Results 2,341-2,360 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (23 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: My Department and the enterprise agencies are acutely aware of the challenges that have emerged as a result of globalisation and increased international competition. However, Ireland's experience of this globalising trend to date has been a largely positive one. Employment in manufacturing has declined in recent years but that has been more than offset by increases in employment in services,...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: My Department does not provide direct funding or grants to businesses but provides funding to a number of State agencies, including the county and city enterprise boards, Enterprise Ireland, Shannon Development and FÁS, through which assistance is delivered directly to businesses. The county and city enterprise boards, CEBs, provide support to micro-enterprises with ten employees or fewer....

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (23 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Labour Court operates as an industrial relations tribunal, hearing both sides in a trade dispute. It then issues recommendations setting out its opinion on the dispute and the terms on which it considers the dispute should be settled. In line with the voluntary nature of the industrial relations system in this country, Labour Court recommendations for the resolution of trade disputes are...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (23 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: Under the industrial development Acts, support for job creation and investment on a regional or local basis comes within the remit of the industrial development agencies and I am precluded from giving directives regarding individual undertakings or from giving preference to one area over another. IDA Ireland is the agency charged with the attraction of foreign investment, FDI, to this...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (23 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: Consumers benefit from competition in the market and the Government is committed to fostering competition in all sectors of the economy. The national markets in which oil companies operate are no exception. Should any oil or fuel company decide to exit the market, I expect that there would be a high level of interest in the business being sold and many suitable prospective bidders. However,...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (23 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 124, 126, 127, 129, 130 and 132 together. The National Competitiveness Council through its work on competitiveness benchmarking highlights where the economy is strong in competitiveness terms but also warns us of emerging or potential challenges. I give very careful consideration to the council's annual analyses when they are published. These reports provide a...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (23 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: Sustaining Ireland's competitiveness continues to be a key priority for the Government. It is monitored in particular through the work and advice of the National Competitiveness Council. The Government's response is manifested in numerous ways, most recently as evidenced by the introduction of a non-inflationary budget for the third consecutive year. This displays the Government's prudent...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (23 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: Provisional figures suggest that job losses in companies supported by the enterprise development agencies which have occurred during the past three years have been offset by job gains. Overall permanent employment in agency supported firms in County Kildare has increased from 15,293 in 2003 to 16,070 in 2005. No data are available to indicate what impact relocation to other economies may have...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (28 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Kildare centres for the unemployed in Leixlip, Athy and Newbridge are currently funded by FÁS through the community employment scheme. Community employment funding to projects is provided for wages, training and materials. The grant amounts for training and materials-administration are fixed by reference to participant numbers. The total funding being allocated by FÁS to the community...

Written Answers — Employment Statistics: Employment Statistics (28 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: The following tabular statements show the number of new jobs created and jobs lost at agency-assisted companies in County Mayo during the five years to 2005. Permanent employment in agency-assisted companies in County Mayo at the end of 2005 stands at 6,793. Full-time jobs created in companies assisted by the Enterprise Development Agencies. 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 All Ownership...

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

Micheál Martin: The management of IDA Ireland's industrial property portfolio, is a day-to-day operational matter for the agency and not a matter in which I have a function. I understand from IDA Ireland that Blackpark industrial estate is not an IDA property and that there have been no IDA visits to the industrial estate in question.

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

Micheál Martin: The IDA mid-west region consists of counties Clare, Limerick, north Tipperary and north Kerry. In the period 2002 to 2005 a total of 15 projects were approved for assistance by IDA Ireland. These projects had the potential to create over 1,900 jobs in both new and expanding enterprises. The following tabular statement shows the job figures on an annual basis. However, there is always a time...

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

Micheál Martin: IDA Ireland has statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to the mid-west region, except for the Shannon free zone, which falls within the remit of Shannon Development. Shannon Development is also responsible for supporting indigenous enterprises in the mid-west region where it acts as agent for Enterprise Ireland. Responsibility for the provision of industrial...

Written Answers — Commemorative Events: Commemorative Events (28 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: I expect to attend one event to be held in Cork in an official capacity to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Easter Rising. However, the details of this event are not yet finalised.

Written Answers — Foreign Direct Investment: Foreign Direct Investment (28 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to Ireland and its regions. The marketing of individual areas, including Tuam, for new or expansion FDI investments and jobs is a day-to-day operational matter for the agency. While I may give general policy directives to the agency, I am precluded under the Acts from giving directives...

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

Micheál Martin: IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to Ireland and its regions. The marketing of individual areas, including Loughrea, for new or expansion foreign direct investment investments and jobs is a day-to-day operational matter for the agency. While I may give general policy directives to the agency, I am precluded under the Acts...

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

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 278 and 282 to 284, inclusive, together. The issue of job creation in Enterprise Ireland supported companies is a day-to-day matter for the agency itself, and not one in which I am directly involved. The Forfás annual employment survey is the indicator used to record jobs gained and lost in Enterprise Ireland in any one year. Figures are published for the...

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

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 279 to 281, inclusive, together. IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to Ireland and its regions. The Forfás annual employment survey records jobs gained and lost in companies supported by the industrial development agencies. Data are compiled on a county by county basis only. The following...

Written Answers — Trade Missions: Trade Missions (29 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: The following table sets out the foreign trade missions attended by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Minister of State responsible for trade and commerce and other Ministers, from 2003 to date. Departmental personnel do not attend in their own right but may accompany the Minister or Ministers of State on trade missions. Government policy has been, for a number of years,...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (29 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to Ireland and its regions. The Forfás annual employment survey records jobs gained and lost in companies supported by the industrial development agencies. Data are compiled on an annualised basis and aggregated on a county basis. In the five year period from 2001 to 2005, inclusive, a...