Results 201-220 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment — FDI — to Ireland, including its regions and areas. In 2003, 32 greenfield and expansion job creation projects were announced by IDA Ireland. These projects have a projected total job content of nearly 5,600 jobs and were achieved against a background where there were fewer companies...

Written Answers — Below-Cost Selling: Below-Cost Selling (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: Below-cost selling raises difficult issues in the area of competition and consumer law and many countries, including Ireland, maintain specific regulatory restrictions directed against the practice. Since all restrictions which restrain the operation of free markets need to be periodically examined and justified, I am currently looking at the Groceries Order 1987 and hope to make a further...

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: I no longer have responsibility for insurance undertakings. From 1 May 2003, the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority, IFSRA, is responsible for practically all of the financial services industry, including the registration and supervision of insurance undertakings and the services provided by them. However, I retain responsibility for the insurance reform programme. I am pleased to...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: Following the announcement of the Government's decentralisation programme, under which 250 staff of my Department will decentralise to Carlow, a survey was conducted within the Department with a view to establishing the numbers of staff interested in decentralising to locations outside Dublin. A total of 503 staff responded to the survey, 69 of whom indicated that they would be prepared to...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: The objective of the EU directive on electronic commerce, Directive 2000/31/EC, is to create a legal framework to ensure the free movement of information society services between the EU member states. In this regard it provides for the regulation of information society services, the legal recognition of electronic contracts, consumer information and protection and rules on unsolicited...

Written Answers — Ministerial Orders: Ministerial Orders (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: Consultations are continuing on this matter between my Department and representatives of the Irish Dental Association and the Irish Medical Organisation and I hope to be in position to conclude matters in regard to those professions as soon as possible. I intend to consider the position regarding other professions in the health sector subsequently.

Written Answers — Departmental Inquiries: Departmental Inquiries (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 143 and 160 together. A total of 16 investigations into company law matters have been initiated by me since I first came into office as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. In respect of three of these, the High Court appointed, on an application by me, inspectors under section 8 of the Companies Act 1990. The inspectors appointed to Ansbacher...

Written Answers — Anti-Poverty Strategy: Anti-Poverty Strategy (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: Long-term unemployment has been reduced dramatically during the past seven years. In 1998 long-term unemployment amounted to 63,500, which represented 3.9% of the labour force. By 2002 the numbers had fallen by over 40,000 to 21,600, 1.2% of the labour force. There was a small increase to 26,900 in 2003, a rate of 1.4%. The EU average rate, by contrast, is 3%. In support of the NAPS strategy,...

Written Answers — Carbon Taxes: Carbon Taxes (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: I have received representations on the possible introduction of carbon taxation from a number of interested parties, including industrial and commercial concerns. In general, the representations from the industry and commercial interests were expressing concern at possible adverse competitiveness implications of the introduction of a carbon tax. In addition, a number of organisations which...

Written Answers — Stem-Cell Research: Stem-Cell Research (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: No agreement was reached at the Competitiveness Council on December 3 on the Commission's amended proposal for guidelines to govern human embryonic stem cell research within the Sixth Framework Programme, or on the alternative proposal put forward by the Italian Presidency. It was apparent from the Council's consideration of these options that there was little, if any, hope of arriving at a...

Written Answers — Groceries Order: Groceries Order (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: I am continuing my review of the groceries order and hope to conclude my consideration in the near future.

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: I very much welcome the survey by the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority, which is to be carried out on a three monthly basis. Provision of this survey implements recommendation No. 7 of the Motor Insurance Advisory Board's recommendations, which are central to the Government's insurance reform programme. This survey will help engender price competition and educate the public on...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: Both the National Competitiveness Council and the Competition Authority undertake on a continuous basis investigations into the competitiveness of the Irish economy and the level of competition within in it. These investigations highlight the key areas that require attention to enhance Ireland's competitiveness and economic performance. The National Competitiveness Council in its annual...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: The number of redundancies notified to my Department in the years specified, were 13,316 in 2000, 19,977 in 2001, 25,358 in 2002, and 27,702 in 2003. The increasing level of redundancies reflects slower economic activity in Ireland in line with difficult economic conditions worldwide. The quarterly national household survey prepared by the Central Statistics Office last December, shows that...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: Official responsibility for matters relating to the establishment of a press council or press ombudsman is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Justice Equality and Law Reform. I understand that the Minister concerned has recently set out the position in some detail in a reply to a question by Deputy Sherlock, Parliamentary Question No. 48 on 29 January 2004.

Written Answers — EU Presidency: EU Presidency (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: I have published a priorities paper for the Competitiveness Council of Ministers, which I will chair during the Presidency. The programme for the Competitiveness Council is firmly rooted in the ten year strategy for growth, economic reform and job creation agreed by the Lisbon European Council in 2000. A separate programme and priorities paper for the Employment Social Policy Health and...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: The following table sets out the trend in job creation and employment loss in indigenous companies, supported by the main development agencies. The data is based on data collected by Forfás and updated by the relevant agencies in the light of new information available to them. Year Job Gains Job Losses 1999 16,569 10,692 2000 20,197 11,251 2001 15,071 14,235 2002 15,485...

Written Answers — Ansbacher Accounts: Ansbacher Accounts (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: The application made to the High Court to recover the costs of the Ansbacher investigation carried out by the High Court-appointed inspectors was made by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, who had defrayed the costs of the investigation. The application made was for the sum of €3,453,577.93, being the total costs of the investigation met by the Minister for Justice, Equality...

Written Answers — Job Protection: Job Protection (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: While I regret the decision of the company in question to relocate some of their activities from Ireland, I also appreciate that it retains its commitment to the country, as evidenced by a large material investment at one of its Irish facilities recently. The company plans to maintain its other existing operations here and the 320 staff employed in those operations. The company has indicated...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: I have been advised by IDA Ireland that, since the Square D closure announcement in January 2003, there have now been nine site visits to Ballinasloe. IDA and other State agencies have actively participated in locally generated marketing initiatives and are involved in ongoing meetings with the Ballinasloe Town Council and Chamber of Commerce. Construction of a second advance technology...