Results 48,061-48,080 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (29 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The detailed information being requested is a day-to-day operational matter for Mayo County Enterprise Board. While my Department would, as part of an overall financial monitoring exercise in relation to all 35 County Enterprise Boards, request information on a regular basis in relation to spending patterns and projected grant drawdowns the level of detail being requested, in this instance,...

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (28 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: Mayo County Enterprise Board (CEB) was established nationally in October 1993. The function of the CEB is to promote and develop indigenous micro-enterprise potential and to stimulate economic activity and entrepreneurship at local level. The role of the CEB is to deliver a series of support Programmes to underpin this function. Project promoters within any County may seek assistance from...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (28 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Work Permits Section of my Department has indicated that the fee for a work permit is a processing fee and in normal circumstances would not be refundable. However in circumstances such as that referred to by the Deputy a refund would be made on request from the applicant.

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (28 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The details of Enterprise Ireland's office leasing arrangements is an operational matter for Enterprise Ireland (EI), and not one in which I have a function. However, I understand from Enterprise Ireland, that its lease on Merrion Hall will expire on October 31st 2008. It is estimated that all Enterprise Ireland staff will have ceased occupation of these premises in early 2008. The staff...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (28 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: I am confident that the State Development agencies, in partnership with other key players, including the group in question, will strengthen their marketing and promotion efforts in the region and will continue to secure additional employment for the area particularly in view of the recent job losses in the local chicken processing and poultry growing industry. As regards the assets of the...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (28 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Work Permits Section of my Department has informed me that the work permit has issued recently in this case.

Written Answers — Enterprise Supports: Enterprise Supports (28 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: My Department does not provide either direct funding or direct business advice to potential business start-ups nor does it have any role in the evaluation of business proposals. Support and assistance for small businesses in Ireland, both financial and non-financial, is delivered by a number of State bodies. These State bodies are the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs), Enterprise...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (28 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 327 and 328 together. Since 1 January 2005 there have been 12 site visits to Carlow, seven in 2005 and five in 2006 to date. There were no site visits to County Wicklow in 2005 and 2006. Ultimately it is the investor who decides where to locate, including where to visit as a potential location. What they are indicating to IDA is that they are seeking an urban...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (28 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The attached tabular statement sets out the numbers of job gains and job losses in respect of full-time employment in companies assisted by the enterprise development agencies (Enterprise Ireland and IDA) in Counties Wicklow and Carlow for the years 2001 to 2005. It is important to remember that job creation and job losses are a feature of economic development in all countries as various...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (23 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The issue of site visits is a matter for the relevant industrial development agencies, and not one in which I am directly involved. Itineraries for site visits generally relate to mobile investments, normally from overseas. Enterprise Ireland's portfolio of indigenous client companies is, of its nature, not very mobile, therefore the number of site visits arranged by the agency only relates...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (23 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: Support for job creation and investment in individual counties and towns is a day-to-day operational matter for the development agencies as part of their responsibility under the Industrial Development Acts. While I may give general policy directives to the agencies I am precluded under the Industrial Developments Acts from giving directives regarding individual undertakings or from giving...

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (23 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: I have no role in the grant decision making process employed by Mayo County Enterprise Board (CEB) in relation to grant approvals or refusals. Decisions on applications for assistance from Mayo CEB are made independently by the Board on the advice of it's Evaluation Committee. In making recommendations to the Board the Evaluation Committee is required to have regard to the quality, local...

Written Answers — Competition Law: Competition Law (23 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Competition Authority is an independent statutory agency responsible for the enforcement of competition law across all sectors of the economy. I have no direct responsibility for the day to day work of the Authority. Its mandate and functions are contained in the Competition Act, 2002, as amended. Section 34 of the Act provides for co-operation agreements between the Authority and other...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (23 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The two Arthur Andersen reports referred to were commissioned by the Department of Finance in 1997 to review the financial management and control systems within the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Cohesion Fund. As the 2000 Report dealt with the Cohesion Fund, it had no relevance to programmes being managed by my Department. The 1998 Report, which covered all Departments...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (23 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: As a consequence of an EU Commission Decision in the year 2000, which was subsequently confirmed by a Judgement of the European Court of Justice in 2005, €15.6 million of European Social Fund monies have been withheld from Ireland. This reduction applied to the Human Resources, Tourism and Industry Operational Programmes for the programming period 1994-1999. The amount withheld represents...

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (23 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: Enterprise Ireland occupies four separate offices in Dublin. Discussions on bringing all Enterprise Ireland Dublin based staff together in one location have been going on since the Agency was established in 1998. One of the options considered was that of developing the Agency's Glasnevin site to provide accommodation for all Dublin staff. However, when the Government's decentralisation...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (22 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: Mayo County Enterprise Board (CEB) was established in 1993 to provide support to small businesses with 10 employees or fewer. The Board's function is to develop indigenous enterprise potential and to stimulate economic activity at local level. Mayo CEB supports individuals, firms, community groups, provided that the projects have the capacity to achieve commercial viability. Priority must...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (22 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Work Permits Section of my Department informs me that the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform is currently investigating this employer in relation to alleged breaches of Immigration Law. Work permit applications cannot be dealt with pending the outcome of that investigation.

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (22 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: In accordance with the new mandate for Shannon Development, the functions in relation to indigenous enterprises hitherto carried by the Company under delegated authority from Enterprise Ireland will revert to Enterprise Ireland on 1 January 2007. This will involve the transfer of a number of staff from Shannon Development to Enterprise Ireland. The purpose of the Industrial Development Bill,...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (22 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 329, 330, 332 and 334 together. IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI) to Ireland. The Agency is committed to achieving the best possible regional balance in investments. In tandem with the National Spatial Strategy (NSS), the Agency is actively encouraging FDI into all regions through the...