Results 4,481-4,500 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: My Department has been making good progress in the relocation of the required 250 posts to Carlow under the Government's Decentralisation Programme. The following business units/Offices of my Department have been selected as part of the Decentralisation Programme and will be relocated in the new decentralised office: Companies Registration Office/Registry of Friendly Societies; National...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Government recognises that an environment conducive to entrepreneurial activity that harnesses the abundant creativity of Irish entrepreneurs is critical to Ireland's economic future and national prosperity. The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), benchmarks Ireland as one of the most entrepreneurial economies in Europe, ranking 3rd highest in the EU. The 2006 GEM report found that...

Written Answers — Regulatory Impact Assessments: Regulatory Impact Assessments (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The number of Regulatory Impact Assessments carried out by my Department are set out on the attached tabular statement. Title of RIA Was RIA published? Yes / No If not published, why not? Any Additional Information An Assessment of the Increase in the Minimum Wage Recommended by the Labour Court in 2006 No ESRI report was circulated to Social Partners. A full impact assessment was...

Written Answers — Unemployment Levels: Unemployment Levels (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The latest employment data published by the Central Statistics Office indicates that the numbers in employment grew by almost 68,000 in the year to Quarter 3 2007 bringing the total number in employment to 2,140,900 (Quarterly National Household Survey 15 November 2007). The seasonally adjusted data indicates that the unemployment rate decreased from 4.5% to 4.4% in the 12-month period and a...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: As I advised the House in my reply of 24th October 2007 to a previous question on the same matter (PQ 25387/07 refers), the National Consumer Agency, which was established on a statutory basis on the commencement of the Consumer Protection Act in May 2007, is empowered as part of its mandate to publish Guidelines applicable to traders in relation to matters of consumer welfare and protection....

Written Answers — Employment Permits: Employment Permits (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section has indicated that this application was refused on the grounds that the position on offer is currently one of the occupational categories ineligible for an employment permit. Having examined the appeal the Appeals Officer has upheld the original decision in this case.

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: There are currently 186 valid employment permits in respect of Romanian nationals and 63 in respect of Bulgarian nationals. I understand from the Department of Social and Family Affairs that since January 2007, 13130 PPS numbers have been issued in respect of Romanian nationals and 886 in respect of Bulgarian nationals. The CSO Quarterly National Household Survey for the third quarter of 2007...

Written Answers — National Training Fund: National Training Fund (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The following revenue was received from the National Training Fund 2004 to 2007: 2004 2005 2006 2007 (estimate) 2008 (Pre-Budget estimates) 276,679 312,686 353,954 395,666 402,907 In accordance with the National Training Fund Act 2000, expenditure under the Fund is allocated to organisations that operate schemes to raise the skills of those in employment, or to provide training to those...

Written Answers — Manufacturing and Services Sectors: Manufacturing and Services Sectors (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: My Department, in conjunction with the Enterprise Development Agencies, has taken a number of steps in recent years to identify and address issues affecting the manufacturing and services sectors particularly through implementation of the enterprise action plan arising from the Enterprise Strategy Group report and implementation of recommendations from the Small Business Forum. The 2006...

Written Answers — Manufacturing and Services Sectors: Manufacturing and Services Sectors (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: In 2004 the Enterprise Strategy Group report outlined the sectors where Ireland has considerable potential for future growth, building on existing expertise and capitalising on new opportunities in internationally-traded services, high-value manufacturing in a number of sectors and locally-trading businesses. A number of service sectors and activities were considered to offer opportunities...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: There are a number of competitiveness benchmarks against which Ireland is measured. For example, the World Bank ranks Ireland as 8th out of 178 economies globally for "ease of doing business". This puts us in the top 5% of world economies in their survey. In its recently published report on global competitiveness rankings, the World Economic Forum (WEF) positioned Ireland, in 22nd position...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: Employment data in enterprise agency assisted firms is collated by Forfás on an annual basis only. Accordingly data on jobs created and jobs lost in 2007 will not be available until early 2008 and in annual format only. The latest employment data published by the Central Statistics Office indicates that the numbers in employment grew by almost 68,000 in the year to Quarter 3 2007 bringing...

Written Answers — Trade Missions: Trade Missions (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: Ministerial-led Trade Missions are an integral part of our work to develop and expand Ireland's exports to existing and new markets abroad. It has been the experience of my Department and of the companies participating in such missions that the presence of a Minister enhances the opportunities for the companies involved and achieves a higher level of recognition and access to the various...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: Since the beginning of 2007 IDA Ireland has made 37 new project announcements with a potential job creation figure of in excess of 3,000. It is necessary to distinguish between jobs announced and actual jobs created. There is always a timelag, often stretching over many years, between the announcement of jobs and their creation. The actual number of new jobs created in IDA supported...

Written Answers — Export Markets: Export Markets (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: Despite the difficulties posed by the decline in the exchange rate of the US Dollar against the Euro, which is outside our control, my Department and Enterprise Ireland are working to ensure that our exports to that country, which our single biggest export market, are maintained. Figures for the first 8 months of this year show that merchandise exports to the US were actually up slightly on...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The position in relation to imports and exports of Merchandise goods over the last five years is given in the following table. Data for the first eight months of 2007 show Merchandise Exports have increased by 5% over the same period in 2006 and Merchandise Imports for the same period have increased at a slower rate, i.e. 3%. For the period 2004-2006 Merchandise Imports have been rising...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: Economy wide employment data are officially collected by the Central Statistics Office through, for example its Quarterly National Household Survey and Live Register analysis. Collection of these data does not however include a module on the context in which employment changes take place. The latest QNHS shows that employment grew by almost 68,000 or 3.3% in the year to the third quarter of...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The budget for FÁS is agreed on the basis of detailed discussions between FÁS, my Department and the Department of Finance in the context of the annual Estimates process. A budget of €1,046,861,000 was allocated to FÁS for 2007. This includes €359m in respect of Community Employment, with a view to maintaining overall numbers on the scheme and the continuation of training for...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: Job losses occur for a wide variety of reasons and therefore it is not possible to quantify the actual numbers of jobs, that have been lost to more competitive economies. There are a variety of factors involved in a firm's decision to move all or part of their operations offshore. In addition to relative wage rates and other cost factors, these may include business takeovers, consolidations...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (29 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that this application was refused on the grounds that the position on offer is currently one of the occupations ineligible for an employment permit. Having heard the appeal the Appeals Officer has upheld the original decision in this case.