Thursday, 26 Nov 2015

Written Answers Nos. 1-20

Legislative Measures

Ceisteanna (7)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

7. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the status of the development of new copyright legislation; if he is taking on board the key recommendations or legislative suggestions published by the Copyright Review Committee in 2013 in the development of new legislation; when the draft legislation will be ready; if he is conscious of continuing rapid developments in European copyright regulations and likely technological developments in designing his proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41419/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

The Report of the Copyright Review Committee entitled “Modernising Copyright” was published in October 2013. The Committee was tasked with examining the Irish copyright framework to identify any areas that might be considered to create barriers to innovation and, to recommend a resolution to any problems identified in terms of how any barriers identified might be overcome. The report contains in excess of 60 recommendations covering a diverse range of copyright issues.

Following extensive analysis of the recommendations contained in the Report, my Department is currently in the process of developing legislative proposals for consideration by Government in the copyright area. This follows from an in-depth assessment of the complex legal issues involved in certain of the proposals with the Office of the Attorney General as well as examination of the proposals from a policy perspective. Where recommendations involved issues under the remit of other Government Departments, these Departments have also been consulted. I expect to be in a position, over the next number of weeks, to bring to Government my Department’s response to the Committee’s Report on copyright seeking approval also for legislative proposals responding to a number of proposals recommended by the Committee.

The context for consideration of the Committee’s recommendations in the copyright area must indeed, as highlighted by the Deputy, be seen also against the background of a progressive and evolving framework on copyright at EU and international level. The Deputy rightly points also to the issue of technological developments in this area which is an issue that presents a constant challenge for legislation in a number of areas and is not limited to copyright. I can assure the Deputy that I am very aware of developments in the EU copyright context with imminent proposals expected from the European Commission either before year end 2015 or early 2016 and, a further set of proposals expected in Spring 2016. Indeed, my officials have been active in seeking to influence the development of EU proposals in the copyright area for example in the context of the 2013 EU Commission consultation on copyright modernisation and in the context of the Commission’s Digital Single Market Strategy published on 5 May 2015.

Questions Nos. 8 to 10, inclusive, answered orally.

Job Creation

Ceisteanna (11)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

11. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps he has taken over the past five years to encourage job creation and new inward investment in County Donegal, given that there have been only three site visits to the county in 2015 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41748/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

In the five years up to 2011, Donegal lost 3,400 jobs with big falls in manufacturing and in Construction. This was also a period when employment in foreign owned companies stagnated and by 2011 represented less than 3.5% of total employment in Donegal. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that employment in foreign-owned companies have grown by 41% in the years since 2011, adding 758 jobs over that period.

The most recent example of this was the announcement in July of this year by Pramerica of the expansion of its facility in Donegal by 330 jobs.

It is important to note that data on site visits is not a true measure of the level of FDI activity in a region or county. Approximately 70% of all FDI investment won by IDA Ireland comes from its existing client base. Working with stakeholders is exceptionally important in positioning any regional location to attract FDI and IDA Ireland continues to do so in addition to working with existing clients in all regional locations to generate additional jobs.

It is important to recognise that foreign owned enterprise is only a small part of the enterprise base in Donegal. Overall in the county unemployment is down by over 4,000 and indeed the regional data shows that the Border region has exhibited one of the strongest patterns of employment growth in country. The forthcoming Action Plan for Jobs for the North West and North East will aim to build on that progress.

In addition to attracting Foreign Direct Investment to Donegal, I am very committed to encouraging start-ups and nurturing small, high technology companies, with potential for growth. There are 3,302 people directly employed in Enterprise Ireland client companies in Donegal., Enterprise Ireland has supported, through various programmes, 101 start-up entrepreneurs in Donegal in addition to a further 196 supported by the Local Enterprise Office in Donegal.

Next week, I will be officiating at the opening ceremony for the new ‘Science Park’ building in the grounds of Letterkenny Institute of Technology, will provide a valuable resource to help drive innovation and encourage a new generation of potential SMEs from the knowledge based sector.

I am also looking forward to publishing the Action Plan for the Border Region covering Counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan and Louth later this month.

Question No. 12 answered orally.

