Results 3,641-3,660 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

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. IDA Ireland has responsibility for marketing Ireland and its regions to overseas investors and Enterprise Ireland is concentrating on developing the indigenous sector. While I may give general policy directives to the agencies under the Industrial Development Acts, I am precluded from...

Written Answers — Work Life Balance Initiatives: Work Life Balance Initiatives (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: My Department fully supports work life balance initiatives and has been to the forefront in the Public Service in introducing and developing many of the work life balance schemes and initiatives that are currently available to staff in this Department. In support of Work Life Balance Day 2007, the Work Options Unit in my Department, in association with the Health and Safety Unit, and the...

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

Micheál Martin: At present there is a vacancy at Clerical Officer level in the Minister of State for Labour Affairs constituency office. The vacancy will be filled on 23rd March, 2007. The post is based in Minister Tony Killeen's Office, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Davitt House, Adelaide Road, Dublin 2. The officer concerned is a Clerical Officer. The Clerical Officer salary scale...

Written Answers — Pharmaceutical Industry: Pharmaceutical Industry (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: I am aware that IDA Ireland has recently decided to conduct a study of the pharmaceutical sector. The purpose is to give an overview on process development both locally and internationally. The study should define what supports could be put in place by way of infrastructure or activities which would enable manufacturing operations to engage in process development activities and add value to...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: There are currently a total of seventeen Directives due to be transposed by my Department up to 2010. Four of these Directives are overdue and the following is the position with regard to implementation progress: 1. Directive 2004/22/EC of 31 March 2004 concerning harmonisation of measuring instruments Transposition deadline: 30 April 2006. Expected date of implementation: 16 March 2007. 2....

Written Answers — Fair Trade Promotion: Fair Trade Promotion (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: My Department has only two small canteens and in the past year both canteens have introduced Fair Trade products. My Department encourages the use of Fair Trade products in these canteens and a large poster advertising Fair Trade products is on display for all staff to see. As regards the agencies under the control of my Department, the Deputy may wish to know that last June my Department...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Social Partnership Agreement "Towards 2016" contains a commitment under Section 24 (Economic Migration Policy) that the employment of non-EEA students should be the subject of an employment permit application. This is a complex area and my Department is currently consulting with stakeholders and the social partners regarding the procedures and format of this type of employment permit....

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: A total of 69,000 persons commenced FÁS training courses in 2006 with roughly 35% of those attending training not in employment and 65% in employment. In addition, 176,000 persons attended Safe Pass and Construction Skills training and a further 9,000 persons attended Evening Courses. A training element was also included for 32,300 persons on Community Employment and Job Initiative schemes...

Written Answers — Overseas Trade Promotion: Overseas Trade Promotion (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: The management and location of overseas offices of the development agencies is a day-to-day operational matter for the agencies and not a matter in which I have a function. IDA Ireland is the statutory agency charged with the attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI) to this country. The agency established its first office in Shanghai, China during 2005. To date there have been a...

Written Answers — Enterprise Incentives: Enterprise Incentives (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: State support specific to enterprise and job creation is channelled through the industrial development agencies. IDA Ireland has responsibility for marketing Ireland and its regions for overseas investment and Enterprise Ireland is concentrating on developing the indigenous sector. Shannon Development is responsible for regional economic development in the Mid West region whereas the County...

Written Answers — North-South Enterprise Policy: North-South Enterprise Policy (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Good Friday Agreement set out a new vision for the island of Ireland. As both North and South face the common challenges and opportunities of a globalised marketplace and continuing the transition to a knowledge economy where science, technology and innovation are vital to economic success, it is appropriate that we should jointly address those challenges and opportunities where there is...

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

Micheál Martin: Eight additional staff will be appointed to the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) this year. Consideration of any request for additional staffing has to take account of the overall demands for staffing both within the Department and its agencies and offices.

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 135 and 147 together. The Casual Trading Act, 1995 regulates casual trading which is defined as "selling goods at a place (including a public road) to which the public have access as of right". The Act is operated by the 88 local authorities entitled to make bye laws under the Act. The sale of videos, DVDs and other similar products in a public place would...

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

Micheál Martin: Neither my Department nor its agencies have primary responsibility for the delivery of English language instruction. However, as part of its responsibilities for training, FÁS is developing training materials to assist migrant workers who have language difficulties. This material will be in the form of two generic courses of ninety hours in duration, pitched at two levels. FÁS is also in...

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

Micheál Martin: Consideration of requests for additional staffing by Offices and Agencies of my Department fall to be considered in the context of overall Government policy on managing public sector numbers. In the recent past I have approved over 270 additional staff for a number of Offices and Agencies including FAS, the National Employment Rights Agency, the Industrial Relation Bodies, the Health and...

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

Micheál Martin: The information requested by the Deputy is as follows. Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority (IAASA) (Incorporated Dec 2005) Staffing levels: 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 N/A N/A N/A 5 7 There are no expected retirements in 2007/2008 and 2009. Recruitment Plan in 2007 includes 1 × Project Manager, 1 × IT & Facilities Manager, 2 × Administrative Executives and 4 × Clerical...

Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: To reduce energy consumption in the Department and to ensure maximum energy efficiency and the minimum carbon footprint in its daily operations, my Department through its Green Team, which was established some years ago, has over the past few years initiated the following actions: Ensured that all lighting in the Department's eight buildings is switched off overnight; Ensured that the Office...

Written Answers — Labour Inspectorate: Labour Inspectorate (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: As indicated in my replies to Parliamentary Questions Number 84 of 15 November 2006 and 146, 154 and 168 of 31 January, 2007, the number of Labour Inspectors will be progressively increased from 31 at present to 90 by end-2007 with the expectation that assignments will be made from the second quarter of 2007. The necessary arrangements and selection processes to meet this objective are being...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: The regulation of telecommunications, televisual and broadband service providers is one of the functions of the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) established under the Communications Regulation Act 2002 (No. 20 of 2002). I understand that although ComReg regulates providers of electronic communications services and networks, including broadcasting transmission networks, it...

Written Answers — Personal Injuries Assessment Board: Personal Injuries Assessment Board (6 Mar 2007)

Micheál Martin: All personal injury claims, apart from medical negligence cases, must be referred to PIAB in the first instance. Certain cases do not come within the remit of PIAB i.e. where liability is disputed, and other categories of cases must be released by PIAB, for example, those cases where the injury is wholly psychological by nature. These cases are more appropriate to the court system. Many...