Results 3,421-3,440 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Manufacturing Sector: Manufacturing Sector (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: There is a need to tread cautiously when interpreting quarterly results for industrial production as the indices are subject to fluctuation. Such results are best compared to performance relative to the corresponding quarter of the previous year rather than relative to the preceding quarter. While CSO data indicates that production decreased by 6.0% in the period September-November 2006...

Written Answers — Enterprise Development: Enterprise Development (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: My Department and its agencies support the financing of SMEs in a number of ways. The funding provided by Enterprise Ireland and the County and City Enterprise Boards, in the form of grants, refundable aid and equity participation, provides an important source of finance to many SMEs. In addition, Enterprise Ireland actively promotes the availability of venture capital in Ireland and I have...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: The new National Employment Rights Authority will be established under primary legislation to be published this year. Work has already begun on the preparation of the Employment Law Compliance Bill. Pending the introduction of that legislation it is our intention to establish the Authority and its Advisory Board on an interim basis. I am pleased to say that Mr Ger Deering, currently the...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 195 and 209 together. I am informed by FÁS that at year end 2006 there were 22,511 people on 1,260 Community Employment Projects nationally. I am informed by FÁS that it is intended that the Community Employment budget will be sufficient to maintain overall numbers on Community Employment at 2006 levels. I understand that it is intended that the FÁS Board...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: Under the Government's decentralisation programme, FÁS is due to transfer its head office including some 383 posts to Birr, County Offaly, by 2009. Negotiations for the purchase of a site are continuing between FÁS and its owner. In the meantime, FÁS has already rented accommodation in Birr Technology Centre. FÁS currently has two staff members physically located in Birr and another...

Written Answers — Departmental Appointments: Departmental Appointments (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: I am happy to advise the Deputy that the new Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government, Professor Patrick Cunningham, took up his post on Monday 15 January 2007. The CSA is available to provide high-level advice on scientific issues of concern to Government, as required, and initially for a minimum of the equivalent of twenty-two hours each week. His role complements the other elements of...

Written Answers — Grocery Industry: Grocery Industry (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: Following the enactment of the Competition (Amendment) Act 2006 which revoked the Restrictive Practices (Groceries) Order 1987, I asked the Competition Authority to review and monitor developments in the grocery sector in light of the new regulatory environment. Since the removal of the Order, the Competition Authority has received no complaints of anti-competitive behaviour in the sector,...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Enterprise Strategy Group's (ESG) report was an important policy agenda both for national competitiveness and for strengthening a positive business environment. The subsequent Action Plan to progress implementation of the ESG's recommendations covers 47 topics and set out a number of action points for Enterprise Ireland. Significant progress has been made by Enterprise Ireland in...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Consumer Protection Bill will be published in the next few days. The new National Consumer Agency will be placed on a statutory footing immediately after the Bill is enacted by the Oireachtas. In this regard the Bill will be presented to Seanad Eireann on 6th February 2006. There is already in place an Executive Chairperson of the Interim Board of the Agency and it is expected that the...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section of my Department has informed me the number of new work permits issued to non-EEA nationals for year ending 2006 was 7,342. The main areas are Service Industry, Medical/Nursing and Catering. The two main categories of occupation based on salary level for a green card are: (i) Where the annual salary (excluding bonuses) on offer is €60,000 or more, the Green...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: The current position under the Companies Acts 1963 to 2006 is that every company must appoint an auditor to examine and report on the accounts of the company unless the company comes within a class of company entitled to avail of exemption from this requirement. A number of classes of company are currently entitled to avail of such exemption, subject to certain conditions being met. Companies...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: Officials in the employment permit section of my Department have recently been in contact with the Employer in this case. The section is prepared to consider a work permit application in this case on the basis that there will be an employer/employee relationship. An extension of this permit will only be considered when the individual has successfully completed their adaptation period.

Written Answers — Services Sector: Services Sector (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: I would advise the Deputy that the statutory regulation of specific professional services is the responsibility of a number of different Government Departments and Agencies. For example the Deputy will be aware that the regulation of medical practitioners is the responsibility of the Minister for Health and Children and the regulation of financial services is the responsibility of the...

Written Answers — National Minimum Wage: National Minimum Wage (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: All staff currently employed by my Department earn above the national minimum wage. There are 3 staff currently employed by my Department, earning not more than one euro per hour more than the minimum wage. These staff are on the first point of the Department of Finance payscale for the cleaner grade. One agency of my Department has 1 student on work experience who earns the minimum wage and...

Written Answers — Debt Collection: Debt Collection (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: There are well established procedures for enforcement of bad debts through the civil courts. Issues arising in relation to these procedures are a matter for my colleague Mr. Michael McDowell, T.D., Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. In addition, the Bar Council of Ireland has recently introduced a Small Claims Arbitration System, on a trial basis, for claims up to...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: The management of IDA Ireland's industrial property portfolio, including the purchase and disposal of property, is a day-to-day operational matter for the Agency as part of the statutory responsibility assigned to it by the Oireachtas and not a matter in which I have any function. I understand that IDA Ireland is engaged in ongoing negotiations with Cork County Council regarding the sale of a...

Written Answers — Mobile Telephony: Mobile Telephony (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: As advised in my reply to the Deputy on 14th December 2006, my Department does not have any function or responsibility in relation to Regtel. Regtel was not set up by statute and does not as far as I am aware derive any regulatory role on foot of any statute. I am not in a position to advise the Deputy as to how the Company is funded or as to how it should most appropriately be described.

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section of my Department has informed me that this application was refused. The potential employer was notified of this decision in writing and of their right to appeal. To-date no such appeal was received, therefore, their fees were refunded to them.

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that this application was refused on the basis that this position falls under the ineligible category.

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Forfás Annual Employment Survey reports on job gains and losses in companies that are clients of the industrial development agencies. Information is aggregated at county level. In 2005, the latest year for which such figures are available, the Survey records that there were nine IDA client companies located in Clare, six of which were located in the town of Ennis. In total there were...