Written Answers Nos. 24-42
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Written Answers Nos. 24-42
25. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if her Department will examine the ongoing failure by NERA and WRC management to secure compensation for underpayments in the social care sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22885/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) is responsible for ensuring compliance with employment rights legislation, including the national minimum wage in all sectors of employment. As the Deputy will be aware, WRC inspectors, formerly NERA inspectors, routinely carry out inspections in all employment sectors, including in the social care sector, with a view to checking for and enforcing employment rights compliance by employers.
In the first instance, the WRC aims to achieve voluntary compliance with employment law through the provision of education and awareness, inspection of employers’ employment records and, enforcement where necessary. If voluntary compliance cannot be achieved and employers either refuse or fail to rectify the breaches identified and/or pay money due to their employees, these cases are referred for further prosecution.
The social care sector in Ireland comprises both public and private employers and in the period 2014 to 2017 the WRC Inspection Service has carried out inspections on an average of 80 premises per year in the Health and Child Care Sectors. As a result of this activity, €450,000 in unpaid wages has been recovered for workers in the sector in that period.
In 2017 alone, inspections led to more that €200,000 in unpaid wages being recovered across the health, nursing and childcare sector. I understand that the WRC plans to maintain this level of activity in the sector for this year.
I am confident that the resources of the WRC and the significant powers of the inspectors are sufficient to ensure that the rights of workers in the social care sector are enforced.
26. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation her plans for the site in Athenry, County Galway, for future foreign direct investment in view of the fact that a company (details supplied) will not proceed with a data centre investment. [22881/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra37. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the immediate steps being taken to reverse the reputational damage done to Ireland’s image as a location for future foreign direct investment for data centre projects in view of the confirmation that a company (details supplied) will not proceed with a data centre investment in Athenry County Galway; [22858/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 37 together.
I very much regret that Apple will not be proceeding with its plans to construct a data centre in Athenry, especially as the project would have been a source of significant investment and job creation for Galway and the West of Ireland.
As with all of its clients, the IDA works with Apple to support job creation and investment in Ireland. Given the size of the investment involved, and the subsequent issues encountered by the company throughout the planning process, IDA Ireland was in regular contact with its management throughout this time. The Agency, however, had no role in the independent planning process and court challenges in respect of it. As far as I am aware, Apple currently has not made any decisions in relation to the future of the site.
I want to emphasise that the Government, together with IDA Ireland, did everything it could to support this investment. This included high-level engagement with the company, both at home and abroad. The Taoiseach, for example, met with the firm’s senior management in the USA in November 2017, where he made it clear that the project had the support of our Government and the local community in Athenry.
Ultimately, in spite of these efforts, Apple has taken a commercial decision not to proceed, making it clear that the delays that beset this project caused them to reconsider their plans. As I have made clear, these delays have underlined our need to make the State’s planning and legal processes more efficient. The Government has therefore already been working, over the last number of months, to make improvements to those processes. This will ensure that we are better placed to take advantage of future investment opportunities, whether from data centre providers or other sectors.
The Government has, for example, published legislative proposals to designate data centres as "strategic infrastructure" for planning purposes. This will ensure that future data centre-related planning applications can move more swiftly through the planning process. I am hopeful that these legislative changes can be enacted by the end of the current Dáil session.
The Government also agreed, in October 2017, to the implementation of a strengthened policy framework to support the continued development of data centres. This framework includes a number of actions which, once fully implemented, will help Ireland attract and sustain such investments in the future.
Part of this work is the development of a National Policy Statement on the role of data centres in Ireland’s overall enterprise strategy. This will set out their potential in the context of Ireland’s economic development, especially in regional locations, whilst taking account of wider challenges in energy and renewable energy policy. The importance of data centres to Ireland is recognised as well in Project Ireland 2040, which makes clear that the promotion of Ireland as a sustainable international destination for information and communications technology infrastructure is a key national objective.
