Results 46,461-46,480 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (21 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: In accordance with Section 8(4) of the Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Act 2003, all appointments to the board of Science Foundation Ireland are made by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, following consultation with the Minister for Education & Science. The section also provides that the Minister for Education &...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (21 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: Section 35 of the Competition Act 2002 provides that the Competition Authority shall consist of a chairperson and such number of other whole-time members, not being less than 2 nor more than 4, as the Minster for Enterprise, Trade and Employment determines and appoints. I may also appoint part-time members. Appointments to the Authority are made by me following a competition and selection...

Written Answers — Grocery Industry: Grocery Industry (21 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: Since the Groceries Order was abolished, the Consumer Price Index shows that the prices of products previously covered by the Groceries Order rose by 5.3% and prices of products not covered by the Groceries Order rose by 4.5% in the period from March 2006 to January 2008. During the same period, prices of products covered by the Groceries Order and products not previously covered by the...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (20 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that spouses of Irish or EU nationals may still apply for an employment permit while awaiting the outcome of their application for residency. The current policy in relation to new first time employment permit applications applies. However, the fee is waived in those cases where the following documents are included with the...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (20 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI) to Ireland and its regions, while Enterprise Ireland is responsible for indigenous industry. Shannon Development's remit includes the provision of property solutions to accommodate the FDI and indigenous sectors in the Mid West region. While I may give general policy directives to...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (20 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Freedom of Information Act came into effect on the 21st April 1998. The number of FOI requests that have been received by my Department each year since 1998 is set out in the following table. My Department takes a proactive approach to Freedom of Information and to openness and transparency in general. Much information is released outside of FOI and therefore is not reflected in the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (20 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The additional information requested by the Deputy has been provided by Enterprise Ireland and is set out in the following tabular statement. As I pointed out in my reply last Wednesday, payment and repayment of grants are day to day operational matters for the Industrial Development agencies, in this case Enterprise Ireland, and I do not have a role in these matters. If the Deputy requires...

Freedom of Information. (20 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: It has not been gutted. The Deputy should stop misleading the House.

Cabinet Committees. (20 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: Climate change has a significant impact on soccer.

Cabinet Committees. (20 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Cork team is back in harness.

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (19 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Advisory Science Council was established by Government in April 2005 under Forfás legislation as a successor body to the Irish Council for Science, Technology and Innovation. The Council operates within the context of the arrangements put in place by Government in June 2004 for the co-ordination and governance of science, technology and innovation matters, which include the Cabinet...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (19 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I understand from FAS that there are twelve members on the Film and Television Advisory Group that advises FAS on Screen Training Ireland which is part of the Services to Business Division within FAS. FAS appoints the chairperson and members of the Advisory Group. The Film and Television Advisory Group advises and assists the FAS Board on the training and development requirements of the...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (19 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The management of IDA Ireland's industrial property portfolio is a day-to-day operational matter for the Agency, as part of the statutory responsibility assigned to it by the Oireachtas and it is not a matter in which I have a function. Accordingly, your query in relation to IDA land in West Cork has been forwarded to the Secretary of IDA Ireland for his consideration.

Written Answers — Percent for Art Scheme: Percent for Art Scheme (19 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Per Cent for Art Scheme under which all Government Departments and their Agencies are required to spend up to 1% of their budget for capital projects on art, subject to certain maximum limits, is administered by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism and the Office of Public Works (OPW). Construction projects including restoration projects and refurbishment projects undertaken by the...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (19 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: My Department does not directly fund capital projects. Capital funding allocated to my Department's Vote is expended through various agencies under the remit of my Department, including IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland, FAS, Shannon Development, InterTrade Ireland, the National Standards Authority of Ireland and the 35 City and County Enterprise Boards. The funding...

Written Answers — Financial Management Systems: Financial Management Systems (19 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: There are two financial management systems in my Department. The principal financial management system is Oracle Financials e-Business Suite. This system is used to track expenditure and receipts for the Department and its Offices and is used to produce the Department's Appropriation Account. The previous financial management system (FMS) is maintained only for the purpose of providing...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (19 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I have been informed by IDA Ireland that of the 12 IDA supported companies in County Kerry that have ceased to operate or have laid off workers in the past 10 years, 6 had an outstanding grant liability to repay. Of that number, 5 companies have repaid a total of €3,213,954 to the Agency. In the case of one company the Agency is in the process of grant revocation in the amount of...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (19 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: Where IDA supported companies close or lay off substantial numbers of employees during the period of the grant agreement they are liable to reimburse the Agency for funds received except for Training Grants. In the 10 year period 1998 to 2007 grant repayments amounting to €207,616,000 were made to the Agency. The amount repaid in each of those years is set out in the tabular statement....

Written Answers — Semi-State Bodies: Semi-State Bodies (19 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: Since 1987, on the formation of Irish Fertilizer Industries Limited (IFI), a joint venture with ICI, Nitrigin Eireann Teoranta (NET) has acted as a holding company. More recently, NET's primary role following the liquidation of IFI in 2002 has been to monitor the progress of that liquidation in the context of NET's claims on the liquidation. As mentioned in my recent response to the Deputy,...

Written Answers — Semi-State Bodies: Semi-State Bodies (19 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: Arramara Teoranta is a client company of Udaras na Gaeltachta and as such I have no responsibility in this matter.