Results 2,821-2,840 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Job Protection: Job Protection (21 Jun 2006)

Micheál Martin: As we have seen over the past 15 years, long term, sustainable economic growth and expansion in employment depends on a competitive and adaptable economy. The effects of globalisation are being felt in even the smallest markets and global competition will both intensify and extend its reach well into the foreseeable future. For a long time this Government has recognised the inevitable changes...

Written Answers — Grocery Industry: Grocery Industry (21 Jun 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 and 164 together. I presume the questions relate to the recent abolition of the Groceries Order. The Groceries Order was abolished because it allowed wholesalers and suppliers to determine minimum retail prices being charged to consumers, virtually eliminated price competition in the grocery trade, resulted in more than 2,000 small independent retailers...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (21 Jun 2006)

Micheál Martin: I am informed by the Work Permits section that a total of 10,649 permits have issued up to the 19th June, 2006 compared to a total of 13,552 for the period January to end June 2005. The figures broken down by month are set out in the table. Year Month New Renewals Group Total 2006 3,224 7,000 425 10,649 January 520 854 55 1,429 February 580 957 44 1,581 March...

Written Answers — Company Closures: Company Closures (21 Jun 2006)

Micheál Martin: The tabular statement gives redundancies notified to my Department from 2001 to date. These figures do not show the number of companies which have ceased trading; companies can have redundancies without ceasing to trade. Figures relating to company closures are not available. Nor is it possible to determine the number of these jobs, if any, which have relocated to lower wage economies....

Written Answers — Skill Shortages: Skill Shortages (21 Jun 2006)

Micheál Martin: Our economy now has more than 1.9 million people in employment and continues to experience growth. This has led to skills shortages in some areas. However, the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) has been charged with monitoring emerging Ireland's skills requirements. Since 1997, it has produced estimates of skills requirements by sector, including in ICT, Biotechnology, Finance,...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (22 Jun 2006)

Micheál Martin: The inter agency forum in question was established by the Waterford County Manager. It includes representatives of the relevant Industrial Development agencies under the aegis of my Department. The forum has put in place a coordinated response for the provision of information to the relevant employees. Presentations, which provided details on Social Welfare Benefits, Revenue, Training...

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

Micheál Martin: Under current legislation if a non-EEA national wishes to take up employment in Ireland they will require some form of an employment permit. In relation to health professionals who wish to work in public hospitals in the state the appropriate permit required would be a Work Authorisation or Work Visa. The prospective employee is granted the authorisation/visa at an Irish Embassy or Consulate...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (22 Jun 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 145 and 146 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, including Waterford and Dungarvan, for new or expansion FDI investments and jobs is a day-to-day operational matter for the Agency. While I may give general policy...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (22 Jun 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Southern & Eastern Regional Assembly accepted the findings of an independent report which it commissioned from the National Institute for Spatial and Regional Analysis, at NUI Maynooth, and proposed that, in addition to the BMW Region and the South East Region, which automatically qualify, the remaining areas to be designated for 2007-2013, should be Clare, Limerick, North Tipperary and...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (27 Jun 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Work Permit section of my Department has informed me that it has no record of any valid application in this instance. Application forms are available on the Department's website at www.entemp.ie. It should be pointed out, however, that incomplete or incorrectly completed applications are returned to the employer concerned for amendment.

Written Answers — Grocery Industry: Grocery Industry (27 Jun 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Groceries Order was in place for 18 years and in that time it fundamentally altered the structure and composition of the grocery trade. While I do not think we should expect to see fundamental changes in the sector in the short term following the abolition of the Order, consumers are nonetheless seeing early benefits with one multiple announcing its intention over the coming months to...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (27 Jun 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Work Permit section of my Department informs me that the position of plasterer is on the list of occupational sectors eligible for Work Permits. However, information received from FÁS/EURES indicates that there is currently an adequate supply of qualified plasterers available from within the EU to meet all needs in this area. Accordingly, Work Permit applications are not currently being...

Written Answers — Employment Action Plan: Employment Action Plan (27 Jun 2006)

Micheál Martin: IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI) to Ireland and its regions. The marketing of individual areas, including the counties of Cavan and Monaghan, 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...

Written Answers — Capital Funding: Capital Funding (27 Jun 2006)

Micheál Martin: In respect of seed and venture capital programmes participated in by Enterprise Ireland, the industrial development agency that falls under my remit, and on 22nd May 2006 I announced a major injection of liquidity into the venture capital market by Enterprise Ireland. Enterprise Ireland will be investing €175 million, which will leverage an estimated €1 billion for investment into seed,...

Written Answers — Company Closures: Company Closures (27 Jun 2006)

Micheál Martin: My previous responses on 25 April and 21 February 2006 to queries raised by the Deputy (Ref. No. 14490/06 and 6931/06 respectively) addressed the liquidation process and the need for the owner of the travel voucher to make the liquidator aware of the company's liability under the voucher. The receipt, analysis and determination of any report submitted by a liquidator under section 56 of the...

Written Answers — Equal Opportunities Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (27 Jun 2006)

Micheál Martin: The policy in relation to the employment of people with disabilities in the civil service, including the setting of compliance targets, is the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Finance. The Disability Act 2005 provides that the Minister for Finance, with the consent of the Minister for Justice, Equality & Law Reform, may specify compliance targets, and where no such targets are...

Written Answers — Corporate Law Enforcement: Corporate Law Enforcement (28 Jun 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) is required by law to keep confidential commercially sensitive information, which it obtains in the course of its work. However, the law also provides for the sharing of information between the ODCE and certain other regulatory authorities where the information is relevant to the remit of the regulatory authority. It also provides for...

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

Micheál Martin: The Work Permit Section of my Department received a work permit application in respect of the above named individual on 29 May 2006. The employer can expect to be contacted regarding this application within the next week.

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (29 Jun 2006)

Micheál Martin: Community Employment is an active market labour programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in training and work experience within their communities on a temporary, fixed-term basis. In this way Community Employment helps unemployed people to re-enter the active workforce by breaking their experience of...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (29 Jun 2006)

Micheál Martin: Implementation of the Enterprise Strategy Group Report is ongoing. The implementation process is overseen by the Enterprise Advisory Group (EAG), consisting of representatives of the business community under the chairmanship of Michael Buckley with the participation of Secretaries General from relevant Government Departments. The EAG is currently finalising its first progress report, which...