Parliamentary questions

Social Media

Seán Sherlock

91. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the amount spent on social media by his Department and agencies under his remit in 2021; and the platforms the monies were spent on in tabular form. [1697/22]

Departmental Contracts

Seán Sherlock

92. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the amount spent on consultancy services by his Department in 2021; the reason for each consultancy; and the name of the consultancy in tabular form. [1715/22]

Industrial Development

Michael McNamara

93. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of IDA site visits in counties Clare, Galway, Limerick and Tipperary in 2020 and 2021, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1730/22]

Workplace Relations Commission

Mick Barry

94. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on the call for legal aid to be provided for workers going to the Workplace Relations Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1735/22]

Departmental Data

Catherine Murphy

95. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide a schedule of all client and or customer-facing and or orientated services that his Department provide via a contracted service provider; the contractor that provides the service; and the cost of same for the past five years to date in 2022. [1797/22]

Employment Rights

Michael Healy-Rae

96. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of an application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1840/22]

Workplace Relations Commission

Darren O'Rourke

97. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the estimated cost in 2022 of doubling the number of full-time inspectors for the Workplace Relations Commission. [1910/22]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Brendan Griffin

98. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if supports will be put in place for hospitality businesses who were forced to close at 8 pm but did not qualify for the Covid restriction support scheme and wage subsidy scheme over the Christmas period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2026/22]

Work Permits

Seán Canney

99. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will add physiotherapists and occupational therapists to the critical skills occupations list to meet the present staffing crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2201/22]

Work Permits

Neale Richmond

100. Deputy Neale Richmond 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. [2288/22]

Work Permits

Neale Richmond

101. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will address the delays in processing applications for general employment permits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2289/22]

Public Sector Staff

Cathal Crowe

102. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of public sector workers under his remit by sectors (details supplied) in each of the local electoral areas in County Clare in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2345/22]

Public Sector Staff

Violet-Anne Wynne

103. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of public sector workers under his remit in each of the local electoral areas in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021, in tabular form under headings (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2360/22]

Public Sector Staff

Michael McNamara

104. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of public sector workers under his remit in each of the local electoral areas in County Clare in each of the years 2016 to 2021, in tabular form under headings (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2383/22]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Jennifer Whitmore

105. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the supports that are available for new businesses that have been affected by the most recent Covid-19-related restrictions and that do not qualify for the Covid restrictions support scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2404/22]

Fuel Prices

Brendan Smith

170. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a statutory authority monitors the price of diesel and petrol products throughout the country in view of the wide price differential between different areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62435/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Alan Dillon

171. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the issues at the World Trade Organization governing intellectual property rights for Covid-19 vaccines; if progress has been made with regard to waivers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62489/21]

State Bodies

Holly Cairns

172. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of State boards under the remit of his Department or its agencies, in tabular form; the number of members on each board; the number of persons with a declared disability on each board; and the percentage of each board that is made up of persons with a declared disability. [62523/21]

Health and Safety

Holly Cairns

173. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of HSA inspections of meat processing plants that have been carried out for compliance with Covid-19 regulations since 1 January 2021; the number that were unannounced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62809/21]

Health and Safety

Holly Cairns

174. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of workplace accidents that occurred in meat processing plants in each county between 1 December 2020 and 30 November 2021; the type of accident and injury involved, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62810/21]

Industrial Development

Brendan Griffin

175. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of IDA site visits to County Kerry in quarters 1, 2 and 3 of 2021; if visits have taken place to date in quarter 4; the way the figures compare to 2019 and 2020, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62892/21]

Industrial Development

Brendan Griffin

176. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the up-to-date position regarding the location of a company (details supplied) at the IDA advance facility in Tralee, County Kerry; if an updated timeline in relation to future activities and employment levels at the facility will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62893/21]

Industrial Development

Brendan Griffin

177. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if further advance facilities will be considered in respect of the southern part of County Kerry in view of the relatively poor performance of the county in relation to foreign direct investment, recognising the very positive news of a second advance facility for Tralee that was recently announced by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62894/21]

Industrial Development

Brendan Griffin

178. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 39 of 27 July 2021, if interest has since been expressed by potential investors in relation to the site (details supplied); if so, the details of the inquiries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62895/21]

Public Sector Pensions

Martin Browne

3. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some ESB retirees with pensions through the superannuation scheme have not received an increase in pension rates since 2009. [62041/21]

Public Sector Pensions

Sean Fleming

4. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when the promised consultation with the retired workers' organisations (details supplied) that can offer experience and knowledge in relation to retired workers with occupational pensions will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62116/21]

Legislative Programme

Catherine Murphy

5. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the date on which he will progress the Competition (Amendment) Bill 2021 in view of the fact that a European Union directive related to same must be transposed by the State in early 2022. [62118/21]

