Results 47,901-47,920 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 172, 185 and 199 together. International benchmarking reports suggest that the regulatory burden in Ireland is relatively light. The IMD (International Institute for Management Development) World Competitiveness Yearbook 2006 ranks Ireland 8th out of 61 countries surveyed for the extent to which bureaucracy does not hinder business activity. The World...

Written Answers — Consumer Policy: Consumer Policy (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: The work of the Consumer Policy Section of my Department in 2006 will be reported on in detail in my Department's 2006 Annual Report. The main highlights of the Section's work in the year related to the implementation and follow on of the Report of the Consumer Strategy Group. In this regard, the Report of the High Level Inter-Departmental Committee established to examine the implementation...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: Detailed costs of complying with Freedom of Information responsibilities are not generally kept by public bodies. As FOI has become more ingrained into the culture of public bodies, certain aspects of compliance such as record keeping practices, training and staff awareness are covered by the general staffing and administration costs of those bodies, and could not easily be separated out. It...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: Companies operating in Ireland are no different than companies anywhere else in the world. They operate in a market economy, are affected by international events that influence global economic activity and the employment they create here is subject to specific business and product life cycles in different sectors. Over the decades since Ireland became a location of choice for so many foreign...

Written Answers — Economic Growth: Economic Growth (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: The European Commission published its Annual Progress Report for 2006 on implementation of the renewed Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs on 12 December 2006. The overall assessment of Ireland's performance is that we are making very good progress in the implementation of our National Reform Programme (NRP), including the priority areas arising from the 2006 Spring European Council. The...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Act 2006 does not preclude me from granting a new employment permit to an employee to enable them to change employer within the first 12 months of commencing employment in instances where it can be demonstrated that exploitation of the employee has taken place.

Written Answers — Trade Missions: Trade Missions (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: I accompanied the Taoiseach, Mr. Bertie Ahern TD on the very successful trade mission, organised by Enterprise Ireland, to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 14th to 19th January 2007. The Minister for Agriculture and Food Ms. Mary Coughlan TD and the Minister for Education and Science Ms. Mary Hanafin TD also participated. The mission visited Riyadh, Abu Dhabi...

Written Answers — Competition Law: Competition Law (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: The first part of the question relates to the day-to-day work of the Competition Authority which is the independent statutory body responsible for the enforcement of competition law in the State. Its mandate and functions are set out in the Competition Act 2002, as amended. The Competition Authority is statutorily required to publish an annual report of its activities during the year within...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 183 and 190 together. The outfitting of Enterprise Ireland's new Dublin based offices at Eastpoint is an operational matter for the Agency itself, and not one in which I am involved. A design team is currently working on the specific internal layout and design of the offices. The design team will prepare a detailed cost estimate for the outfitting of the...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: The number of Work Visas/Work Authorisations issued for the period 2002 to end of September 2006 was 9,898. Working Visa/Work Authorisations were issued for two years and could be renewed for a further two year period once persons fulfilled the conditions of the scheme. At end September 2006, the most recent date for which data is available, there were approximately 5,500 valid Work...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 186 and 187 together. The details of Enterprise Ireland's leasing arrangements in order to meet its business needs and health and safety obligations, is an operational matter for Enterprise Ireland, and not one in which I have a function. However, it has been a key strategic objective for Enterprise Ireland to bring all Dublin based staff together in one...

Written Answers — Enterprise Strategy Group: Enterprise Strategy Group (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Enterprise Strategy Group's (ESG) report was an important policy agenda both for national competitiveness and for strengthening a positive business environment. The subsequent Action Plan to progress implementation of the ESG's recommendations covers 47 topics. Implementation is underway on all topics and I am satisfied that good progress is being made on the Plan. There are no topics on...

Written Answers — Manufacturing Sector: Manufacturing Sector (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: There is a need to tread cautiously when interpreting quarterly results for industrial production as the indices are subject to fluctuation. Such results are best compared to performance relative to the corresponding quarter of the previous year rather than relative to the preceding quarter. While CSO data indicates that production decreased by 6.0% in the period September-November 2006...

Written Answers — Enterprise Development: Enterprise Development (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: My Department and its agencies support the financing of SMEs in a number of ways. The funding provided by Enterprise Ireland and the County and City Enterprise Boards, in the form of grants, refundable aid and equity participation, provides an important source of finance to many SMEs. In addition, Enterprise Ireland actively promotes the availability of venture capital in Ireland and I have...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: The new National Employment Rights Authority will be established under primary legislation to be published this year. Work has already begun on the preparation of the Employment Law Compliance Bill. Pending the introduction of that legislation it is our intention to establish the Authority and its Advisory Board on an interim basis. I am pleased to say that Mr Ger Deering, currently the...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 195 and 209 together. I am informed by FÁS that at year end 2006 there were 22,511 people on 1,260 Community Employment Projects nationally. I am informed by FÁS that it is intended that the Community Employment budget will be sufficient to maintain overall numbers on Community Employment at 2006 levels. I understand that it is intended that the FÁS Board...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: Under the Government's decentralisation programme, FÁS is due to transfer its head office including some 383 posts to Birr, County Offaly, by 2009. Negotiations for the purchase of a site are continuing between FÁS and its owner. In the meantime, FÁS has already rented accommodation in Birr Technology Centre. FÁS currently has two staff members physically located in Birr and another...

Written Answers — Departmental Appointments: Departmental Appointments (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: I am happy to advise the Deputy that the new Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government, Professor Patrick Cunningham, took up his post on Monday 15 January 2007. The CSA is available to provide high-level advice on scientific issues of concern to Government, as required, and initially for a minimum of the equivalent of twenty-two hours each week. His role complements the other elements of...

Written Answers — Grocery Industry: Grocery Industry (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: Following the enactment of the Competition (Amendment) Act 2006 which revoked the Restrictive Practices (Groceries) Order 1987, I asked the Competition Authority to review and monitor developments in the grocery sector in light of the new regulatory environment. Since the removal of the Order, the Competition Authority has received no complaints of anti-competitive behaviour in the sector,...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Enterprise Strategy Group's (ESG) report was an important policy agenda both for national competitiveness and for strengthening a positive business environment. The subsequent Action Plan to progress implementation of the ESG's recommendations covers 47 topics and set out a number of action points for Enterprise Ireland. Significant progress has been made by Enterprise Ireland in...