Results 3,621-3,640 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Economic Competitiveness. (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: The economy is a remarkable success story. During the past decade we have achieved consistently higher economic growth rates than most developed countries. This is among the better-off countries in the European Union and the developed world. We also score well in international rankings of quality of life. The 2006 UN human development index ranks us in fourth position ahead of countries...

Economic Competitiveness. (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: I must reject that. We created in the region of 500,000 jobs. The Deputy mentioned the 30,000 jobs lost in manufacturing. Like all developed economies the services sector accounts for a growing proportion of the jobs created. I do not accept the Deputy's view that Ireland is not getting a bang for its buck in terms of research and development. It is early days yet in terms of that...

Economic Competitiveness. (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: It is not a fair comparison to compare the 1980s with the present by any standard. It is not to compare like with like. Obviously, in a developing economy the productivity gains we have seen over the past ten to 15 years will, by definition, be more significant than those we can expect in the remaining period. Three issues account for this — investment in research and development I am...

Economic Competitiveness. (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 121 together. Every economy of the developed world experiences flows of capital as firms make adjustments to their operations and decide where to locate different aspects of their value chain. The National Competitiveness Council in its most recent report, Ireland's Competitiveness Challenge, has made a number of recommendations aimed at improving our...

Economic Competitiveness. (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: Since my appointment as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, I have met the managements of such companies, including the manager of Intel's Irish operation, on a regular basis. The employment offered by Intel is robust. Many towns would love to have an employer such as Intel which continues and will continue to make a significant contribution to the economy. Intel is investing...

Industrial Development. (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: State support for enterprise and job creation is channelled through the industrial development agencies. While I can issue general policy directives to the agencies under the Industrial Development Acts, I am precluded from issuing directives about individual undertakings or giving preference to one area over others. I have been assured by the agencies under the remit of the Department of...

Industrial Development. (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: The industrial policy in County Mayo encompasses more than just IDA Ireland. There are approximately 19 IDA-supported companies in County Mayo, employing approximately 3,000 people in permanent jobs and a further 450 in temporary and contract employment. Employment numbers are strong relative to the 1990s and almost 10% higher than in January 1997. Some of the key companies include Baxter,...

Industrial Development. (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: The unemployment rate is not twice the national average. The unemployment rate in the region is about 4.3% which is in line with the national average. We must be careful not to bandy about figures which are not accurate.

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (6 Mar 2007)

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

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: There is one Civil Servant assigned to the constituency Office of the Minister of State for Trade and Commerce. She is based in Minister's Office, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. The officer concerned is a Clerical Officer. The Clerical Officer salary scale ranges from €22,766 to €36,913 per annum. The total salary cost of the constituency...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: The mode of transport which staff of my Department use in travelling to and from work is a matter of choice for each individual. However, my Department generally supports the use of public transport by staff. In this context, it operates a scheme which facilitates staff in obtaining annual bus and rail passes through salary reductions. A particular attraction of the scheme for staff is...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: The CSO release on County Incomes and Regional GDP notes that county estimates should be treated with caution because the underlying data are not always sufficiently robust. Also while the Live Register provides data on a county basis it is not designed to measure unemployment. It includes part-time workers as well as seasonal and casual workers entitled to Jobseekers Allowance or Benefit. ...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: Details of travel and subsistence expenses incurred for the calendar year 2006 by persons employed in my ministerial office in the positions referred to by the Deputy are provided in Table 1 below. Details of travel and subsistence expenses incurred for the calendar year 2006 by persons employed in the positions referred to by the Deputy in the offices of the Ministers of State attached to my...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: State support for enterprise and job creation is channelled through the industrial development agencies. While I may give general policy directives to the agencies under the Industrial Development Acts, I am precluded from giving directives regarding individual undertakings or from giving preference to one area over others. I have been assured by the agencies under the remit of my...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: There are three Civil Servants assigned to my Constituency Office. They are all based in my Office at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. The officers concerned are all Clerical Officers. The Clerical Officer salary scale ranges from €22,766 to €36,913 per annum. The total salary cost of my constituency office for 2006 was €165,180.91. This...

Written Answers — Migrant Workers: Migrant Workers (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: Nationals of Romania and Bulgaria may only come to Ireland to be employed by an employer if they are the subject of an employment permit application. For the first two months of this year, 11 new employment permits were issued in respect of Romanian nationals, and 2 new employment permits in respect of Bulgarian nationals. I understand that the Department of Social and Family Affairs issued...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Competition Authority is the independent statutory agency responsible for the enforcement of competition law in the State. Its mandate and functions are set out in the Competition Act 2002, as amended. The 2002 Act consolidated, reformed and modernised previous legislation relating to competition policy and merger control. In essence the Act: increased the penalties for serious cartel...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: A total of 827 staff in my Department are located in offices rented by the Office of Public Works (OPW). The expenditure in rent is a matter for the OPW. Following the completion of the Decentralisation Programme in 2009, the accommodation needs of the Department will be reviewed in conjunction with the OPW. The position regarding the agencies is as follows: Irish Auditing and Accounting...

Written Answers — Departmental Appointments: Departmental Appointments (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: The salary scales for grades in the established public service are, of course, a matter of public information. The post of Chief Scientific Adviser is not part of the established public service, it is a non-permanent, independent, advisory position, reporting to the Cabinet Sub-Committee on STI, with the appointment made on a contractual basis, in this case for five years. However, having...

Written Answers — Industrial Disputes: Industrial Disputes (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: There was no industrial action in my Department or its agencies except for that in FÁS. A number of work stoppages were undertaken by SIPTU members in FÁS in relation to the inclusion of a relocation clause in promotion contracts in the context of the decentralisation of FÁS Head Office to Birr. These included two 2 hour stoppages, one 4 hour stoppage and one full day stoppage. The...