Results 481-500 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (17 Jun 2004)

Mary Harney: While the Bill has been drafted, several significant legal issues have arisen, and those are being addressed in consultation with Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Office of the Attorney General. Those issues will be resolved as quickly as possible.

Written Answers — Personal Injuries Assessment Board: Personal Injuries Assessment Board (17 Jun 2004)

Mary Harney: The Personal Injuries Assessment Board was established by Ministerial Order on 13 April 2004. From 1 June 2004, all personal injury claims arising from workplace accidents, where an employee is seeking compensation from his or her employer, must be referred to the Personal Injuries Assessment Board before legal proceedings are issued. The structure and staffing levels of the PIAB have been...

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (17 Jun 2004)

Mary Harney: In determining the allocations for individual city and county enterprise boards, or CEBs, this year, my Department adopted a systematic approach to ensure the maximum degree of objectivity and equity of treatment. That approach involved the provision of a basic allocation to each board, as well as an additional allocation that was determined mainly by population but which also took account of...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (17 Jun 2004)

Mary Harney: Officials of my Department have recently finalised a comprehensive implementation plan on the decentralisation of those sections or offices of the Department which have been approved by me for relocation to Carlow. That initial plan, along with plans from all other decentralising Departments, has now been submitted to the central implementation group. The document clearly demonstrates that my...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (17 Jun 2004)

Mary Harney: Block Exemption Regulation 1400/2002 on the distribution and servicing of motor vehicles in the European Union entered into force on 15 October 2002. The regulation provided for a one-year transitional period during which pre-existing agreements were to be brought into line with new rules. The new regulation introduced several important changes to the previous regulation and, in particular,...

Written Answers — Interdepartmental Committees: Interdepartmental Committees (17 Jun 2004)

Mary Harney: The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is represented on the cross-departmental team that has been established under the Cabinet sub-committee on housing, infrastructure and public private partnerships, which considers energy policy issues, among other items. The team, which is chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, meets on an ad hoc basis to prepare for Cabinet...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (17 Jun 2004)

Mary Harney: Following the announcement of the decentralisation programme in last year's budget, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment undertook a survey to gauge the level of interest in the programme among its staff. Approximately 50% of staff responded to the survey, the results of which indicated that 32% of respondents were interested in moving to the various locations identified in the...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (17 Jun 2004)

Mary Harney: As the House is aware, a number of recent developments will impact on the mid-west region and the State agencies located there. Some 1,210 staff from Departments and State agencies will be decentralised from Dublin to the mid-west region. The headquarters of Enterprise Ireland will be moved to Shannon, affecting 300 of the agency's Dublin based staff. It has been agreed that the management of...

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (17 Jun 2004)

Mary Harney: I have previously advised the House that the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment was not a party to the allegations of fraud made in this case. It is not aware of the basis on which the organisation that made the allegations formed the view that a possible fraud had taken place. I confirm that the Department was advised by the organisation in question that the Garda fraud squad had...

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (17 Jun 2004)

Mary Harney: Extensive consultations have taken place with the social partners about the cost and availability of insurance. The consultations, coupled with the recommendations made by the Motor Insurance Advisory Board, resulted in the establishment of the Government's insurance reform programme. A comprehensive set of recommendations emerged following the MIAB report and consultations with the social...

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (17 Jun 2004)

Mary Harney: The insurance reform programme, which I announced on 25 October 2002, comprises a comprehensive set of inter-related measures designed to improve the functioning of the insurance market. I chair a ministerial committee established to drive the co-ordinated implementation of the reform programme across the relevant Departments and other bodies. Substantial progress is being made on a range of...

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (17 Jun 2004)

Mary Harney: I am concerned about the difficulties that are being caused by high insurance premiums. The insurance reform programme, which I announced on 25 October 2002, comprises a comprehensive set of inter-related measures designed to improve the functioning of the insurance market. I chair a ministerial committee established to drive the co-ordinated implementation of the reform programme across the...

Written Answers — Unemployment Levels: Unemployment Levels (17 Jun 2004)

Mary Harney: According to the latest quarterly national household survey, published by the Central Statistics Office on 16 June 2004, the unemployment rate in the Border area is 5.4%. The corresponding figure this time last year was 6.2%. Support for job creation is a day-to-day operational matter for the industrial development agencies. Job creation and job losses are a feature of economic development...

Written Answers — Chemicals Regulation: Chemicals Regulation (17 Jun 2004)

Mary Harney: The position in respect of the regulation of chemicals in current use is complex. It is not possible to give the definitive list requested by the Deputy. Chemicals are subject to a range of specialised legislation. Separate legislation on industrial chemicals, medicines, pesticides, biocides, cosmetics, workplace health and safety, prevention of environmental pollution and food safety, are...

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (17 Jun 2004)

Mary Harney: I am concerned about the difficulties that are being caused by high insurance premiums. The insurance reform programme, which I announced on 25 October 2002, comprises a comprehensive set of inter-related measures designed to improve the functioning of the insurance market. I chair a ministerial committee established to drive the co-ordinated implementation of the reform programme across the...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (17 Jun 2004)

Mary Harney: The Deputy will be aware that I recently announced new arrangements designed to give greater ease of access to employment for the spouses of certain skilled non-EEA nationals working in the State and decided to waive the fees normally payable. Detailed guidelines on how to apply for work permits as well as the eligibility criteria and procedures relating to the new spouses scheme are...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (17 Jun 2004)

Mary Harney: Foreign direct investment has been an important catalyst in our economic growth and development in recent years. I do not expect that this will change in the foreseeable future. Overseas investors in sectors such as information and communications technologies, pharmaceuticals, health care and financial services have added significantly to output, exports and the sophisticated scale of foreign...

Written Answers — Research Funding: Research Funding (17 Jun 2004)

Mary Harney: In 2001, the latest year for which data is available, business expenditure on research and development in Ireland reached €917 million. This represented 0.95% of GNP or 0.8% of GDP, compared to an OECD average of 1.56%. The following table shows Ireland's ranking in terms of business expenditure on research and development as a percentage of GNP and GDP among 26 OECD countries. It shows...

Written Answers — Global Entrepreneurship Monitor: Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (17 Jun 2004)

Mary Harney: I am delighted with Ireland's ranking in the current global entrepreneurship monitor report, which found that Ireland is the most entrepreneurial active country in the European Union. The research undertaken in the report shows that Ireland remains a leading country for entrepreneurship in Europe and, equally importantly, it shows that entrepreneurship is regarded as a high-status, highly...

Written Answers — Services Sector: Services Sector (17 Jun 2004)

Mary Harney: The responsibility of Government for the prices of goods and services generally is, in the main, limited to ensuring that markets are working properly for the benefit of consumers and of the economy as a whole. Many people share concerns over the price of goods and services and I would like to emphasise that the Government is acutely aware of the difficulties which price increases pose for...