/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Fergus O'Dowd

24. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if he will consider a proposal by a person (details supplied) on businesses which are ineligible for grants but may play a key role in the restart of local SMEs going forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14014/20]

Programme for Government

Seán Sherlock

25. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the costings carried out on the programme for Government; and if he will provide documents on those costings. [14023/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Cathal Crowe

26. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the provisions in place for those that are not commercial rates payers but wish to avail of the restart scheme or similar in order to reinvent their businesses, for example, bed and breakfast owners that want to convert to self-catering accommodation. [14039/20]

Consultancy Contracts

Carol Nolan

27. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the external consultancy organisation or provider which delivered diversity and inclusion training within his Department from 2018 to date; the costs associated with such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14048/20]

Departmental Legal Costs

Carol Nolan

28. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the expenditure his Department incurred in respect of external legal fees in each of the years from 2016 to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14065/20]

Employment Rights

David Cullinane

29. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to respond to the High Court judicial review ruling on the electrical contractors' SEO and Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2015; if a stay on the order will be sought; if an appeal will be sought; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14126/20]

Employment Rights

David Cullinane

30. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to amend the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2015 in view of the recent High Court judicial review to rectify the deficiencies in the Act as identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14127/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Carol Nolan

31. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of applications made to the Covid-19 restart grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14138/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Jack Chambers

32. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the supports or grants available to a sector (details supplied) in the context of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14147/20]

Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service

Steven Matthews

33. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to situations in which business owners that do not hold EEA citizen status that had their visas automatically renewed by the INIS due to Covid-19 restrictions, are being told by the Companies Registration Office that they are unable to register their business name until they can prove that they are allowed trade in Ireland, in view of the fact this is impossible at this time due to the closure and significant backlog in the INIS offices. [14165/20]

EU Directives

Catherine Connolly

34. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the timeline for transposition of the representative action directive; the body to be named as qualified entity for the purposes of launching actions for injunction and redress under the directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14208/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Jennifer Whitmore

35. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of SME restart grants granted to businesses for each county to date; the amount awarded to businesses in total to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14463/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Sorca Clarke

36. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if he will review the business restart grant to remove the barrier to small business in circumstances in which the qualification is linked to rateable premises in view of the number of businesses that operate, provide services and maintain and generate employment in the smaller towns and villages. [14481/20]

Ministerial Responsibilities

Seán Sherlock

37. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if he will publish the Departmental briefing paper on his role, remits and powers afforded to him upon appointment to the Cabinet. [14518/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Pearse Doherty

38. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the amount in grants disbursed to businesses under the restart grant since its inception; and the number of grants disbursed to businesses under the restart grant since its inception disaggregated by the value of grants in intervals of €1,000, from €2,000 to €10,000. [14546/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Richard Boyd Barrett

39. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if taxi drivers will be allowed access to the various support schemes for SMEs from which they are currently excluded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14566/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Matt Carthy

40. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if specific supports have been provided to the commercial launderette and dry-cleaning sectors; his plans to provide bespoke assistance to these businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14569/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Pearse Doherty

41. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number and value of loans approved and issued to applicants through the Covid-19 credit guarantee scheme since 23 March 2020. [14635/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Pearse Doherty

42. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number and value of loans approved and issued to applicants through the credit guarantee scheme since 23 March 2020. [14636/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Pearse Doherty

43. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number and value of loans approved and issued to applicants through the Covid-19 working capital loan scheme since 23 March 2020. [14637/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Pearse Doherty

44. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number and value of loans approved and issued to applicants through the Covid-19 business loan scheme operated through Microfinance Ireland since 23 March 2020. [14638/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Pearse Doherty

45. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of applications for loans under the Covid-19 credit guarantee scheme that have been rejected by lenders since 23 March 2020. [14639/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Pearse Doherty

46. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of applications for loans under the credit guarantee scheme that have been rejected by lenders since 23 March 2020. [14640/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Pearse Doherty

47. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of applications for loans under the Covid-19 working capital loan scheme that have been rejected by lenders since 23 March 2020. [14641/20]