Results 4,721-4,740 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: Regarding measures taken to avoid the job losses, I understand that IDA Ireland had discussions with Allergan management in Arklow with a view to having the company invest more heavily in technical process development and in significant process automation. Unfortunately, the decision taken by the company was to move production to a more modern plant in Costa Rica which has spare capacity....

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I am aware of the situation at the Allergan plant in Arklow. The decision taken by the company to close its facility by the middle of 2009 is very disappointing particularly for the workers and families involved. I am confident that the Industrial Development agencies together with other local interests will make every effort to secure alternative employment for the area. I will, of...

Written Answers — Price Inflation: Price Inflation (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I am fully aware that the price of a range of foods has increased in the last number of months. Whilst the December 2007 Consumer Price Index as published by the Central Statistics Office shows that although the annual rate of inflation fell to 4.7% in December down from 5.0% in November, the price of food and non alcoholic beverages increased by 6.3% in the year. Rising food prices are...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 63 together. The last Quarterly National Household Survey on the labour market showed that the pace of employment growth actually accelerated slightly and employment over the year 2007 was up nearly 4%. Last year total employment in the country exceeded 2 million for the first time, an increase of 78,000 on the same quarter in 2006 and net job creation...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Enterprise Development Agencies under the aegis of my Department, Enterprise Ireland, the County Enterprise Boards, and IDA Ireland are responsible for growing indigenous enterprises and attracting and growing foreign direct investment. My Department has put in place a range of strategies, programmes and financial incentives to promote economic and enterprise development that will support...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: To date my Department has not made an application to the European Globalisation Fund. However, my Department is currently investigating the possibility of making an application to the Fund subject to the strict criteria associated with the European Globalisation Fund being met.

Written Answers — Research Funding: Research Funding (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Government has made a major commitment, through the substantial investment set out in the Strategy for Science, Technology & Innovation (SSTI) and the National Development Plan (NDP) 2007-2013, to making the transition to a knowledge-economy. The ambition is that "Ireland by 2013 will be internationally renowned for the excellence of its research, and will be to the forefront in...

Written Answers — FETAC Awards: FETAC Awards (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: My Department is regularly in contact with the Department of Education and Science, the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland and FETAC in relation to accreditation issues. I understand that at present in excess of 600 training providers have agreed their quality assurance arrangements with FETAC and can offer programmes leading to FETAC awards at Levels 1 to 6 of the National...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I have asked the Company Law Review Group, as part of their Work Programme for 2006/2007, to examine the issue of 'Limited Liability Partnerships'. This follows from concerns, particularly by the legal profession, about the consequences of unlimited liability on partners in a firm. This is one of several issues under consideration by the Company Law Review Group in its 2006/2007 Work...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Consumer Protection Act 2007, which commenced in May last year, empowers the National Consumer Agency to prepare and publish guidelines to traders in relation to matters of consumer welfare and protection and matters related to commercial practices. The Act also entitles the Agency to review or approve Codes of Practice submitted to it by traders or their trade associations where the...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Climate and Energy proposals published by the Commission on 23rd January are a complex package which raise economic and social issues for Ireland and thus require careful consideration by all Government stakeholders. The Commission package includes the following elements: The separation of the EU Emissions Trading Sector (ETS) from the rest of the economy through the creation of a single...

Written Answers — Product Labelling: Product Labelling (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: Price display law is covered by Orders made under Section 19 of the Prices Acts 1958 to 1972 and under the European Communities (Requirements to Indicate Product Prices) Regulations 2002, Statutory Instrument No. 639 of 2002. The various Price Display Orders made under the Prices Acts 1958 to 1972 cover Drinks Display in Licensed Premises, Hairdressing Services, Petrol and Diesel and...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The legally binding agreements covering the payment of industrial grants by IDA to its client companies provide, among other things, that companies are obliged to repay grants in their entirety in the event of the project not proceeding. I am satisfied that the company concerned is fully aware if its obligation to repay the grant in its entirety. Where a contractual entitlement to recover a...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Central Bank Financial Stability Report 2007 referred to by the Deputy looks essentially at the soundness of the financial system. The Report makes clear that Irish credit institutions do not have significant exposures to the sub-prime market, either directly or indirectly. In relation to overall competitiveness, while acknowledging that our strong competitiveness position up to recently...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (7 Feb 2008)

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. The combined Exchequer and National Training Funds allocated to FÁS for 2008 will amount to €1,082,919. This represents a 3% increase on the Revised Estimates for 2007 and includes an additional amount of €1.7m from...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (7 Feb 2008)

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 are earmarked for decentralisation: Companies Registration Office/Registry of Friendly Societies National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) Work Permits Redundancy Payments Section...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 41 together. The primary agencies under the remit of my Department with responsibility for supports and initiatives for indigenous enterprises in Donegal are Enterprise Ireland (EI) and the Donegal County Enterprise Board (CEB). Enterprise Ireland provides funding and expertise to companies with ten or more employees in the indigenous manufacturing and...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: In the ten year period 1998 to 2007, four Youghal based IDA supported companies have closed with a total loss of 407 jobs. In the same period, two Enterprise Ireland client companies closed with a combined loss of 45 jobs. Details of these closures are set out in the tabular statement. While job losses at any time are to be are to be regretted, particularly for those who actually lose...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The issues raised by the Deputy relate to Sections 48 and 49 of the Consumer Protection Act 2007. My Department launched a public consultation process in relation to the commencement of these provisions of the Act in the summer of 2007. Almost 50 submissions were received in response to the consultation process. The submissions gave rise to a number of complex matters, which require careful...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: In its first 11 months of operation (February 2007 to end December 2007), a total of 2,974 permits issued under the Green Card Scheme. This figure represents close to one third of total new employment permits issued by the Department in 2007 and represents an increase over the 2,713 permits issued in 2006 under the Work Visa/Work Authorisation Scheme, which the Green Card Scheme replaced....