Results 5,101-5,120 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (24 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: My Department is required to relocate 250 posts to Carlow under the Government's Decentralisation Programme and this is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2009. In order to accommodate staff who wished to move earlier than the projected building completion date of late 2009, officials of my Department, in consultation with the Department of Finance and the OPW, as well as decentralising...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (29 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that an application was received in respect of the above named on the 20/09/2007. This application was refused on the grounds that new employment permit applications are normally only considered where the starting salary on offer is over €30,000 and no newspaper advertisements were submitted in support of the application. Having...

Written Answers — National Science Museum: National Science Museum (29 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: In January of this year Science Gallery, located in the Naughton Institute in Trinity College Dublin, opened to the public. The Gallery, which provides a venue for a variety of science exhibitions and events, aims to present science in new and stimulating ways. While open to all, the primary target audience for Science Gallery is young adults in the 15-25 age bracket. It aims to present...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (29 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Government, when approving the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation in 2006, agreed that the full implementation of the Strategy had been costed at €3.8 billion over existing levels of service. In accepting the overall costings of the Strategy, the Government also agreed that decisions on the provision of funds for the Strategy would have to be taken in the context of the...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (29 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: Whilst the Consumer Strategy Group directed its recommendation in relation to small claims court enforcement procedures to my Department, the responsibility for the administration of the Small Claims Court lies with the Courts Service. In so far as the Small Claims Court procedure is concerned, the Deputy may be aware that the limit for processing claims in the Small Claims Court was raised...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (29 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: The management of IDA Ireland's industrial property portfolio is a day-to-day operational matter for the Agency as part of the statutory responsibility assigned to it by the Oireachtas and not a matter in which the Minister of the day has a function. However, I did meet with local T.D.'s and a delegation from Gorey Town Council in February 2005 to discuss the development of the 2.5 hectares...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (29 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that they have re-accessed this application in light of the additional information received and that a work permit has now issued in this case.

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (29 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: Ireland has experienced a prolonged period of exuberant economic growth. However, we now face a more challenging and uncertain environment. Forfás and the National Competitiveness Council believe that this is not a time for pessimism about the outlook for the Irish economy. We have significant capacity — a skilled workforce, a strong enterprise base and a healthy fiscal position. These...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (29 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: Community Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a fixed term basis. The programme helps unemployed people to progress to the open labour market by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to work...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (29 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: Employment/unemployment is measured by the Quarterly National Household Survey, collated and published by the Central Statistics Office. The most recent Quarterly National Household Survey, Quarter 4, 2007, which covers the period September-November 2007, indicates that employment has increased by 66,800 in the year. Data for Quarter 1 2008 (December-February) will not be available until...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (29 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: There are a number of key policies which the Government is implementing to maintain and enhance our competitiveness and to invest for the future. 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 by...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (29 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: In regard to the Midlands Region, IDA Ireland is working to develop the knowledge economy in order that it can compete both nationally and internationally for foreign direct investment. Over the past 5 years the Agency has been promoting the Midlands as part of an integrated Midlands Region with access to a population base of 310,127. The Midlands has traditionally been a centre of...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (29 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: The manufacturing sector in Ireland has evolved noticeably since 2000, in terms of the composition of industry and the nature of activities, and is likely to continue to do so. Manufacturing continues to be a significant employer accounting directly for 11% of total employment and a significant amount of associated services employment. In order to sustain and grow the sector, the Irish based...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (29 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: In the period 2000 to 2006 Total Capital (Fixed Asset) Investment in job creation projects supported by IDA Ireland in Counties Wicklow and Carlow amounted €15,725,000. Details of these payments in respect of each county in respect of each of those years is set out in the following Tabular Statement 1. Figures for 2007 will not be available until publication of the Agency's 2007 Annual...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (29 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: My Department does not have offices located within the areas mentioned. However, my Department is aware of 12 civil servants within the Department awaiting transfers to these areas, as per the table. Athlone Nenagh Mullingar Portlaoise Laois Total 3 1 4 3 1 12

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (29 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: Details in relation to announcements of multinational greenfield projects for each of the past 5 years are set out in the following Tabular Statement 1. Since the beginning of 2008 there have been a further 5 announcements relating to new multinational, greenfield start-ups with approximately 595 jobs announced. The names of these companies are set out in the following Tabular Statement 2....

Written Answers — Industrial Properties: Industrial Properties (29 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: The management of IDA Ireland's industrial property portfolio is a day-to-day operational matter for the Agency, as part of the statutory responsibility assigned to it by the Oireachtas and it is not a matter in which I have a function. The IDA's building portfolio currently consists of 144 units, of which 82 are leased from private landlords, and are referred to as Private Finance [PF]...

Consumer Protection. (30 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy will be aware that sections 48 and 49 of the Consumer Protection Act 2007 seek to restrict the manner in which traders impose additional charges on consumers solely by reason of the method of payment chosen by the consumer. This issue first arose in the course of the passage of the Consumer Protection Bill through the Oireachtas. An amendment was proposed in the Seanad which...

Consumer Protection. (30 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: I share the views of the Deputy regarding the unacceptability of these surcharges. During the course of the discussion and debate on the Bill in the Houses, a specific Senator raised the surcharge issue and pleaded with us to include a provision on it in the Bill. As the Deputy will understand, the timeframe was not as long or as wide as one would have liked in terms of going into the...

Consumer Protection. (30 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: We did, of course. We then sought a public consultation on the sections because many people, external to Parliament, felt that they should have a say on the matter and be consulted on the provisions of these sections. My own view is that Parliament is supreme in these matters, ultimately, but we facilitated the consultation. In the course of that consultation, detailed questions arose...