Results 3,861-3,880 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 33 together. Agencies under the remit of my Department are conscious of the need to achieve a high level of energy efficiency. Although there is no formal policy in place in relation to energy efficiency in most of the agencies, a number have undertaken efficiency surveys and carbon footprint audits to ensure efficiency measures are met. A number of...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: Vibrant, successful and growing economies have strong flows of capital investment as firms decide where it is optimum to invest and locate different aspects of their value chain. In this context and with the extending influence of globalisation, every major economy of the European Union experiences both inflows and outflows of plants and jobs. There will always be changes to firms' production...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: The County and City Enterprise Boards are the principal government agencies at local level with responsibility for enterprise promotion and micro business development. The key objectives of the Boards are to stimulate and promote local enterprise culture and entrepreneurship and to assist new business start-ups and the expansion and growth of existing small business. The Enterprise Boards...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: There are currently a total of sixteen 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. Directive 2004/22/EC of 31 March 2004 concerning harmonisation of measuring instruments had a transposition deadline of 30 April 2006 and has an expected date of implementation of 27...

Written Answers — Company Closures: Company Closures (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: Following the closure of the plant in question, finding alternative employment for the area and the county was a priority for the Industrial Development agencies. In this regard, a major financial services project which will provide 700 jobs was announced for Navan in 2006. This project will be of significant benefit to the whole county. Another financial services company, which announced...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: There has not been a negative impact on the work of my Department and the Agencies under the aegis of my Department arising from the Government's Public Service Staffing Reduction Programme. All services carried out by my Department and Agencies have been maintained to the highest standard.

Written Answers — National Consumer Agency: National Consumer Agency (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: The National Consumer Agency operates a Lo-Call helpline number 1890 432 432 from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm Monday through Friday to assist consumers in relation to queries or complaints. The Agency also provides comprehensive consumer information and advice on its website at www.consumerconnect.ie. Consumers can email their queries or complaints to ask@consumerconnect.ie. The Consumer Strategy...

Written Answers — Regulatory Programme: Regulatory Programme (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37, 44, 47, 57, 68, 69 and 75 together. International benchmarking reports suggest that the regulatory burden in Ireland is relatively light. The IMD (International Institute for Management Development) World Competitiveness Yearbook 2006 ranks Ireland 8th out of 61 countries surveyed for the extent to which bureaucracy does not hinder business activity. The...

Written Answers — Third Level Institutions: Third Level Institutions (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: It is vitally important to ensure that supports are available to help companies achieve successful R&D results through interfacing with third level institutions and other potential solution providers. A broad range of collaboration supports is made available through Enterprise Ireland. This includes the Innovation Vouchers scheme, which I recently launched, which give small companies access...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: The carbon footprint of my Department for 2006 is not available. Greenhouse gas emissions attributable to the public sector in general, arise from energy use in public sector buildings. These are not reported on separately in the annual Environment Protection Agency's National Inventory Report but are included in the emissions from the Industry, Commercial and Services sector. Specific...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: I presume the Deputy's question relates to air travel. As outlined in the National Climate Change Strategy 2007 – 2012, the Government, pending the inclusion of aviation in the Emissions Trading Scheme, has decided that it will voluntarily introduce a carbon-offsetting scheme for all air travel on Government business, including flights by Ministers and by civil servants, from the beginning...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: Sustaining a strong enterprise environment is key to competitiveness for modern economies. Having enterprise policies that are flexible and evolve with business need is equally important. This ensures that Ireland is a profitable and secure location in which to invest is equally important. A number of important advisory groups such as the Small Business Forum, the Enterprise Strategy Group...

Written Answers — Personal Injuries Assessment Board: Personal Injuries Assessment Board (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: Personal Injuries Assessment Board awards mirror Court Awards, as both refer to a Book of Quantum to determine the appropriate award to be given. Some claimants, as is their right, choose to reject the award and commence litigation proceedings in the hope of receiving greater compensation. I have no proposals to interfere with this right. The PIAB is a new body that has significantly...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: I am very conscious of the need to ensure that all our training programmes, not just the apprenticeship programmes are kept responsive, competitive and productive in order to ensure that the Irish labour force is capable of meeting the future skills demands of employers. FÁS has the statutory responsibility for the organisation and control of designated apprenticeship by the powers conferred...

Written Answers — Equality Issues: Equality Issues (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Equality Acts 1998 and 2004, administered by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, among other things, protects against discrimination on the ground of age in relation to access to employment. However, they also permit an employer to decide on a retirement age in a particular employment to give flexibility to employers and employees, having due regard to the...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: Temporary Registered Doctors are granted permission from the Garda National Immigration Bureau to live and work in the State for up to 7 years. The changing short-term nature of their work patterns is such that this is the best way to facilitate them working here. For countries that are visa required the doctor must, in support of their application for a visa, be able to provide documentation...

Written Answers — Energy Consumption: Energy Consumption (26 Apr 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 — Job Creation: Job Creation (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: While job losses are always regrettable, they are a feature of economic development in all countries as various sectors expand and contract in response to market forces. However, I have been assured by the agencies under the remit of my Department that they are actively endeavouring to attract new investment, to encourage the start-up of new businesses, to grow existing businesses and to...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: I have no function in the matter of ordering Dáil Business.

Written Answers — Departmental Travel: Departmental Travel (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: Table 1 set out below provides details of international fights taken by staff of my Department on official business on scheduled flights from 1 January 2007 to 20 April 2007. The table shows the final destination for each journey, the number of flights to each destination and the cost involved. My Department's staff have not taken any domestic flights on scheduled aircraft to date in 2007....