Foreign Direct Investment

Ceisteanna (13)

Terence Flanagan

Ceist:

13. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his assessment of foreign direct investment in the Dublin area in the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41427/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Under our Action Plan for Jobs we have targeted the winning of new Foreign Direct Investment and have taken measures to ensure that such companies have access to the talent they need, the supports for innovation and a good business environment. This strategy has been successful for the country. We have 135,000 more people in work today than were employed when the Action Plan for Jobs (APJ) process was launched in 2012. Dublin as our capital city is home to many ambitious and creative enterprises and a deep pool of talent. It has been particularly successful in winning FDI. In the past four years, over 17,000 extra people are at work in IDA companies in Dublin. This is in contrast to a loss of 4,000 jobs in the previous three years. In 2014 there was an increase of 3,700 at work in Dublin based companies supported by the IDA.

My Department published “Enterprise 2025” on 12th November, which recognises that urban areas will play a key role in realising the potential of our regions throughout Ireland, and Dublin as Ireland's main national access point is a key attractiveness factor for any ultimate location in Ireland.

Dublin is recognised as one of Europe’s leading business locations and is now an internationally renowned cluster for technology and financial services companies. The city has been a spectacular success in terms of Foreign Direct Investment as it hosts many of the world’s leading companies such as Google, Facebook, Oracle and Pfizer, All of these multinationals leverage the abundance of infrastructure and utilities available in the capital to run their operations.

Dublin has a unique value proposition based on its critical mass, skills offering, infrastructure and track record in winning valuable investment commitments over the years and is well placed to win further investment in the future.

However I am not complacent about this performance and will be aiming to strengthen its competitive position in the context of the Dublin Regional Action Plan for Jobs.

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

Ceisteanna (14)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceist:

14. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will report on the latest meetings he has had regarding the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership; the measures he will take to ensure information on negotiations and developments in the partnership are more publicly available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41746/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

At the Council of Trade Ministers meeting tomorrow in Brussels, I will have the opportunity to discuss progress on these negotiations with Commissioner Malmström and with EU Council colleagues. The 11th round in these negotiations took place from 19th – 23rd October, 2015. During this round substantial progress on market access for EU and US companies in all three areas including tariffs, services and public procurement. A second tariff offer was exchanged and both sides have now arrived at a level of proposal covering 97% of tariff lines. There was also discussion in relation to public procurement and it is envisaged that there will be an exchange of market access proposals on public procurement by February 2016. The negotiations also provided an opportunity to clarify some of the main principles of regulatory cooperation.

A report of this Round has been published on the Commission website together with all information in relation to the EU positions in these negotiations. In addition my Department publish a monthly update on the TTIP negotiations on its website.

All EU text proposals in the EU-US Trade Agreement are now published on the European Commission’s dedicated website, generally within a week or two after each negotiating round. The website also includes a wide range of position papers, factsheets and documents explaining positions. There has been some discussion with the US on the matter of access to confidential documents in reading rooms by Parliamentarians and I hope that these discussions will be concluded soon.

A concerted effort has also been made to increase transparency and encourage debate on an EU-US Trade Agreement here in Ireland. In addition to the large volume of parliamentary questions and representations answered, I have met with Irish Members of the European Parliament in Brussels on 28 May, briefed the Cabinet Committee on European Affairs on 10th June and briefed a triple meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committees for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation; Agriculture, Food and the Marine; European Affairs on 23 June. I will also be making statements in the Dáil regarding the EU-US Trade Agreement on the 17th December.

I have also hosted two seminars in Dublin Castle, in June 2014 and in March 2015, to which Oireachtas members, all Irish MEPs, and business, trade unions and farm representative groups were invited. I have also participated in two round table discussions at the European Parliament Dublin office in December 2014 and May 2015.

My departmental officials are available to meet with stakeholders including business, workers, farming and NGO interest groups. Official level briefing sessions have been held for Oireachtas members and their advisors and Members of the European Parliament and their advisors.

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

Ceisteanna (15)

Mick Wallace

Ceist:

15. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he is satisfied that the more contentious aspects of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, such as regulatory co-operation and the Investor State Dispute Mechanism, are in the interests of Irish citizens and small businesses; if he has raised any concerns with his European Union counterparts, particularly given the recent release of the full text of the partnership; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41749/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

The 11th round in these negotiations took place in Miami from 19th - 23rd October, 2015. During this round negotiators discussed all three pillars of the proposed agreement namely market access for EU and US companies, regulatory cooperation and trade rules. There was substantial progress on market access for EU and US companies in all three areas including tariffs, services and public procurement. A second tariff offer was exchanged and both sides have now arrived at a level of proposal in terms of tariff line coverage which will assist and benefit further negotiations. There was also discussion in relation to public procurement and it is envisaged that there will be an exchange of market access proposals on public procurement by February 2016.

