Results 2,361-2,380 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (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 marketing of individual areas, 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 regarding individual...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (30 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: The work permits section of my Department will consider granting an employer a work permit for highly skilled and highly paid positions and applications in respect of farriers would have to meet that criteria. The section does not keep figures on the number of work permits issued in respect of specific employment positions at present. FÁS runs a foundation in farrier training local training...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (30 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos.167 and 168 together. Legislation transposing the unfair commercial practices directive must be adopted by 12 June 2007 and applied by 12 December 2007. I hope to introduce a Bill in the last quarter of the year that will transpose the directive, update and consolidate the domestic legislation within its domain and establish the national consumer agency. No...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (30 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: The issue of job creation in any given location by companies supported by Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland is a day-to-day matter for the agency concerned and not one in which I have a function. The Forfás annual employment survey is the indicator used to record jobs gained and lost in Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland in any one year. The survey collates data on employment at county...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (30 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: No staff of my Department were on suspension with pay on 31 December 2004 or 31 December 2005.

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (4 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: Following a review of FÁS employment schemes — community employment, job initiative and social economy programmes — I announced on 10 November 2004 that the three year cap for participants on community employment was being raised to six years for those over 55 years, to ensure the maintenance of essential community services particularly in rural areas, where it had been found that...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: Responsibility for grant assistance to companies is an operational matter for the relevant development agencies; IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, the city and county enterprise boards, Intertrade Ireland and Shannon Development. As part of their due diligence concerning applications for grants, agencies seek to ensure that clients operate to best practice standards in all aspects of their...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (4 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: Directive 2004/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 on measuring instruments is due to be transposed by the 30 April 2006. The provisions of the directive will become operational on 30 October 2006, and I expect that this directive will be transposed into national legislation by that date.

Written Answers — Equal Opportunities Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (4 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: My Department currently exceeds the 3% target for the employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service, with 4.2% of staff recorded as having a disability. In addition, my Department is to participate in the willing able mentoring project this summer. This project, which is administered by the Association of Higher Education Access and Disability, aims to provide graduates with...

Written Answers — EU Conventions: EU Conventions (4 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions 323 and 324 together. Ireland has been party to the European Patent Convention since 1992 and our law reflects its Article 52 criteria on the patentability of inventions. The convention makes it clear that computer programmes, as such, cannot be patented but it is important to note that this does not extend to so-called "computer implemented inventions". These are...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (5 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 199 to 206, inclusive, together. 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 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...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (5 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: As I have indicated in response to previous Dáil questions, following detailed consultations with the board of Shannon Development, other stakeholders and regional interests, on 28 July last I announced my decision on a future mandate for the company. Under the terms of the new mandate, Shannon Development is being given a more focused regional economic remit that will complement the roles...

Written Answers — Markets Regulation: Markets Regulation (5 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: I assume the Deputy is referring to the position of markets under the Casual Trading Act 1995. That Act regulates trading in public places and is operated by local authorities which use their powers to make by-laws under the Act to regulate such activity. Under the Act, a "market right" is defined as "a right conferred by franchise or statute to hold a fair or market, that is, a concourse of...

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (6 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: I am informed by FÁS that a total of €75,210 in respect of redundancy payments was provided to Clare local employment service in 2005.

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (6 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: My Department is carrying out a survey to ascertain the number of staff who would be able to provide services through Irish, and also to identify the level of written and spoken Irish language proficiencies within the Department. Therefore, I am unable to provide the Deputy with an exact figure at this juncture. While the survey is being carried out in advance of my Department being notified...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (25 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: There is no record of a valid work permit application in this case. Applications which are incomplete or incorrect are returned to the employer for completion. In the aftermath of EU enlargement, it is Government policy that employers should be able to source nearly all of their workforce needs from within the EU. Accordingly, only in cases where exceptional levels of skill and qualifications...

Written Answers — Research Funding: Research Funding (25 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 409 and 410 together. In April 2005, the Commission published its proposal for the seventh framework programme, FP7, which will cover the period 2007 to 2013. Consideration of the Commission's proposal, which involves co-decision procedures with the European Parliament, is still under way. In this regard, divergent views exist among member states on the...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (25 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: Following a review of the operation of FÁS employment schemes — community employment, job initiative and social economy programmes — a number of changes were announced on 10 November 2004. The views and concerns expressed by key stakeholders, including the social partners, were taken into account in deciding on the new arrangements. The new arrangements are as follows. There are no...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (25 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: I did not travel abroad for the St. Patrick's Day celebrations.

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (25 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: Arising from concern that all Turkish workers would have access to the money that had been transferred to their bank accounts in Finansbank in Amsterdam, I and officials of the Department met with senior management from Gama Turkey and Gama Ireland, the legal advisers to Gama Turkey and a human resources consultant, retained by Gama. At that meeting, I was assured by these senior managers,...