Parliamentary questions

Employment Statistics

Gerry Adams

42. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of young persons employed in March 2011; the number currently in employment; and the success of initiatives to create and retain jobs for young people. [24443/13]

Social Insurance

Dessie Ellis

43. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will detail any discussions that he has had in relation to making mandatory PRSI contributions for sole trades and small and medium enterprises at the joint employee and employer scale and an assessment of the impact of such a move on the SME sector. [24460/13]

Illegal Moneylenders

Tony McLoughlin

44. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to concerns that many citizens have with illegal money lenders who operate in local communities and are alleged to charge interest rates of up to 400%; and if he is considering any legislative changes to address these issues relating to the regulation of money lending as currently provided for in the Consumer Credit Act 1995. [24135/13]

Competition Authority Staff

Thomas Pringle

45. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the staffing improvements that have been implemented in the Competition Authority to ensure that it has the capacity to investigate anti competitive behaviour in the economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24349/13]

Credit Availability

Mick Wallace

46. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to alleviate the problems of small and medium-sized businesses that are not involved in the export market and still face great difficulty in accessing credit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24438/13]

Job Creation

Sandra McLellan

47. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his views on the relationship between the increase in the value of enterprises exporting goods and services and the impact on job creation. [24450/13]

Economic Competitiveness

Willie O'Dea

48. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his views on whether Ireland's competitiveness is improving; the way it can be further enhanced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24421/13]

Job Creation Data

Micheál Martin

49. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of jobs created and lost in the private sector in the past two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22129/13]

Company Closures

Andrew Doyle

50. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps he and his Department have taken to date in order to secure the long term future and to find a new employer for the Merck site in Rathdrum, County Wicklow, where 280 people are currently employed; if he has engaged the key stakeholders to collectively seek a solution for a buyer to come in and take over this site; the role of the Industrial Development Agency in this process; the progress that has made to date since the announcement regarding the site closure in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24140/13]

Business Costs

Peadar Tóibín

51. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the costs that undermine business growth and employment creation; and his views on whether property rental costs are not an issue for business. [24441/13]

Emigration Data

Jonathan O'Brien

52. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his views on the recent report by the National Youth Council entitled Time to go - the Experience and Impact of Emigration on Ireland's Youth. [24467/13]

Registered Employment Agreements

Martin Ferris

53. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps he has taken to ensure that low-paid workers under the JLC and REA schemes continue to be fully protected and their income safeguarded. [24465/13]

Registered Employment Agreements

Brian Stanley

54. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will give an assessment of the impact of the recent Supreme Court judgment with regard to REAs. [24463/13]

Employment Rights

Mary Lou McDonald

55. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in view of the recent findings of the Migrants Rights Centre Ireland into the recruitment and employment of au pairs, the steps he will take to regulate this industry and recognise that au pairs should not be outside of the employment protections. [24448/13]

Disability Act Employment Targets

Tom Fleming

56. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the target of his Department and subsidiary offices throughout the country regarding employment of persons with disabilities in the special category; if the target is being achieved; the total number of employees in that category currently and the percentage of the total workforce in his Department that it represents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24615/13]

State Properties

Pearse Doherty

57. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will set out by country, the latest valuation of property assets owned by the State as part of foreign diplomatic missions, including embassies, consulates, chanceries and other diplomatic representation as well as residential property used by the State for its diplomatic activity, indicating the euro valuation and the year of valuation. [24699/13]

Sale of State Assets

Pearse Doherty

58. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will set out by country for each of 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013, the proceeds from the disposal of property assets owned by the State as part of foreign diplomatic missions, including embassies, consulates, chanceries and other diplomatic representation as well as residential property used by the State for its diplomatic activity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24700/13]

Importation Policy

Peter Mathews

59. Deputy Peter Mathews asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline the reason goods from Israeli settlements are to be labelled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24709/13]

International Election Monitoring

Andrew Doyle

60. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department sent the new selection procedure to applicants for the new election observer roster; if there is an appeal or review procedure within his Department to handle complaints by applicants regarding selection for the election observation roster; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24727/13]

Property Tax Administration

Kevin Humphreys

61. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide in tabular form a breakdown of the number of properties registered nationally, by each local authority area for the local property tax to date; the estimated number of liable properties in both; the aggregate amount of tax to be returned from those registered thus far; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24499/13]