Export Controls

Patrick Costello

6. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the value of dual-use export licences, by country, for each of the past five years. [62126/21]

Military Exports

Patrick Costello

7. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the value of military export licences, by country, for each of the past five years. [62127/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Carol Nolan

8. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the measures his Department has taken to support employers following the most recent announcement of Covid-19 related restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62131/21]

Consumer Protection

Catherine Connolly

9. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 119 of 7 December 2021, the steps he is taking to ensure that the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission secures a copy of the report for the Irish owners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62163/21]

Diaspora Issues

Ivana Bacik

10. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has proposals to incentivise the return to Ireland of citizens with skills, training, experience or professional expertise in areas such as construction and the provision of home care services for the support of sectors in which there are serious difficulties with recruitment of staff currently. [62176/21]

Departmental Policies

Christopher O'Sullivan

11. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the main policy achievements and initiatives undertaken by his Department during 2021; and his main priorities for 2022. [62192/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Michael Collins

12. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will address a matter regarding supports for the hospitality sector (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62265/21]

Trade Agreements

Fergus O'Dowd

13. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide an update on talks and agreements that have taken place with member states in respect of tariffs for steel products being imported from outside of the European Union and the significant effect it is having on local steel businesses in Ireland given the very serious pressure on supply and the subsequent price hikes as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62307/21]

Public Services Card

Róisín Shortall

14. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when the mandatory requirement for a public services card to access public services other than that of the Department of Social Protection will be removed in view of the settlement between the Data Protection Commission and the State; if he intends to introduce legislation to make public services cards mandatory for accessing non-welfare services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62393/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Seán Canney

99. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will seek to have the TRIPS Waiver at the WTO lifted which will increase the production of generic Covid-19 vaccines and greatly improve access to Covid-19 vaccines to persons all across the developing world. [61670/21]

Work Permits

Bernard Durkan

100. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when a work permit will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) whose approval is urgent given the timeframe for their required skills for their employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61120/21]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Steven Matthews

101. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the action his Department is taking to help businesses decarbonise and prepare for a greener future in particular for smaller and medium enterprises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61143/21]

Departmental Consultations

Seán Canney

102. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the consultation with retired workers’ organisations in relation to the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that to date retired workers have been excluded from the process of engagement between sponsoring employers of occupational pension schemes and trade unions when changes to a scheme are proposed even when retired workers will be adversely affected by those changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61228/21]

Job Losses

Catherine Murphy

103. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention or that of his officials has been drawn to formal notice of redundancies and or employment termination at a hotel (details supplied) in County Kildare; if so, the date the notice to his Department was received; the maximum time period permitted from the notice of redundancy to payment of statutory and enhanced packages to be paid; and if his attention has been further drawn to the situation in which staff surrendered State income support based on formal notice issuing to them. [61246/21]

Work Permits

Martin Kenny

104. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will grant a work permit extension to workers who are temporarily laid off due to Covid-19 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61254/21]

Tax Code

John Lahart

105. Deputy John Lahart asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has examined a report by an organisation (details supplied) with regard to policies acting as disincentives to work for moderate to lower paid employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61270/21]

Work Permits

Mary Butler

106. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of a work permit for a person (details supplied) given the urgency outlined in correspondence from the nursing home that is experiencing staff shortages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61431/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Seán Canney

107. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the pandemic unemployment payment is being restored to €350 level then should the employment wage subsidy scheme rates increase back to 4 tier rates of €350, €300, €203 and €151.50 to encourage employers to retain staff rather than laying them off; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61657/21]

Employment Support Services

Patricia Ryan

108. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will ensure that computer equipment being used by a group (details supplied) which is due to close shortly can be repurposed within the local community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61692/21]

Industrial Relations

Seán Haughey

109. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on whether retired persons who are members of occupational pension schemes should be granted access to the industrial relations machinery of the State in order that they are given a voice in industrial relations processes with regard to matters affecting occupational pensions and other issues; if he has consulted with the Departments of Social Protection and Public Expenditure and Reform together with trade unions, employers and industrial relations bodies on these issues; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that former workers of State and semi-State organisations are unhappy that they have not received increases in their pensions in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61744/21]

Economic Policy

Brendan Smith

110. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge 2021. [61365/21]

Brexit Issues

Neale Richmond

111. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that as a result of Brexit persons living in Northern Ireland cannot be a director of a company in Ireland; if his attention has been drawn to the impact this is having on small companies; if he is taking steps to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61980/21]

Work Permits

Gary Gannon

112. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the options open to persons in cases in which they have an employment permit which is due to expire in the short-term in view of the fact that persons with expired workplace permits are not permitted to work as in the case of a person (details supplied); if the renewal will be expedited given their employer is experiencing a staff shortage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62006/21]