Results 341-360 of 1,049,021 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Peter Burke OR speaker:Pat Buckley OR speaker:Mary Lou McDonald OR speaker:Michael Healy-Rae)

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regional Development (24 Oct 2024)

Peter Burke: I thank the Deputy for his question. Regional development is a key element of the Government's enterprise policy and is a key focus of the work of my Department and our enterprise development agencies. On job creation, the agencies of my Department are deeply committed to fostering investment in jobs across the manufacturing and services sectors throughout the country. This commitment...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regional Development (24 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister for his exceptionally comprehensive reply and confirming the Government policy and his continued support for the thrust of what he said. To what degree is cognisance taken of the threats to jobs in the various regions, including the region in which we stand at the moment? To what degree is his Department cognisant of changes in the marketplace and how they might...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (24 Oct 2024)

Small and Medium Enterprises

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (24 Oct 2024)

Robert Troy: 56. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to address the challenges facing SMEs. [43436/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (24 Oct 2024)

Robert Troy: I thank the Acting Chair for the flexibility. I did not realise we would come back to this question but I welcome the opportunity to hear the Minister’s plans with regard to the additional measures that can be introduced to support our SME sector, which everyone across the Chamber will agree is of critical importance to our economy.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (24 Oct 2024)

Peter Burke: I thank the Deputy for his very important question. We know small family businesses are the backbone of the economy. They employ two thirds of all employees in our country and drive so much vital economic activity across many of our communities. In the first few weeks of my appointment as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment I introduced an SME package which brought a second round...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (24 Oct 2024)

Robert Troy: The power up grant and the money that has been made available this year is similar to the amount the IDA is getting to support multinationals in job creation despite the fact that, as the Minister said, two thirds of employment is in the SME sector. If two thirds of employment is in one sector, why is it getting a similar amount of money to multinationals, which are a very important part of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (24 Oct 2024)

Peter Burke: I have really changed the direction of the Department to focus on small businesses. The Deputy can see that from the SME package I brought in and the SME test now having received Cabinet approval such that every statutory instrument, regulation or primary legislation change must have an SME impact assessment. We have put money behind it, with the enormous amount of grant support that is now...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (24 Oct 2024)

Robert Troy: Perhaps the Minister will answer about the sick pay in the next round. As a person who led trade missions, I concur fully with what he said about the importance of FDI. However, we are spending a similar amount on FDI as on supporting SMEs despite there being a greater number of people employed in our SMEs. We need to increase the expenditure there. Will the Minister speak about what...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (24 Oct 2024)

Peter Burke: It is very difficult to get through everything in a minute. I will make a decision on sick pay before the end of the year. As the Deputy will be aware, having been in the Department when many of the regulations came in, we are trying to take a pace, reduce the burden and put our SMEs first. On energy, we had a competitiveness summit in recent months. We are directing massive investment...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (24 Oct 2024)

Small and Medium Enterprises

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (24 Oct 2024)

Violet-Anne Wynne: 59. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment how his Department plans to address the difficulties facing small businesses as costs rise but profits do not; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43571/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (24 Oct 2024)

Violet-Anne Wynne: How does the Department plan to address the difficulties facing small businesses as costs rise but profits do not? I ask him to make a statement on the matter.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (24 Oct 2024)

Peter Burke: This is a similar question to the previous one. It is important. We are trying to work with family businesses across the country. We brought in the SME package in the first weeks after I was appointed by the new Taoiseach. We are focusing on trying to lower the cost base for so many family businesses. We have brought in initiatives, such as ensuring they have support through...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Business Supports (24 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Deputy for his question. We have taken a number of steps to address the concerns of small businesses and the challenge they are facing around rising costs. The increased cost of business scheme has paid out over €244 million in this year to almost 75,000 SMEs, which includes 38,000 SMEs in retail and hospitality. Recognising that businesses operating in retail and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Business Supports (24 Oct 2024)

Cathal Crowe: I thank the Minister of State. On budget day, I think the power-up grants were certainly a positive announcement. I know from talking to people in Clare County Council and constituents who have businesses that there is some cause for hope. They also feel that the last few years have loaded an awful lot on employers and people who own businesses. One the things they will say, and we have...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Business Supports (24 Oct 2024)

Dara Calleary: There is an acknowledgment that we have introduced a lot of initiatives in recent years and that the sequencing of them was not properly thought out with respect to costs. It was not done. We have strengthened the SME test. The Cabinet signed off on that this week. It will ensure that far more vision is given to initiatives, and that they are sequenced and streamlined. As the Deputy...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Business Supports (24 Oct 2024)

Cathal Crowe: The legislative framework is there. We have had the budget. The budget was now a few weeks ago. I often hear from people in HR that the sick leave, in particular, is causing quite a lot of problems. One employer in County Clare provided me with a spreadsheet showing the sick leave his company has at the moment and how much it is costing. It is very worrying that you can phone some of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Business Supports (24 Oct 2024)

Claire Kerrane: We have two supplementaries before the Minister of State comes back in. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh is first.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Business Supports (24 Oct 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I raise the concerns I have around the closing down of retail businesses, particularly in Mayo. The Minister of State will be very familiar with it. When I walk down American Street in Belmullet or some of the streets in Ballina, Castlebar and other areas, I see that many businesses are shut down. That speaks to me of the disconnect. We are not connecting up. The bureaucracy and red tape...