Results 4,441-4,460 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Work Permits. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Bill to give NERA statutory provision is being drafted currently by the Parliamentary Counsel, and it should be placed on a statutory footing in early 2008. The overall approach is to build compliance. NERA is in discussions currently with the GNIB——

Work Permits. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: They are authorised officers of my Department so I can activate it. I have had discussions with NERA on this specific issue last week. The GNIB still has a significant role to play because there is a migration aspect to this. A benefit of this Act, which will give us more teeth, is the capacity for the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Social and Family Affairs and my Department to...

Work Permits. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: Under the new employment permit arrangements I launched earlier this year, registered nurses and specialist nurses are both occupations for which green cards may be issued for posts with an annual salary over €30,000. Nurses must be fully qualified and registered with An Bord Altranais. In 2007 to the end of October, a total of 1,331 employment permits have issued in respect of nurses, of...

Work Permits. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: My officials discussed the matter this morning and we understand the association may have articulated the difficulties outlined by the Deputy; we will facilitate a meeting to work through a proper system. There has always been a specific allowance for health care because it was an area identified repeatedly, along with IT and construction professionals, as having skills shortages. This must...

Telecommunications Services. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: Broadband infrastructure and telecommunications policy is the primary responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. There has been much debate and discussion about broadband provision over the past few years. As a result of forward-thinking investment many years ago our international broadband connectivity is superior to or as advanced as any...

Telecommunications Services. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: I accept the Deputy's point on speed. There is no argument about the OECD measurement. There are reasons for this in that countries like Japan have higher population densities, which give them some advantage over lower speed countries. For example, 26 million people live in the greater Seoul area, half of whom live in apartment blocks.

Telecommunications Services. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The point is that I do not disagree with the Deputy. The other competitive issue regarding the digital and Internet space is energy. That would be of concern to me in the medium term as it affects the cost base that may apply. I have also discussed that area with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Ryan. The Deputy has said we are playing catch up. We...

Telecommunications Services. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: We are moving particularly quickly.

Telecommunications Services. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: We did.

Telecommunications Services. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: I am not interested in——

Telecommunications Services. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: I take the Deputy's point that we always aim to be the best. Although I note that just as the Deputy criticises me for using European parameters, on another day the Opposition loves to use European averages. I accept the Deputy's basic point that it is not the key issue for us. The key issue for us relates to FDI. We compete with Israel, Singapore, Puerto Rico, eastern Europe and other...

Telecommunications Services. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Minister, Deputy Ryan, is ahead of the game in that he is already calling together a forum regarding next generation technologies.

Telecommunications Services. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: He is. He is very keen to advance this agenda and he will leave an impact on this area — of that I have no doubt. There are pluses and minuses. We have the strongest per capita subscriber growth in the OECD. We have added 6.6 subscribers per 100 inhabitants in the past year, which is far ahead of anybody else. We improved to 21st out of 32 countries as benchmarked by Forfás in June...

Industrial Development. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 75 together. The most recent full year merchandise trade figures published by the Central Statistics Office relate to 2006. Between 2004 and 2005 imports rose from €51.1 billion to €57.5 billion, a rise of €6.4 billion, 12.5%, while between 2005 and 2006 imports rose from €57.5 billion to €60.7 billion, a rise of €3.2 billion, 5.7%. These...

Industrial Development. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The key strategy we have adopted involves trying to move to value-added activities which can be more effective in terms of dealing with our cost base. Our capacity to compete in sectors like low-cost services and low-cost merchandise has been reducing. As we invest more in research and innovation, small and medium sized enterprises and companies of that nature are in a better position to...

Work Permits. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: Under the Employment Permits Act 2006, the fee for an employment permit may be refunded if an application has been refused or withdrawn prior to the issuing of the permit. The fee is not normally refunded, however, after the permit has been issued. Employment permits are processed in accordance with the Employment Permits Acts 2003 and 2006 and SI Nos. 682 and 683 of 2006, which clearly and...

Work Permits. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: It costs €1,000 for two years.

Work Permits. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The danger with that proposal is that our approach is vacancy-driven. When an employment vacancy occurs, that can be the catalyst for an application by an employer or an employee for a work permit. We do not want a free-for-all to develop, whereby somebody utilises a vacancy to get a work permit and then goes somewhere else within two months. That would bring the entire system into...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (28 Nov 2007)

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

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Government has approved the drafting by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel of the Companies Consolidation and Reform Bill along the lines of the General Scheme prepared by the Company Law Review Group. The General Scheme was designed to provide an appropriate framework for the formation and operation of companies and is framed primarily with private, commercially operating, companies...