The IDA, meanwhile, is already working hard to win new data centre investments for Ireland. Despite the disappointing decision made by Apple, Ireland is still a highly attractive destination for data centre projects. There are nearly 30 major data centres located here that are operated by some of the world’s leading technology companies and I am confident that this number will increase in the future. Ireland’s strengths for this type of investment, including our climate, energy supply and business environment, remain well-known to other potential investors.
27. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation her views on recent changes she made to employment permits for workers from outside the European Economic Area; and her further views on the way in which this will impact on employment here. [22890/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn Monday 14th May, I announced a pilot, quota based system that will address the immediate needs of the Horticulture, Dairy and Meat Processing Sectors and is a first step in addressing some of the challenges facing the sector. The scheme will allow workers in the horticulture, meat processing and dairy sectors from non-EEA countries to access the labour market.
As the economy improves and we approach full employment, labour shortages at the lower skills end of the jobs market are becoming apparent in some sectors, with the consequent potential to constrict growth if these needs are not met.
Earlier this year, in recognition of the changed economy and labour market of today as we move clearly and strongly out of the downturn, I asked my Department to review the economic migration policies underpinning the current employment permits system. The purpose of the review is to ensure that our current policies are fully supportive of Ireland’s emerging labour market needs, be they critical skills needs or lower-skilled labour shortages. The review is overseen by an Interdepartmental Group, chaired by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation. A Report is due to for my consideration by the end of June 2018.
However, I am acutely aware of the particular challenges facing parts of the agri-food sector. The sector employs about 173,000 people across the regions, contributes almost 8% to gross national income, and currently has exports worth almost €13.5bn. It is our most important indigenous sector and its reach into rural Ireland brings jobs and value to every region. For this reason, I asked the review group in advance of completing the full review, to prioritise the emerging labour shortages in the sector in its deliberations.
I am applying a quota of 500 permits for horticulture workers, 250 for meat processing operatives and 50 for dairy farm assistants. This is to ensure that in the longer-term, strategies are put in place to source labour supply from both the domestic and European labour markets and to invest in innovative technologies for the sector. A new minimum remuneration threshold of €22,000 is being introduced for these occupations. Furthermore, there will be specific obligations on the employers around the welfare and prospects of the foreign nationals employed. This includes ensuring they have access to suitable accommodation and to training in areas such as language skills.
This is a departure from our current employment permits regime, which has generally focused on critical skills gaps at the higher end of the labour market as we position Ireland for further growth in the knowledge economy. Like many developed countries, however, we are now seeing pressures at the lower-skilled end of the market. In seeking to deal with these pressures, I am also conscious that any changes introduced must not disrupt the domestic labour market.
Employment permit policy is part of the response to addressing skills deficits which exist and are likely to continue into the medium term, but it is not intended over the longer term to act as a substitute for meeting the challenge of up-skilling the State’s resident workforce, with an emphasis on the process of lifelong learning, and on maximizing the potential of EEA nationals to fill our skills deficits.
The report of the Inter-Departmental review group, due this summer, is tasked with recommending a strategy for economic migration to meet the State's changing labour needs into the future.
28. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the key measures in the Action Plan for Jobs 2018 for persons with disabilities. [22873/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Action Plan for Jobs is one of the Government’s key instruments to support job creation. The Action Plan for Jobs process has worked well to achieve its primary objective. Since the first Plan was launched in early 2012, there are over 345,000 more people at work. The unemployment rate has fallen from a high of 16 per cent to 5.9 per cent in April 2018. A continuing focus of the Action Plan for Jobs is that the regions benefit from employment growth so that all regions have an unemployment rate of no more than one percentage point of the national average.
The four key aims of Action Plan for Jobs 2018 are that:
- Ireland’s enterprise base remains successful amid the uncertainty created by Brexit;
- all parts of the country achieve their potential in terms of job creation;
- those entering, re-entering, or in the workforce have the incentives and skills needed to prosper; and
- Ireland’s enterprise base remains successful by focusing relentlessly on competitiveness, productivity, and innovation.
