Results 47,441-47,460 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Enterprise Planning: Enterprise Planning (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: I assume the Deputy is referring to the report "Business Continuity Planning – Responding to an Influenza Pandemic" which I launched at the end of February. I am very supportive of the work being undertaken at central level in the area of emergency planning. One of the key risks being considered at this level is that of an influenza pandemic. An influenza pandemic would have a very...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: The broader responsibility for the promotion of life long learning lies with the Department of Education and Science. My own Department is primarily concerned with the job of enhancing the skills of workers to ensure a more effective labour market and to sustain and enlarge a competitive and productive national economy. In cooperation with the Department of Education and Science we are now...

Written Answers — Industrial Relations: Industrial Relations (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: There has been no person-hours lost either in my Department or in the Agencies under the aegis of my Department to date in 2007, due to industrial action. There are no pending strike notices in place against my Department or any of the agencies under the aegis of my Department.

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: Irish employment rights law makes a distinction between a contract of service, which applies to an employer-employee relationship, and a contract for service, which applies in the case of an independent sub-contractor. In effect, employment rights legislation does not apply to independent sub-contractors with the exception of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989 and the Equality...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: Following is the information requested by the Deputy. Enterprise Ireland— there is currently one vacancy on the Board of Enterprise Ireland which is in the process of being filled. Labour Relations Commission— 6 Rights Commissioners will be appointed before 31 May 2007, 5 under the terms of Towards 2016, and 1 arising from a vacancy. National Competitiveness Council— As 4 members of the...

Written Answers — Energy Consumption: Energy Consumption (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: To minimize the carbon footprint of my Department in its daily operations, the Department through its Green Team, which was established some years ago, has over the past few years initiated the following actions: Ensured that all lighting in the Department's eight buildings is switched off overnight; Ensured that the Office of Public Works, which looks after the replacement of electric light...

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: Since the beginning of 2007, I, Ministers of State and staff of my Department have made 8 journeys on Government aircraft. The journeys undertaken were as follows: International Flights: Minister Martin Baldonnel-Cork-Paris, 14 January 2007 — EI Trade Mission Baldonnel-Cork-Brussels-Baldonnel, 19 February 2007 — Competitiveness Council Minister Ahern...

Written Answers — Research Funding: Research Funding (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Enterprise Development agencies under the aegis of my Department are committed to continuous evaluation and modification of their service delivery models in order to best meet the needs of client companies. As part of the development of the implementation strategy to achieve the targets set out in the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2006 — 2013 (SSTI), Enterprise Ireland...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: In the period from the beginning of January, 2005 to the end of March, 2007, there have been a total of 7 IDA sponsored visits by overseas investors to Kerry. Details of those visits are set out in the following tabular statement. The visits are arranged as part of the day-to-day operational activities of the agency and there was no ministerial involvement. In the main, itineraries for...

Written Answers — Science and Technology Groups: Science and Technology Groups (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: On 18 June last year, the Government launched a comprehensive Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation to 2013, based on the work of the Cabinet Subcommittee on STI, which I chair, and the Interdepartmental Committee on STI, lead by my Department. I can assure the Deputy that our STI Strategy was developed in consultation with stakeholders in the STI arena, including enterprise and...

Written Answers — Employment for People with Disabilities: Employment for People with Disabilities (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: The National Employment Action Plan Preventive Strategy (NEAP) involves a systematic referral of certain cohorts of registered unemployed persons by the Department of Social and Family Affairs (DSFA) to FÁS for assistance. The National Development Plan (2007-2013), Towards 2016, and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment's Sectoral Plan under the Disability Act 2005, contain a...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section have set out below the figures as requested above. Country Permits Issued 2004 Permits Refused 2004 Permits Issued 2005 Permits Refused 2005 Permits Issued 2006 Permits Refused 2006 Australia 906 8 926 17 879 30 Canada 269 6 315 9 335 16 New Zealand 550 11 527 9 531 18 U.S.A. 926 19 1,046 30 1,037 26

Written Answers — Skills Strategy: Skills Strategy (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: The recently published National Skills Strategy sets out clear long-term objectives in developing Ireland's human capital through upskilling, training and education for the period to 2020. The Strategy will be essential in ensuring that Ireland's education and training systems are able to meet the future demands of industry in the medium to longer term. One of the key recommendations of the...

Written Answers — Housing Management Companies: Housing Management Companies (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: Residential management companies are generally constituted as companies limited by guarantee under the Companies Acts and are required to comply with the relevant provisions of company law. The operation of such companies under their relevant memorandum and articles of association is a matter for determination by the company members, who generally are the owners of the properties in question....

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 137, 138 and 140 together. There are many factors that influence a firm's decision to relocate. Firms adjust their plant location and utilisation strategies to address matters such as accessing new markets, moving production nearer to customers, meeting firm or market specific customer relationship issues, accessing technology or other competitive...

Written Answers — Trade Balance Statistics: Trade Balance Statistics (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: For over ten years, Ireland has had a very significant surplus on its merchandise exports. For example, last year we had a surplus of €28.3bn on exports of €88.7bn. This is an extremely healthy position. In relation to services trade, where data is not as well developed, we had a deficit last year of €8.3bn on services exports of €54bn and that deficit has been declining over the...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 141 and 146 together. Statistics for Merchandise Trade performance in 2006 show that these exports increased by 2% on 2005. Exports from Enterprise Ireland's client base of indigenous companies is expected to show a significantly higher increase. This is a very creditable performance, against a background of a difficult global trading environment, and shows...

Written Answers — Trade Balance Statistics: Trade Balance Statistics (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: In 2006 Ireland's total merchandise imports were valued at €60.4bn. The major categories of such imports were, in descending order, Computers (€10.4bn), Road vehicles (€4bn), Electrical machinery (€3.8bn), Petroleum and related products (€3.7bn), Miscellaneous manufactured articles €3bn), Medicinal and Pharmaceutical products (€2.2bn) and Telecommunications and Sound...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: Officials in the Employment Permits Section of my Department have informed me the number of work permit applications received up to the 20th April 2007 is 7547, the number issued is 4930, the number refused is 554 and the remainder are currently being processed. Employment Permit statistics for the previous four years are contained in the following table. Year Permits Issued Permits Refused...

Written Answers — Skills Strategy: Skills Strategy (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: In an increasingly knowledge-based and globalised environment, the skills required are progressively becoming more sophisticated. The Government has made provision to ensure that we have the best assessment of future skills needs and the policies and training programmes in place to respond to them. Central to this endeavour is the work of the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs. It has been...