Results 47,501-47,520 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Departmental Travel. (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: I thought the Deputy had referred to the Government as a whole.

Departmental Travel. (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: Pragmatism is necessary if I am travelling around the country to areas where there is no public transport and 15 organisations wish to see me. We do not always use the car to get to Donegal or other communities, but they want to see Ministers at different times of the day. Carbon offsetting is a good practical way of dealing with the issue.

Departmental Travel. (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: I stated in my reply that there is already a scheme to incentivise the use of public transport by officials.

Departmental Travel. (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: It exists. The most effective and practical solution, given the way in which people travel in all sorts of directions to various locations, is carbon offsetting.

Departmental Travel. (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: That is changing.

Departmental Travel. (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: It is Deputy Quinn who is out of touch.

Departmental Travel. (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: The system has changed for Deputies.

Departmental Travel. (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: Ministers do not receive a mileage allowance.

Departmental Travel. (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: There is more than that to the matter, including flexibility and how people want to travel. It is not all about mileage. My reference was to the system, which was changed some time ago. I have no difficulty with its being applied to civil servants through the normal channels.

Irish Language. (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: The cost to the end of 2006 of implementing the Official Languages Act 2003 in my Department and its offices was €156,667 for translation and website development. In 2006 the number of documents published by my Department and its offices was 26. Of those, 14 were published in one language only, English. The number of documents published in both Irish and English was 12, and in two of...

Literacy Levels. (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: In 1997 the OECD published the findings of its international adult survey. That survey, which was conducted in 1995, provided a profile of the literacy skills of adults in Ireland aged between 16 and 64. According to the survey, almost 25% of the Irish workforce lacked functional literacy skills. Since the publication of the OECD survey, the Government has committed substantial resources to...

Company Closures. (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: As I indicated in replies to previous questions, matters arising from the liquidation of the company concerned are currently receiving attention from two of the agencies that operate under the aegis of my Department, the Employment Appeals Tribunal and the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement. The latest position with regard to the involvement of the Employment Appeals Tribunal is...

Company Closures. (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy has said, that would depend on whether there has been malfeasance, but the answer is "Yes". We have asked the Company Law Review Group to examine the case and ascertain what lessons might be learned from it. I referred to that earlier regarding the more comprehensive legislation on the way.

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (25 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: The issue of wind turbines generally is a matter for Sustainable Energy Ireland which is under the aegis of the Department of Communications Marine and Natural Resources, and not one in which I am directly involved. However, Enterprise Ireland inform me that they can support the establishment of a business to make wind turbines subject to the normal commercial requirements of E.I. grant aid,...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (25 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section of my Department has informed me that this application was received in the Section on the 3rd of April 2007 and it is currently being dealt with.

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (24 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: The table sets out details in respect of current staff appointed by me: Name Title Function Date of Appointment Salary (Per annum) Christopher Mannion Special Advisor Full-time To provide advice and assistance to the Minister. 29/09/04 PO Level Deirdre Gillane Policy Adviser Full-time To provide advice and assistance to the Minister on policy issues. 29/09/04 PO Level Jerry O'Connor...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (24 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: I am aware of the concerns raised in the correspondence referred to in the Deputy's question regarding particular provisions of the recently enacted Consumer Protection Act 2007. Essentially the correspondent is concerned that the provisions in the Act prohibiting traders from imposing additional charges on customers by reason of the customer choosing to make payment for goods or services by...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (24 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: My Department is required to move 250 posts to Carlow under the Government's Decentralisation Programme. The following business units/Offices of my Department have been selected as part of the Decentralisation Programme and will be relocated in the new decentralised office: Companies Registration Office/Registry of Friendly Societies National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) Work Permits...

Written Answers — Legal Metrology Service: Legal Metrology Service (24 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy will be aware of the background to this matter from replies on 28 September 2005, 25 January, 16 February, 20 June and 14 December 2006. Following identification of a number of serious health and safety risks, the testing of weighing equipment used for trade in meat processing plants was reviewed during the period 2002 to 2004. Full checks have not been undertaken since the...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (24 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 589, 590 and 603 together. Community Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a fixed term basis. CE helps unemployed people to re-enter the open labour market by breaking their experience...