With Action Plan for Jobs 2018, the Government demonstrates its commitment to support the long-term growth of our enterprise sector. Action Plan for Jobs 2018 reflects the Enterprise 2025 Renewed priorities and also the priorities within other Government strategies that are relevant to job creation, including for people with disabilities, e.g. Pathways to Work Strategy and the Action Plan for Education. Pathways to Work is the main Government initiative encouraging access to the labour market and ultimately participation in employment. It is complemented by the Action Plan for Jobless Households, the National Disability Inclusion Strategy, and the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities.
Under Action Plan for Jobs 2018, there is a focus on increasing participation in the labour market, including assisting access to work for those who wish to do so, by ensuring they have opportunity to address real or perceived skills deficiencies, whether they are discouraged workers or people with disabilities.
Specific measures in Action Plan for Jobs 2018 include implementing the Pathways to Work Strategy, increasing awareness among employers of the range of services and supports available to maximise take up, and improving information flow on welfare-to-work schemes, targeting employers and inactive people.
There is also a specific action to increase the focus of activation efforts on groups outside the labour force, by:
- reviewing the range of income supports (including in-work supports) for people with disabilities to ensure payments are aligned between schemes and, if appropriate, amend the payment structure to ensure that it supports a return to work for people who wish to do so;
- expanding the use of Intreo Centres as a gateway to engage with people with disabilities and increase the number of Intreo staff trained in the provision of employment supports to people with disability; and
- developing online ready-reckoner tools for people on disability payments to assess the net benefits of returning to work.
29. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if she will report on the uptake of the Brexit loan scheme for Irish businesses in the first two weeks since its launch on 28 March 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22637/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Brexit Loan Scheme provides affordable working capital to eligible businesses with up to 499 employees that are or will be Brexit impacted and meet the scheme criteria. The €23 million Exchequer funding (€14 million from my Department and €9 million from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine) has been leveraged to provide a fund of up to €300 million.
The scheme features a two-stage application process. First, businesses must apply to the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) to confirm their eligibility for the scheme. This application process requires businesses to use guidelines provided on the SBCI website to determine if they are eligible, and if so, to complete the eligibility form. As part of the process, businesses must submit a business plan, demonstrating the means by which they intend to innovate, change or adapt to meet the challenges posed by Brexit. The SBCI assess the applications and successful applicants receive an eligibility reference number.
Successful applicants can then apply for a loan under the scheme with one of the participating finance providers. Participating finance providers are the Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank with Allied Irish Bank following in June. Approval of loans are subject to the finance providers own credit policies and procedures.
The scheme was launched on 28 March this year. Metrics detailing the uptake of the scheme will be available at the end of Quarter 2, 2018.
30. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation her plans to minimise the impact of Brexit in County Donegal; the engagement she has had with the IDA to ensure it secures new investment in the county in view of Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22627/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI fully appreciate the importance of ensuring that Irish businesses, including those located in Donegal, are best able to withstand the pressures that Brexit may exert. That is why additional financial resources have been secured to support the strategic response to Brexit by our enterprise agencies, including IDA Ireland.
Brexit, or more particularly the response to the challenges it presents, is a key factor in shaping IDA Ireland's strategy and operations. This includes the Agency's approach to regional development, finance, planning, marketing and promotional activities. The IDA has established a specific Brexit Committee to oversee its response to the opportunities and challenges arising from the UK’s exit from the EU. The Agency also has a clear Brexit Plan, which includes one-to-one investor engagements and public relations and media campaigns.
I am very much conscious of the particular trade implications that Brexit may have for Border counties, such as Donegal, where 12 IDA Ireland client companies are based. These companies employ 3,389 people in the County. I am pleased that the level of employment by multinationals in the County has increased by 52% since 2012 and we are committed - notwithstanding the challenges associated with Brexit - to increasing these numbers even further.