The negotiations also provided an opportunity to clarify some of the main principles of regulatory cooperation. These included the fact that any cooperation is possible only if the level of protection for consumers stays the same or improves and any form of regulatory cooperation will not change or affect the EU regulatory and democratic process.

The EU Commission’s mandate to negotiate with the U.S. also includes in its scope, investment protection. This is designed to ensure that Irish enterprises trading into 50 different US States will not face unfair discrimination in any particular State where the legal code may not fully transpose elements in the agreement. Equally US investors in the EU expect common investment protection standards and common redress mechanisms, and not 28 different set of standards and 28 different redress procedures.

The mandate makes it clear that the inclusion of investment protection will depend on EU interests being met and on the final balance of the Agreement. Importantly, the mandate states that the objectives of any investment protection provisions would be without prejudice to the right of EU and the member states to adopt and enforce measures necessary to pursue legitimate public policy objectives in a non-discriminatory manner.

While no negotiation has commenced on such a mechanism the model which Europe has developed of Dispute Settlement provides:

- It can only be invoked where there is targeted discrimination on manifestly unfair ground, or a fundamental breach of fair process.

- Adjudicators must be approved by Governments and be from among persons qualified to be judges.

- Procedures must be transparent.

- There will be an independent appeal process.

- It must respect and protect the right of governments to regulate.

On the 8th July 2015 the European Parliament voted for a resolution supporting the EU-US Trade Agreement including a reformed investment protection mechanism.

On the 12th November 2015, the EU Commission published and formally presented to the US its proposal for a new and more transparent system for resolving disputes between investors and states - the Investment Court System. This proposal is the outcome of a lengthy public consultation process with the Member States, the European Parliament, stakeholders and the public. The Commission’s proposal aims at safeguarding Government’s right to regulate and creates a new system composed of a first instance tribunal and an appeal mechanism based on clearly defined rules, with qualified judges and transparent proceedings. The proposal also includes additional improvements on access to the new system by small and medium sized companies.

I welcome these improvements and the Commission’s efforts to follow up on the views expressed by Member States, the European Parliament and other stakeholders.

I can assure the Deputy that I will continue to support a trade agreement that is in the overall best interest of the public and the Irish economy.

At the Council of Trade Ministers scheduled to meet on 27th November in Brussels, I will have the opportunity to discuss progress on these negotiations with Commissioner Malmström and with EU Council colleagues.

Job Creation Targets

Ceisteanna (16)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

16. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which he expects job opportunities in the manufacturing and service sectors to be created over the next ten years, with particular reference to the use of technology, innovation, cost-effectiveness and competitiveness, when compared to other European Union and global locations; the extent to which he expects such jobs to become available throughout the regions, thereby contributing to a balanced economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41668/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Enterprise 2025, the Government’s long-term enterprise policy was launched earlier this month. It is an ambitious strategy, with the objective of delivering growth over the next decade that is sustainable, led by strong export performance, builds on our sectoral strengths, and that is underpinned by innovation, productivity, cost effectiveness and competitiveness. We aim to build resilience into our economy so that we do not suffer again as we have done in the past number of years. We have 135,800 more people at work than when we launched our first Action Plan for Jobs in 2012. Our export performance has been exceptional, with exports by Enterprise Ireland clients at a record of €18.6bn last year. Employment in EI and IDA supported firms has grown by over 40,000 since 2012.

We set a target in 2012 to increase employment by 100,000 by 2016. We achieved that ambitious target and have now exceeded it. We want to go further and to replace all the jobs lost during the recession and to realise sustainable full employment over the longer term.

Enterprise 2025 is a strategy that aims to build an economy that will not just achieve full employment but will sustain it in the long term. It has the commitment across government to take focused actions to deliver growth that is sustainable, led by strong export performance and underpinned by innovation, productivity and competitiveness.

Enterprise 2025 sets out a clear statement of ambition. This includes:

- Having 2.180 million people at work by 2020, with the unemployment rate down to 6 percent;

- Having unemployment in all regions not more than one percent above the national average;

- The creation of an additional 140,000 direct and indirect jobs in agency assisted enterprises;

- Increasing the number of startups by 25 percent per annum - startups with better survival rates - this would see us with 15,700 enterprise births a year;

- Growing exports of Irish-owned firms at a rate of 6-8 percent per annum, achieving a 50 percent increase by 2020;

- Winning an additional 1,080 inward investment projects;

- Our competitiveness will have improved such that we rank amongst the top 3 small companies in the World Bank Doing Business Index; and

- We will see productivity growth in line with the top five countries in the EU.

