Results 2,581-2,600 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

EU Programmes. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The question has nothing to do with the question that was tabled. I met Greencore to urge it to keep the Mallow sugar factory open and specifically asked that it be as generous as possible to the workers in any redundancy package to emerge. We have already met representatives of the workers and instructed the State agencies to do everything in their power to be of assistance to them. FÁS has...

EU Programmes. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The decision on an alternative use of the plants at Mallow and Carlow is one for the company. It would be very foolish of me to commit the Government to purchase such a facility for the manufacture of a product on which significant research and preparatory work needs to be done. There has been much superficial talk about how wonderful an ethanol factory would be——

EU Programmes. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: ——but from the assessments I have received there are serious questions about its viability. We need strong evidence that we can develop such an industry in Ireland. I have worked with a number of small companies, not necessarily in Mallow, on alternative fuels. We do not own the facility.

EU Programmes. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: It is important to get the science right. Other countries have significant advantages over us in terms of crop yield, among other things.

EU Programmes. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Government works on a collective basis. The Taoiseach has personally taken an interest in the situation in Mallow and has, with a number of Ministers, met interested parties at the plant. We are interested in real solutions for the future of Mallow.

Economic Competitiveness. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The reference by the Deputy to a 1.8% increase in export growth for 2005, from a report published by the ESRI, refers to the total volume growth of Irish exports in 2005. Figures published by the Central Statistics Office show that the total value of Irish merchandise exports for 2005 increased by 5% on 2004 export figures. This follows a 2% increase in the value of Irish exports between 2003...

Economic Competitiveness. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: It is important to secure agreement on the issue of value versus volume because the former is a better index. While figures can always be used in different ways, I would prefer a lower volume of much higher value goods in the technological and pharmaceutical areas than a high volume of low value exports. It was somewhat unusual for the ESRI to focus on the volume aspect of the equation...

Economic Competitiveness. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: I refer to the wider debate on the issue.

Job Losses. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: Last month, the company in question informed IDA Ireland that it was entering into a consultation period with its staff with a view to seeking up to 150 redundancies at its Cork facility. While the company started consultations with employee representatives on 3 May 2006, it was also seeking alternative business for the Cork facility. Fortunately, I understand there is scope for redeployment...

Job Losses. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy's questions pose some dilemmas for me as I am wearing both a national and a Cork hat. I assure her, however, that the proposed job losses are not, under any circumstances, due to deficient infrastructure or any issue of that nature. Cork city was, for example, one of the first areas to develop the metropolitan area network infrastructure. Unfortunately, the issue facing the company...

Job Losses. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: On that score, the feedback from the companies I have mentioned has been positive. Some of the companies I mentioned have been established recently and the feedback has been strong in terms of their perception of the ease of establishment in Ireland, including Cork, and the availability of skills in particular. So far, so good in that respect. Broadband is a competitive issue for the country...

Competition Authority. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Competition Authority's budget allocation for 2006 was increased primarily to provide additional resources for the cartel enforcement division. Seven new posts were approved and a staff recruitment campaign is currently under way. This will result in a doubling of the authority's staff for investigating cartels. I expect that once the new posts are filled, the authority will be in a...

World Trade Negotiations. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68, 72 and 75 together. The European Union is seeking a balanced and ambitious outcome across all core areas of the Doha development agenda. The EU believes this is the only way to deliver economic growth and development gains for all participants. Ireland fully supports the EU objective. The position has now been reached in the negotiations when all WTO...

World Trade Negotiations. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: Obviously, the situation is there to play for. We are clear about the development agenda. For example, at the last round, the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, accompanied the Minister for Agriculture and Food and the Minister of State with responsibility for trade, Deputy Michael Ahern, to those talks to make clear the broad-based approach we were taking. The words "balance" and...

World Trade Negotiations. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: No. There are 25 EU countries. Mr. Mandelson's task is to bring a fairly broad range of opinions into a coherent negotiating position with regard to other trading blocks. Ultimately, this issue will be resolved between the key players — the EU, the US, Brazil and a number of others. Even if they arrive at a consensus, it must to be acceptable to the wider membership of the WTO. I am not...

Health and Safety Regulations. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: It is for the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Written Answers — Official Languages Act: Official Languages Act (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: My Department has not yet been notified to prepare a Statutory Scheme under Section 11 of the Official Languages Act, 2003. However, since 2003 my Department has complied with all the appropriate sections of the Act that have commenced, namely, Section 9.2 relating to correspondence etc, received in the Department in the Irish language and Section 10 relating to publishing key policy...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to Ireland. Under the Industrial Development Acts I am precluded from giving directives to the Agency regarding individual undertakings or from giving preference to one area over others. IDA Ireland assures me that it is actively promoting County Kerry and the advantages of locating in...

Written Answers — Manufacturing Sector: Manufacturing Sector (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The manufacturing sector in Ireland continues to perform strongly, both in terms of increasing turnover (monetary value) and production (volumes of units produced). According to the latest CSO Release — Industrial Production and Turnover (dated 12th May 2006), overall turnover in 2005 is up 13 percent relative to 2000 in manufacturing industries. Industrial Turnover Index 2000-2005 (Base...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 79, 94, 98, and 143 together. The Social Partners, and the various Government Departments concerned, have been carefully considering a range of options that will underpin an enhanced employment rights compliance regime. The staffing and resourcing of the Labour Inspectorate in the context of a possible new employment rights compliance model is just one feature...