Employment growth in Donegal is not, of course, driven by overseas companies alone. Enterprise Ireland has also grown its jobs numbers in the County, with its client companies increasing employment by over 100 positions in 2017. Both Enterprise Ireland and the IDA maintain constant engagement with their clients in Donegal to encourage them to grow jobs and investments in the County even further. The Agencies also work together, wherever possible, to spur employment creation. The Local Enterprise Offices, as well as InterTrade Ireland, are also working hard to ensure sustainable job growth for County Donegal and for the wider North-West Region.
31. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the steps being taken to reverse competitiveness deficiencies and to make Dublin an attractive location for businesses to locate in; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22883/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraDespite intense competition, Ireland’s competitiveness performance remains positive. Ireland moved from 16th in 2015 to 6th in 2017 in the Institute for Management Development’s World Competitiveness Yearbook. In addition, the World Bank’s most recent “Doing Business 2018” report shows Ireland is now ranked 17th out of 190 countries, an improvement of one place on last year.
However, there is no room for complacency. Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge 2017 Report, published by the National Competitiveness Council in December last year, outlines the main challenges to Ireland’s competitiveness and the policy responses required to meet them. Although national in scope, many of the recommendations apply to Dublin. My officials and I remain focused on competitiveness - an agenda that requires continued cross Government commitment and a focus on the implementation of actions to enhance it.
As Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, my objective is to create the best possible environment for enterprise, entrepreneurship, innovation and investment across all regions, including Dublin. The immediate challenge for Ireland is to ensure growth is sustainable, that enterprises are resilient and we continue to grow Irish enterprises and attract foreign direct investment. We are continually examining how we can improve on factors that are crucial to fostering further investment here, including our cost base, infrastructure, the availability of talent and innovation.
Enterprise 2025 Renewed - which I launched recently - placed an increased emphasis on developing our Irish-owned enterprises. There is a strong focus on taking action that will embed resilience in our enterprise base. We are placing a spotlight on innovation and on skills. Enterprise Ireland places a strong emphasis on competitiveness. It supports exporting enterprises with initiatives in Lean, Research, Development and Innovation, and management development. The Agency helps enterprises to take a strategic approach to understanding and responding to potential implications arising from Brexit and assists them to enter into new markets and diversify their export base. The Local Enterprise Offices offer a suite of supports to enhance the competitiveness of small and micro enterprises.
Quality and affordability of life is particularly important in ensuring Ireland is an attractive location for talent and investment. Ireland, and particularly Dublin, relative to many EU cities, is an expensive place to live in terms of residential property costs. The Government is acutely aware that ultimately, additional housing supply is required to address house price and rent pressures. The 'Rebuilding Ireland’ Plan presents a wide-ranging set of commitments to address housing supply, and while many of these will take time, the Government is implementing and driving change. In 2017, over 17,500 new homes commenced construction.
Recognising that Dublin’s continued performance is critical to Ireland’s overall competitiveness, some of the key measures outlined in the National Planning Framework, such as delivering the key rail projects set out in the Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area, improving access to Dublin Airport and facilitating the growth of Dublin Port, are also focused on supporting the future growth and success of Dublin as Ireland’s leading global city of scale.
32. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation when the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission will report on the operation of the household waste collection market; her plans to publish the report; if publication can be brought forward as soon as possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22849/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraPolicy responsibility for the waste sector lies with the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment. On 4 July 2017, a motion was passed by Dáil Éireann which called on the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to ask the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) to report on the operation of the household waste collection market.
Following a formal request on 25 September from the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, the then Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, in accordance with section 10(4) of the Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014, requested the CCPC to carry out a study on the operation of the household waste collection market.
The study will assess the household waste collection market and make recommendations, as appropriate. It will assess the nature and scale of consumer and operator issues in the household waste collection market and consider if the introduction of an enhanced regulatory regime could efficiently address these issues, in the short and long term. It will include the following elements:
1. Research on current issues in the waste sector.
2. An economic assessment of the household waste collection market.
3. An overview of waste collection in other countries.
I understand that the study is well advanced and that to date the CCPC has carried out an extensive series of interviews and meetings with approximately 20 key stakeholders in the waste market including those with a policy/enforcement role, consumer representative groups, academics, industry representative groups and individual household waste collection operators. The CCPC has also commissioned:
- consumer market research;
- engaged with other EU national competition agencies on how waste markets operate in their jurisdictions;
- sought extensive information from over 40 operators and commissioned an external econometric analysis of the data received; and
- conducted a public consultation exercise.