Enterprise 2025 is a whole of enterprise strategy, aimed at delivering opportunities across all regions and across all sectors, including both manufacturing and services activities. Through a partnership approach with enterprise, representative bodies, the enterprise development agencies, Local Enterprise Offices and others, delivering a step change in enterprise performance and resilience will see a significant increase in Irish owned companies of scale, contributing to Ireland’s reputation for innovation in international markets. We are targeting a doubling of Irish owned companies with sales in excess of €100 million.

It is also about establishing a vibrant and stimulating ecosystem for entrepreneurship to deliver an increase the number of start-ups by 25 percent per annum - start-ups that have better survival rates. We also need to ensure that individual enterprises, and the economy more generally, gain from impactful inter-firm relationships throughout the country, through stimulating the establishment of clusters of scale and international visibility in areas of strength. Ireland is, and will continue to be, the best place to succeed in business, delivering sustainable employment and higher standards of living for all.

Job Initiatives

Ceisteanna (17)

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

17. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the measures he is taking to stem the continuing reduction in the number of persons of between 20 and 34 years of age in the labour force. [41754/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

The latest data from the Quarterly National Household Survey for the third quarter of 2015 shows an increase in the labour force for those between 20 and 34. This encouraging trend echoes the strong employment data throughout the QNHS, including a revision that puts the unemployment rate below 9 per cent in October. There were 685,300 people between the age of 20 and 34 in the labour force in the third quarter of 2015, an increase of 2,200 on the previous quarter. Of these, 602,200 were in employment, an increase of 4,000 on the previous quarter.

The unemployment rate for 25-34 years olds, at 10.3% in Q3 2015, is at its lowest for over seven years while, for the younger age group of 20-24, it is now consistently below 20%.

There are numerous reasons for the fluctuations in the 20-34 age cohort in the labour force. Enrolment at Higher Education Authority funded bodies reached 208,000 in 2013/14 as school-leavers seek to secure further educational qualifications to enhance their employment prospects, thereby temporarily removing themselves from the labour force.

This focus on improving skills provision for young unemployed people is being pursued through, for example, the Momentum and Springboard programmes as well as the new Youth JobsPlus initiative and the second ICT Skills Action Plan.

My Department is currently developing the 2016 Action Plan for Jobs which will keeps Ireland on track to achieve our goal to have 2.1 million people in employment by 2018. The Tánaiste, and Minister for Social Protection, is also developing a new Pathways to Work Strategy for the period 2016 to 2020.

Our Departments will continue to build on the progress to date through the Action Plan for Jobs and Pathways to Work to ensure that more employment opportunities are available to young people who are seeking work.

Legislative Measures

Ceisteanna (18)

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

18. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation when the Consumer Rights Bill will be brought to Second stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41758/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

The draft Scheme of the Consumer Rights Bill was published for public consultation on 25 May with a view to getting the views of businesses, consumers and other stakeholders on its provisions. Wide-ranging consultation is essential in the case of legislative proposals such as this which will affect virtually every business and citizen in the State. While the closing date for responses to the consultation was originally set for 28 August, my Department agreed to a number of requests for extensions to this deadline. The responses to the consultation have raised a substantial number of issues, some of which have required further engagement with stakeholders. In addition to any adjustments to the draft Scheme arising from the public consultation and subsequent discussions, I will also take account of EU legislative proposals on digital content and online sales due to be published in December before submitting the draft Scheme of the Bill to Government for approval in the New Year.

Business Regulation

Ceisteanna (19)

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

19. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the measures that will reduce the regulatory burden for small businesses, given recent surveys on red tape for small business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41756/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

The recent World Bank's Doing Business Report 2016 provides an assessment of a range of regulations affecting SMEs throughout their life cycle. In this Report Ireland is ranked 17th for Ease of Doing Business, out of 189 countries. This places Ireland 4th in the Euro area and 7th in the EU. The IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2015 ranks Ireland 16th, up from 24th in 2011. The World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report ranks Ireland 24th, up from 29th in 2011. Good regulation provides a stable base for economic activity and a level playing field for business, while also protecting workers, consumers and the environment. The goal of Better Regulation Policy is to ensure that the processes for generating new regulation, and for evaluating existing regulation, are as effective and efficient as possible. Regulation should achieve the policy goals underpinning it in the least costly manner possible, without undermining the protections that regulation provides.

