Results 4,921-4,940 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Job Creation. (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I have visited Athy——

Job Creation. (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I will have to check that.

Job Creation. (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: We certainly will. In my opening reply, I stated that we will have to try to think regionally as opposed to locally. Kildare overall has done extremely well in terms of employment creation.

Job Creation. (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: That said, we will work on certain areas. Some counties which have done very well in terms of their commuter traffic, such as County Meath, did not complain. They analysed the situation and produced information that is now of value to would-be investors. They made the point that as there is significant commuter traffic into Dublin in IT and life sciences, the people are all prepared to...

Job Creation. (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: That kind of can-do attitude is important at local level, with county enterprise boards working with the local authorities. With regard to Deputy Penrose's point, the IDA has sold much land to county councils in recent times. I am anxious that the land would continue to be used for employment purposes and indigenous purposes. However, in order to build the sites at Oranmore and so on, it...

Written Answers — Skills Shortages: Skills Shortages (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I am not aware of any analysis being conducted on the skill levels of emigrants be they Irish or other nationalities. According to recent information contained in the Population and Migration Estimates of the Central Statistics Office, published in December last, an estimated 42,200 people emigrated from the State in the twelve months to April 2007. The Department of Justice, Equality and...

Written Answers — National Skills Strategy: National Skills Strategy (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Government is fully committed to developing and training the national workforce. We will invest €7.7 billion in that endeavour over the lifetime of the National Development Plan to the year 2013. The National Skills Strategy details a broad vision of what our skills profile should be by 2020. It maps necessary upskilling of those in jobs to underpin a knowledge-based economy. It...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (28 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 on an all-Government basis. 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 — Trade Missions: Trade Missions (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The number of trade missions undertaken in the past five years is listed below. Enterprise Ireland surveys participating companies within a few weeks of each Trade Mission to evaluate the effectiveness of the event and to gather comments and suggestions from their clients. This information is then used to improve and modify future events. Ministerial-led Trade Missions are an integral part...

Written Answers — EU Treaties: EU Treaties (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Minister for European Affairs, Mr. Dick Roche T.D., is spearheading a comprehensive national information and publicity campaign on the various facets of the Lisbon Treaty. All Ministers will be working at every opportunity over the coming weeks and months to explain the Treaty to all sections of society. My contribution to this debate will include a particular focus on the business...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Government is fully committed towards strengthening the competitiveness and productive capacity of the economy. Within the shared economic principles of T2016, Government has shaped its strategic policy, as set out in the Programme for Government and more recently in the December Budget statement, towards securing those objectives. The National Competitiveness Council's Annual...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Forfás report on its "Review of the European Single Market", which was undertaken at the request of my Department and which was published earlier this month, found that although Irish consumers were enjoying real benefits from the single market in terms of the range of available goods and services, the price of some goods and services were higher in Ireland than in many other member...

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) were set up in 1993 to provide support for micro-enterprises in the start-up and expansion phases, to promote and develop indigenous micro-enterprise potential and to stimulate economic activity and entrepreneurship at local level. A fundamental review of the role of the CEBs in the development of the micro-enterprise sector in Ireland was...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (28 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 — Work Permits: Work Permits (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that significant progress has been achieved in reducing the processing time for employment permits. At present, fully completed applications for all employment permit types are processed within our customer service target of 15 working days.

Written Answers — Live Register: Live Register (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Department of Social and Family Affairs maintains the Live Register. The total number of people recorded on the Live Register for January 2008 is 181,449. The Live Register is not designed to measure unemployment. It includes part-time, seasonal and casual workers entitled to unemployment benefit. Unemployment is measured by the Quarterly National Household Survey, collated and...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: Under the Industrial Development Act of 1986, as amended by the Acts of 1993 and 1995, IDA Ireland has the power to acquire, hold and dispose of land and any other property or any interest therein for the purpose of facilitating an industrial undertaking. Accordingly, the management of IDA Ireland's industrial property portfolio is a day-to-day operational matter for the Agency, as part of...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: Department Decentralisation 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...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I am advised by the National Consumer Agency that it has taken no prosecutions to date under Section 83 of the Consumer Protection Act 2007. Section 83 of the Act was drafted in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General and in that regard I am satisfied that the drafting of this Section conforms to the accepted practice and has been validly drafted. I have no plans to amend...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI) to Ireland and its regions. The marketing of individual areas for new or expansion FDI investments and jobs is a day-to-day operational matter for the Agency. While I may give general policy directives to the Agency, I am precluded under the Industrial Development Acts from giving...