I understand that the CCPC anticipates that its report will be finalised over the summer. The issue of publication will be considered at that stage.
33. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the progress in achieving more gender balance in funded research under Science Foundation Ireland's Agenda 2020 strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22623/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2016, Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) published its Gender Strategy for the years 2016-2020. This strategy provides a comprehensive framework for delivering SFI’s actions to retain and increase the participation of excellent female researchers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) careers. Since the launch, SFI has moved towards streamlining gender initiatives across all its programmes, with the overarching aim of redressing the gender imbalance amongst SFI award holders.
SFI’s Gender Strategy sets out the agency’s roadmap to improve the representation and progression of women in all aspects of STEM careers in Ireland:
- Strand 1 of the strategy focuses on gender equality across SFI education and public engagement initiatives, with the aim of increasing the participation and interest of girls in STEM-related activities.
- Strand 2 targets female representation within the SFI funded portfolio and SFI review panels. Concrete measures to achieve these targets are outlined.
- Strand 3 will ensure that gender perspectives are integrated into the research content of SFI funded research programmes.
In 2017, SFI achieved its Agenda 2020 target of making 25% of its awards to female researchers and this target has now been revised upward to 30%. This target has been aided by SFI providing incentives for research bodies to submit applications from female researchers to various programmes, with a focus on those aligned with early career stage.
The SFI Research Outputs Census 2017 shows that the percentage of female SFI Award Holders Active in 2017 was 28%, up on 25% in 2016 and 21% in 2015. The percentage of female team members (those employed on SFI awards) was 37%, an increase on 35% in 2016, which represents progress towards redressing gender imbalance.
Furthermore, award holders’ success rates (2016) shows that female researchers are as competitive as their male counterparts in terms of their SFI funding success rate i.e., 32% across all programmes. However, female researchers within the same cohort (2016) accounted for only 25% of SFI funding applications received.
SFI is also supportive of the Athena SWAN Charter which is the internationally recognised ‘quality mark’ for gender equality. It was established to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine.
Science Foundation Ireland continues to implement specific grant management policies to deal with the needs of female researchers during periods of maternity and adoptive leave, and will continue to innovate in this regard. The policies being developed and associated outcomes will complement and support the Athena SWAN initiative, whereby the Irish Research Council, Science Foundation Ireland and the Health Research Board will require research bodies to have attained a bronze institutional Athena SWAN award by the end of 2019 and a silver institutional Athena SWAN by the end of 2023, to be eligible for research funding.
Another aspect of Science Foundation Ireland’s Gender Strategy is to ensure that gender is integrated as a perspective in all the research Science Foundation Ireland funds, when this is relevant. While this approach was launched for some programmes during 2017, applicants will in future be required to provide a statement articulating the sex/gender variables in their research and will include guidance for applicants and a request for comment from the reviewers.
Finally, further rollout of gender redressing initiatives amongst SFI award holders will include those to address gender imbalance in senior academic roles. Specifically, in order to encourage more applications from excellent female researchers to the SFI Research Professorship Programme, SFI is mandating that for all institutions wishing to nominate candidates to the programme, one of the next two successful Expressions of Interest (i.e. approved by SFI) must be associated with a female candidate, which must then be followed up with the submission of a Full Proposal.
The above detail shows that SFI is proactive in bringing about a sea change on gender equality matters in the field of research and development and I am confident that the initiatives employed by SFI to date will continue to bring further successes in the future.
34. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if she has had discussions with the Minister for Finance and-or on a European level on fair taxation of imported goods that are being purchased over the Internet by consumers in direct competition with retailers operating in cities and towns here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22624/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraWith the increase in digitisation and internet developments, consumers are enabled to make purchases of goods from across the world that can be delivered to their doorstep. Through initiatives such as on-line vouchers, we encourage Irish based retailers to take advantage of the opportunities presented so that they too can tap into markets further afield.
Concerns have recently been raised relating to taxation of online activities in the Retail Consultation Forum chaired by Minister Breen. Whilst I have not engaged directly with the Minister for Finance or on a European level on this topic, I have been advised that proposals for Modernising VAT on e-Commerce were adopted in December 2017. These proposals should go some way to addressing issues raised by changing the method of charging VAT on business-to-consumer cross border supplies.
These proposals aim to:
- address the imbalance whereby lower value goods that are being imported into the EU are exempt from VAT.
In addition, the proposals will make large online marketplaces responsible for:
- ensuring VAT is collected on sales on their platforms that are made by companies in non-EU countries to EU consumers.
These changes will come into force in 2021.
35. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if funding will be provided for Ireland to join CERN in order that significant commercial and research benefits can be obtained from membership of the organisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22851/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraInnovation 2020, the national strategy for research and innovation, recognises that in order for Ireland to become a Global Innovation Leader, our research and innovation system must be open with strong international collaboration links. Membership of leading International Research Organisations is an important mechanism for facilitating this engagement.
For this reason, the Government gave a commitment in Innovation 2020 to examine Ireland's membership options with a number of International Research Organisations including CERN and also the European Southern Observatory (ESO), ELIXIR and LOFAR.
Ireland joined ELIXIR, the life sciences data infrastructure organisation in 2016 and in 2017 my Department funded Ireland's membership of the International LOFAR Radio Telescope. As announced in October 2017, Ireland is expected to join ESO later in 2018.
CERN is a leading global scientific collaboration investigating the fundamental composition of matter. It was established in 1952 and currently has 21 member states and co-operation agreements with approximately 40 other states. My Department has been assessing the case for membership of CERN.
Regrettably, in view of the intense demands on the capital programme and the tight fiscal constraints it will not be possible to progress membership of both CERN and the European Southern Observatory in 2018. As mentioned, Ireland will join ESO later this year and a capital allocation has been obtained specifically to ensure Ireland's membership. This will cost €0.75 million in 2018 and increase to approximately €3.5 million in 2019.
This decision to proceed to join ESO first reflects an assessment of the costs and benefits of each membership. ESO has been prioritised over CERN because of the large, established community of astronomy researchers in Ireland. Astronomy is an active area of research in each of our universities and several of our institutes of technology.
This community is well positioned to avail of the opportunities provided by ESO membership, thereby maximising the immediate benefit to Ireland.
These opportunities include participation in pioneering frontier research, access to cutting-edge technology, commercial opportunities for enterprise, the creation of human capital and skills and the further promotion of STEM subjects in Ireland.
In addition, the companies in Ireland that have had great success in securing contracts from the European Space Agency are well placed to bid for ESO contracts due to the overlap between the technologies used by ESO and ESA.
I fully recognise the value of membership of International Research Organisations (IROs) and my Department has an on-going objective to increase Ireland's participation in IROs.
We will keep the issue of CERN membership under review and it is my hope that we may be in a position to progress CERN membership in the future, when the fiscal situation permits.
38. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if she will report on recent CSO trends in goods exports; the key components of goods exports to date in 2018; and the impact Brexit has had on the latest CSO figures. [22889/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 16 May 2018 the CSO released the latest data on Goods Exports from Ireland. These show that the value of goods exports rose by 4% in Quarter 1 this year when compared to Q1 in 2017. The value of goods exports in Jan-March 2018 was €33.521 billion compared to a value of €32.141 billion in Jan-March 2017.
The principal categories of goods exports in the Quarter were: Medical and Pharmaceutical Products, which increased by 18% to €11 billion; Organic Chemicals, which increased by 47% to €7 billion; and Miscellaneous manufactured articles, which increased by 5% to €1.8 billion when compared with Q1 last year.