To this end, my Department has worked for several years to identify administrative burdens on business and to reduce them wherever possible. A project driven by my Department, and completed in 2012, identified administrative costs faced by business arising from regulation across Government. My Department, the CSO, Revenue and the Department of Transport all met or exceeded the 25% reduction target that was set, and a reduction of more than 20% was achieved across Departments reducing the cost of administrative burdens for business by almost €320 million annually.

The High Level Group on Business Regulation, currently chaired by my colleague, Ged Nash, T.D., the Minister for Business and Employment, and its predecessor, the Business Regulation Forum, have worked directly with business and union representatives to identify the most important regulatory burdens faced by business and to find solutions, simplifications and clarifications from the relevant Departments, Offices and Agencies.

Other measures taken by my Department include:

- Reducing the time taken by businesses to find out about the regulations that affect them by developing the businessregulation.ie portal, accessible from the front page of my Department’s website, under the heading Making it Easier for Business;

- Running seven Taking Care of Business events, where up to thirty public bodies come together for a free half-day event to provide information and advice to more than 2,000 business people to date;

- Developing an Integrated Licensing Application Portal to help reduce the regulatory burden on the enterprise sector through the provision of a single portal for applying for, and renewing, a multiplicity of licences;

- Consolidating 17 Companies Acts into one in 2014, making it easier to operate a company in Ireland, reducing unnecessary bureaucracy and making company law obligations easier to understand; and

- The Workplace Relations Reform Programme, has led to the establishment of the Workplace Relations Commission to deliver a world-class workplace relations service and employment rights framework by merging the activities of several existing Bodies of First Instance and all existing appellate functions into an expanded Labour Court.

Action Plan for Jobs

Ceisteanna (20)

Seán Kyne

Ceist:

20. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in the context of the designation of Galway as a United Nations educational scientific and cultural organisation city of film, the steps he is taking as part of the Action Plan for Jobs, and otherwise, to stimulate job creation and the further development of the creative industries, such as film and television production; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41744/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

The Action Plan for Jobs initiated by Government in 2012 has sought to harness the potential of all sectors of the economy for employment growth and to ensure we capture new and emerging areas of opportunity throughout the country. The most recent data from the CSO indicates that employment has grown in all regions and in all sectors of the economy over the last four years, with 135,800 additional at work since the start of the Action Plan process in 2012.

The Action Plan for Jobs, together with other bodies such as the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA) have identified the creative sector as one of the key sectoral opportunities for economic growth and job creation in Ireland. Ireland's creative industries are manifest in many forms from art, music and literature, through to film, design and digital media. The quality of life and inspiration from the landscape and culture are among the strongest motivators for attracting creative people to live and work in Ireland and throughout the regions. The important economic contribution of the film sector was also recognised in Budget 2016 and the Minister for Finance increased the cap for film relief by 40% to €70m.

As part of the 2015 Action Plan for Jobs, we committed to developing Action Plans for every region in the country. The Action Plan for the West region was published, by the Taoiseach and I, on 16 November last. The West Action Plan for Jobs sets ambitious targets to see the creation of an additional 25,000 jobs in the West region over the period to 2020. The West Action Plan for Jobs-Regional highlights that creativity is a distinctive strength of the West region and sets out a number of measures to develop the potential of the Creative Industries in the region over the period to 2020. The designation of Galway City as UNESCO City of Film - one of only five such cities in the world - is testament to the international recognition which our creative industries have achieved.

The West Action Plan for Jobs-Regional sets out a number of actions which the stakeholders in the region will take forward over the coming period. These include the development and implementation of an Action Plan to support the Film industry in Galway and the West region and to explore the potential for a Regional Film Fund, over the period 2015-2107. Ensuring we have a pipeline of talent for the sector is a key priority and as part of the West Action Plan for Jobs Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB) will roll out a Traineeship programme in TV and Film at Level 5 to support this growing sector in 2016.

The Western Development Commission (WDC) disburses a range of supports for the sector in the West region. The WDC will implement a new €2 million transnational project called Creative Momentum. This project will further develop new routes to export markets for creative enterprises, as well as providing international networking opportunities with creative enterprises. The WDC is also to disburse a targeted Micro-Loan fund for the Creative Industries in the Western Region and has developed the MyCreativeEdge.eu website which provides an online showcase for creative enterprises, which is advertised to the diaspora in the US and UK. To further promote growth and exports by the sector, for the past three years the WDC has partnered with the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland on their International Fair Fund to support craft makers from the region to attend overseas Trade Fairs.

The local authorities will also support the Creative Industries though initiatives such as Made in Galway, while Roscommon Co. Council will implement a development programme for the sector.