September 6th2010
Batt O'Keeffe
MINISTER for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Batt O’Keeffe has announced a €1.4 million pilot management training fund for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) aimed at driving productivity and improving workplace skills.
The move comes on foot of Forfás research for the Management Development Council, published in March, which identified areas for improvement in management practice among SMEs.
Minister O’Keeffe said he was initially investing €1.4 million to get the pilot fund up and running this year.
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September 3rd2010
Batt O'Keeffe
MINSTER for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Batt O’Keeffe has announced 31 new jobs under an expansion plan by a firm that designs aluminium window and door systems.
Minister O’Keeffe announced the jobs at the opening of a new €8 million aluminium extrusion plant in Architectural and Metal Systems (AMS) based in Little Island, Co Cork. The plant is the first of its kind in Ireland.
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August 30th2010
Batt O'Keeffe
THE Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Batt O’Keeffe has launched a Government plan to place 50 top-level college graduates in export-led Irish firms.
Graduates 4 International Growth (G4IG), developed and delivered by Enterprise Ireland in partnership with UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, will last for 18 months.
Graduates will undertake an initial six-month intensive training and skills development programme in an Enterprise Ireland client firm followed by a 12-month placement in a relevant overseas market.
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August 26th2010
Batt O'Keeffe
THE Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Batt O’Keeffe has said remarks by a Fine Gael TD Michael Creed on statutory redundancies are inaccurate and politically motivated.
Minister O’Keeffe said his officials were dealing with a large volume of claims due to the recession.
“The number of statutory redundancy claims has tripled in the past two-and-a-half years and I have deployed extra resources to clear the backlog. We have cut the number of claims by 11,000 in the past nine months – from 43,000 last November to 33,000 this month.
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August 9th2010
Tyndall Institute UCC
MORE college researchers are set to team up with businesses to produce products that have market potential and can create high-quality jobs following a €37 million investment boost announced today by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Batt O’Keeffe TD.
Minister O’Keeffe has set aside €37 million in extra funding over the next six years for investment in new research centres which will bring industry and academics together to work on market-focused innovative products.
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