While in March 2018 the value of goods exports to the UK fell by 5.7%, for the period Jan-March 2018 there has been a 2% increase in the value of goods exports to the UK.
Overall, in 2017, total exports of goods and services reached a record level of €283 billion, a 9% increase over 2016. Services export values rose by 14%, to their highest level to date of €161 billion and, for a fourth consecutive year the value of goods exports from Ireland rose to reach a new record high of €122 billion.
Goods exports from Ireland globally and to the UK have risen in the first quarter of 2018. The CSO data in itself does not reveal the impact that Brexit may have had on the level of these exports. However, it does provide a valuable indication of trends which will continue to be monitored while the Government intensifies its efforts, domestically and internationally, to support companies with an export focus.
In the 'Building Stronger Business' report, my Department set out a strategy to minimise risks of Brexit and maximise opportunities across four pillars of helping companies to compete, innovate, trade and to negotiate the best outcome for business. It sets out the range of diagnostic, advisory and financial supports that are being made available to companies to help minimise Brexit impacts and target new opportunities.
Dedicated measures were announced in Budget 2018, including a new €300 million Brexit loan scheme for businesses and a €25 million Brexit response loan scheme for the agrifood sector. This is in addition to supports for capital investment in the food industry and Bord Bia marketing and promotion activities, amounting to over €50 million in total. The fund of €116 billion announced in Project 2040 for capital investment over the next decade will also allow the State and its agencies to properly plan major infrastructure projects which can accelerate economic growth and mitigate the impact of Brexit. An Taoiseach’s plans for our increased Global Footprint 2025 will further underpin the across-Government efforts to support our globally-trading companies, thereby sustaining jobs, ever mindful of the various challenges to further growth potential, including, of course, Brexit.
39. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the measures taken by her Department to prevent breaches of the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 in the hospitality sector; the further steps she plans to take; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22884/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) is responsible for ensuring compliance with employment rights legislation generally, including the national minimum wage. Inspectors from the WRC routinely carry out inspections of employer records in all sectors of employment with a view to determining compliance with employment rights legislation. These inspections arise:
- In response to complaints received of alleged non-compliance with relevant employment rights legislation;
- As part of compliance campaigns which focus on compliance in specific sectors or specific pieces of legislation, or
- As routine inspections, which act as a control measure.
The WRC has in place a robust inspection regime to monitor compliance with employment law in all employment sectors, including the hospitality sector. In 2017 alone, over 700 inspections were undertaken in the hospitality sector.
It is also noteworthy that the vast majority of the 2,741 out of hours inspections conducted by WRC inspectors in 2017 were in the hospitality sector. It is my understanding also that the WRC plans to maintain this level of activity in the sector this year.
As a result of the focused inspection approach of the WRC inspectorate, a total of €1,769,484 in unpaid wages was recovered in 2017, of which over €550,000 was accounted for by the hotel and food and drink sectors.
40. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the conditions that surrounded the sale of the State's stake in a studio (details supplied); the way in which this fits into the strategy in respect of securing Ireland as an attractive location for film production into the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20006/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraArdmore Studios Limited has been sold to Olcott Entertainment Limited. The Ardmore site is currently zoned for Film Industry use only, and this protection is due to run for at least 5 more years under the Bray Municipal District Local Area plan. The site cannot be used for non-Film Industry development without the agreement of Wicklow County Council to alter the current zoning restriction.
Enterprise Ireland negotiated the sale of its shareholding with the benefit of due diligence undertaken by independent consultants and are satisfied that they realised full market value, and on a par with the other parties.
Investment is required in the Ardmore studio’s facilities to secure its long term commercial future and the Olcott Entertainment deal provides the potential to breathe new life into the company at a time when the market for film production in Ireland is again showing good growth potential.
I understand that Olcott plans to develop and expand the Ardmore Studio offering, and other related entertainment projects, and to retain the current experienced Ardmore management and staff.
