Alan Dillon

-----to the current unemployment rates, nor to the more than 2.8 million people now employed in our economy. Indeed, these FDI companies support our strong indigenous companies. Indirectly, we have seen thousands of-----

-----jobs created as a result of these sectors, which has been a real positive in relation to EI-backed companies now exporting back to the US.

In the US, more than 770 Irish companies are now creating more than 200,000 jobs. We are the sixth largest investor in the US. This is extremely important if we look at the scale of what Ireland has to offer and the mutual relationship between the countries. Additionally, Ireland has certainly built a strong reputation for global business and this is based on more than just our tax policy. Global …

Regarding the tariffs and challenges we have regarding the all-Ireland economy, we are working to ensure that supply chains on the island, which are deeply connected and integrated, are supported as we face the challenges ahead.

The Deputy knows what he has said.

Bargain basement.

It is disgraceful.

That is not pertinent.

Does the Deputy want them to go to the UK?

No.

I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. As he will be aware, Ireland has a comprehensive body of employment, equality and industrial relations legislation. Ireland’s system of industrial relations is essentially voluntary in nature. It has been the consistent policy of successive governments to support the industrial relations institutional framework. Indeed, the programme for Govern…

As I said in my earlier contribution, Ireland has a robust suite of employment rights legislation to protect and support workers in redundancy situations. In the first instance, responsibility for the resolution of industrial disputes between employers and workers rests with the employer and the workers and their representatives. The programme for Government supports the critical role of the WRC a…

I am not familiar with the detail of this specific case, but Ireland's system of industrial relations is essentially voluntary in nature. It has been a consistent policy of consecutive governments to support the development of the institutional framework within the WRC and the Labour Court. In this instance, we did receive advance notice of collective redundancies from the company which complied w…

I thank Deputy Conway-Walsh for raising this important matter. I look forward to working with her in delivering the SDZ at Ireland West Airport Knock. Balanced regional development is a key focus of this Government. My Department contributes to this objective through the work of its enterprise development agencies, Enterprise Ireland and the IDA as well as through the network of 31 LEOs which have…

I think we are all in agreement that this is a critical piece of enterprise-enabling infrastructure for the west and north west. We have support from the Minister, Deputy Burke, and the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, who also have regional responsibilities. The development requires focus and commitment. I welcome the appointment of Dominick Healy in August last year. He is a very competent proje…

This Government has been steadfast in its support for Ireland West Airport Knock through the regional airports programme. More than €20 million has been invested in key infrastructure, safety and security projects at the airport. There were record passenger numbers again. The trajectory for that airport is important. Work is being done with the board of Ireland West Airport Knock to attract invest…

I thank Deputy Murphy for raising this really important matter. As he will be aware, the Low Pay Commission recommended the abolition of the subminimum rates in March 2024. The Low Pay Commission highlighted in its report that this is a complex issue. It stated that the Government will need to give the findings and recommendations detailed consideration and deliberation, and highlighted the need f…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Certainly, it is a more nuanced issue than he is suggesting. It is really important that our Department compiles the economic impact assessment which will provide more up-to-date data. The previous Low Pay Commission and ESRI reports on the use of subminimum rates were back in 2022. We want to independently evaluate the economic impact. We also want to model the i…

Go raibh maith agat. It is an issue I have raised with the Department in preparation for today's Oral Questions. We do want this economic impact assessment to be provided, evaluated and reviewed. As I said, we have made substantial increases in the national minimum wage. The current system for youth rates is a percentage of the full minimum wage. They have also seen an increase in recent times. We…

I thank Deputy Coppinger for raising this important matter. My Department complies with public procurement guidelines for goods and services and relevant EU and national legal requirements and obligations. The aim of these European and national rules is to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers best value for money. Public procurement rules inc…

I thank the Deputy. I am not fully familiar with the Veolia situation. The current approach is comprehensive, adequate and proportionate and aligns with the EU principles of openness, fairness and transparency. With all State contracts, each bidder in the procurement process must sign a statement confirming that if it is awarded any service contract, it will in the performance of that contract com…

We have a really strong track record in respect of our Office of Government Procurement and contract obligations. I am not aware of the situation the Deputy has raised with the company in question. There is a cohort of mechanisms in place within the employment law framework here in Ireland in conjunction with the Labour Court and the WRC, and also within the Departments of enterprise and social pr…

I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. The national hydrogen strategy was published in July 2023 and is our first major policy statement on renewable hydrogen. It marks an important first step in developing an indigenous hydrogen industry in Ireland. The strategy sets out our strategic vision for the role that hydrogen will play in Ireland’s energy system and as a key component of o…

Certainly, the potential is enormous. I talked to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and officials about this really important matter yesterday. Work has commenced on the implementation of the strategy in parallel with the delivery of many of the 21 actions currently in place that I outlined earlier. The delivery and commencement programme this year will be an important step forward in that regard and …

This is something that the Department is engaging with the industry on, including with many of the key stakeholders in the industry who are working in the area of hydrogen itself, along with the Health and Safety Authority, HSA. We are working on this from a safety point of view, as well as in terms of best practice to ensure that we have the best and safest practices going forward. As regards th…