Results 4,861-4,880 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin
- Priority Questions. (28 Feb 2008)
Micheál Martin: I always bow to the superior wisdom of the Ceann Comhairle.
- EMERGE Project. (28 Feb 2008)
Micheál Martin: The EQUAL programme has provided co-funding to 43 projects over the programming period, one of which is the EMERGE project, which operates under the entrepreneurship pillar of the programme. The aim of the EMERGE project was to develop methodologies for the development and expansion of ethnic minority enterprises, EMEs and to assist EMEs in overcoming business obstacles within the regulatory...
- EMERGE Project. (28 Feb 2008)
Micheál Martin: The economy is going through a transition phase and there has been significant correction, particularly in the construction sector. In some ways this opens up opportunities for the entrepreneurial sector. We are hoping that mobile capital and funding will be redirected towards start-up companies. The good news is that the high-potential start-up companies supported by Enterprise Ireland...
- EMERGE Project. (28 Feb 2008)
Micheál Martin: The bottom line is that it will be the only game in town in terms of the actual operation of the schemes.
- EMERGE Project. (28 Feb 2008)
Micheál Martin: They can.
- EMERGE Project. (28 Feb 2008)
Micheál Martin: I will answer very quickly. We have reformed the business expansion seed capital schemes and increased the limits dramatically. This affects all companies, whether clients of Enterprise Ireland or not. A company does not have to be a client to avail of these schemes.
- Employment Rights. (28 Feb 2008)
Micheál Martin: The Employment Law Compliance Bill currently being drafted by the Parliamentary Counsel is designed to secure better compliance with employment law in accordance with the provisions of part 2, sections 11 to 16 of Towards 2016, the ten-year framework social partnership agreement. Drafting of the Bill is proceeding for Government consideration as soon as possible. The main provisions of the...
- Employment Rights. (28 Feb 2008)
Micheál Martin: There has been appalling spinning of this story from the beginning. We agreed with the social partners to introduce legislation pertaining to agency workers. As soon as the ink was dry on the agreement the trade union movement stated that it was not enough and sought more. It is entitled to do so. We had the legislative template ready to introduce an agency Bill after the last agreement....
- Employment Rights. (28 Feb 2008)
Micheál Martin: I assume the Deputy is referring to breaches of employment law or of employment-related legislation. I reiterate, as indicated during the recent Private Members' motion of last week on agency workers, that this Government is deeply committed to decent standards of employment. Significant and substantial measures to underpin our employment standards apply to all workers, including migrant...
- Employment Rights. (28 Feb 2008)
Micheál Martin: There has been much debate on this issue in recent times. If people are aware of cases, I urge them to refer them to the National Employment Rights Authority, NERA. That is the key advice I offer Deputies and the public. We have significantly enhanced the number of labour inspectors in the past 12 months. We have also regionalised the inspectorate significantly. Approximately 76...
- Employment Rights. (28 Feb 2008)
Micheál Martin: Four or five have left. There are some in training and the ten language inspectors are in place. We are well advanced. The only issue we had to resolve was through the industrial relations process and social partnership. We worked with the unions in the public sector to devise methods of recruitment and so forth. There has been a dramatic transformation not only in the number of labour...
- Employment Rights. (28 Feb 2008)
Micheál Martin: The vast majority are on the ground already.
- Employment Rights. (28 Feb 2008)
Micheál Martin: The Deputy should relax. They are out working.
- Employment Rights. (28 Feb 2008)
Micheál Martin: The Deputy is welcome to consult the public service union.
- Employment Rights. (28 Feb 2008)
Micheál Martin: We have worked extremely hard and the problem is not on our side.
- Employment Rights. (28 Feb 2008)
Micheál Martin: The social partnership agreement, Towards 2016, provides for greater co-ordination between organisations concerned with employment rights compliance, with a view to realising the considerable potential for synergy that exists in this area. In particular, the agreement provides that authorised officers of the new National Employment Rights Authority, NERA, will join officers of the Department...
- Employment Rights. (28 Feb 2008)
Micheál Martin: The Deputy is wrong on that point. I have seen the press release issued by the Deputy's colleague in that regard. The press release referred to the national minimum wage legislation, in which there is no provision for fines. The NERA legislation is not yet in place. We are preparing legislation to bring to Government. That legislation will provide, as has already been agreed in the...
- Employment Rights. (28 Feb 2008)
Micheál Martin: It is in the proposed legislation. There is no issue. I respectfully suggest the Deputy should be properly briefed. Otherwise, he was deliberately mis-spinning in the press release that was issued yesterday.
- Employment Rights. (28 Feb 2008)
Micheál Martin: It has not.
- Employment Rights. (28 Feb 2008)
Micheál Martin: The NERA legislation is not yet published so how the Deputy can ask a question as to why something is not in a Bill that is not published is beyond me.