The promoters of Olcott Entertainment have a strong track record in the film production industry. This acquisition will ensure Ardmore Studios continues to be a world class film studio, can strengthen the potential of Ireland as a location for film production and take advantage of new opportunities in emerging areas including on-demand TV, content and gaming production.
Overall, I am confident that the sale will not only continue to ensure high quality production of current projects, but will also provide continued investment in the studio, and employment opportunities for the skilled workers in the area.
Policy responsibility for the development of the film industry rests with my colleague, Ms Josepha Madigan, TD, Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
The Irish Film Board is the national development agency for the Irish film, TV Drama and the animation industry. Its statutory remit is to assist and encourage the making of film in the State and the development of the industry in Ireland. In 2018, €18 million was allocated to the IFB, an increase of €1.55 million from the previous year.
The Film Board also supports the Irish screen industries at major international markets and festivals, promotes inward investment, the use of Ireland as a location for international production and provides support for companies filming in Ireland. The Board liaises with IDA Ireland and Tourism Ireland to maximise opportunities for the promotion of Ireland as a location for film productions. Information on its funding scheme is available on the Irish Film Board website at www.irishfilmboard.ie.
The Government also supports the film industry through the film tax relief scheme - Section 481 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. The twin approach of direct funding and tax expenditure measures maximises the benefits of the Government’s support to the audiovisual industry.
41. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of enterprises set up in the past 12 months that are deemed to have a high tech employment requirement; the extent to which Ireland remains an attractive location for such enterprises; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22811/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAdvances in technologies are taking place at an unprecedented pace. Technological advances have a pervasive impact across many, if not all, sectors of the economy. In this regard, many sectors of the economy today require technology skills and expertise – demands for high-tech skills are not merely the domain of the ICT sector.
Enterprise 2025 Renewed reaffirms Ireland’s ambition to be positioned to the forefront in disruptive technologies, embedding innovation and driving productivity growth. Enterprise 2025 Renewed places a spotlight on talent – ensuring that Ireland continues to perform well internationally in terms of access to the skills required of the 21st Century.
Growth in high tech related employment is buoyant and will likely continue to be so in the coming years. This is being driven by factors such as market demand, technology shifts, the impact of cloud computing, and digital transformation of the economy.
A large number of investments by IDA Ireland client companies into the country require technically proficient staff. For example, new projects announced in 2018 – such as Jaguar Land Rover’s planned software engineering centre in Shannon or MSD’s planned new biotechnology facility in Dublin – will need highly skilled employees.
Enterprise Ireland supported a total of 181 start ups in 2017 (90 of which are classified as High Potential Start Ups). The medtech, fintech and agtech sectors were well represented, and the majority of start-ups have a strong technological element, data analytics or on-line presence.
Much of the demand for a variety of high tech skills is in established areas such as software development. Enterprises are also making plans, however, to hire more expertise in new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Blockchain and Cybersecurity as digital transformation proceeds.
The growth in high technology roles is underpinned by the ICT Skills Action Plan, which is jointly developed and managed by my Department and the Department of Education and Skills. The third iteration of the ICT Action Plan will be published in the coming months, and will build on the success of previous plans with a range of measures aimed at maintaining the momentum in increasing the output of skilled high level ICT professionals from the education and training system, enhancing ICT capacity and awareness, ensuring Ireland maintains a strong ICT talent pool, and that Ireland is promoted as a centre for high level ICT skills.
Ireland remains a favoured destination for investment that requires high-tech employment on account of our highly skilled and flexible workforce. Our education system is also a key factor as it continues to produce the calibre of graduates that foreign and Irish owned companies seek for their high-tech facilities and investments. Investments in place-making, as envisaged in Project Ireland 2040, to develop places that are attractive to live, work and invest in and offer a quality of life, will continue to play a key role in Ireland’s attractiveness for mobile talent.
I am confident, given our strengths and track record as a home to high-tech global companies, that we can expect further such investments in the future. The Government will continue to work hard to ensure that Ireland’s offering to such firms remains highly attractive and competitive.
