Results 5,181-5,200 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (30 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: Employment growth, i.e. the excess of jobs created over jobs lost, is expected to continue to be positive in 2008, though growing at a slower pace than in previous years. In the Budget Outlook employment is forecast to grow by over 1% (24,000) in 2008 for all sectors. Employment increased by 66,800 year on year in 2007 (CSO, Quarterly National Household Survey, Quarter 4) and the number of...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (30 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: Table 1 and Table 2 as follows list the Ministers from non-OECD countries that I have met in my official capacity as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The tables also list the dates and locations of these meetings. These meetings were arranged to discuss specific issues, including some of the following topics, depending on the circumstances, i.e. Bilateral Trade, Economic...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (30 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Irish economy continues to perform strongly in the global marketplace in an ever increasingly competitive world. Ireland's enterprise strategy is to create and sustain an environment conducive to business and to offer targeted support for enterprises to promote innovation, growth and competitiveness. Small to medium enterprises are a key component of this strategy. Growth in global...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (30 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Consumer Protection Act 2007 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 voluntarily submitted to it by traders or their trade associations where the Agency is satisfied that...

Written Answers — Site Investigations: Site Investigations (30 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: In the context of the further development of the former ISPAT site, the Department of Defence has requested further consultations on the requirements of the Naval Service at Haulbowline. That consultation is proceeding.

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (30 Apr 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 — Job Protection: Job Protection (30 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 56 and 63 together. This matter is under consideration by Government and I cannot comment further. The issue of compliance with State aid rules will be pursued with the European Commission, if necessary.

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (30 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: Over the three year period 2005- 2007, a total of 65 multinational companies set up operations in this country with support from IDA Ireland and Shannon Development and with the potential to create 1,827 jobs. In the same period, the total number of new jobs created in multinational companies supported by IDA Ireland and Shannon Development was 34,406. Many of these jobs were associated...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (30 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: The issues raised by the Deputy relate to Sections 48 & 49 of the Consumer Protection Act 2007. The Deputy will recall that my Department conducted a public consultation process in relation to the commencement of these provisions of the Act in the summer of 2007. The Department received a total of almost 50 responses to the public consultation. These responses raised a number of specific...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (30 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: My Department operates an early warning system of firms in difficulty and where jobs are at risk. The system applies to firms that have been assisted by the Industrial Development agencies operating under the aegis of my Department. Notifications of firms in difficulty and where jobs are at risk are received from these agencies as soon as the agencies become aware of the situation. I should...

Written Answers — Unemployment Levels: Unemployment Levels (30 Apr 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 March 2008 is 197,992. The number of people signing on the live register for March 2008 in Newbridge is 3,987. The Live Register is not designed to measure unemployment. It includes part-time, seasonal and casual workers entitled to unemployment benefit....

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (30 Apr 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 — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (30 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Consumer Protection (Fixed Payment Notice) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 689 of 2007) came into effect on 13 October 2007. Responsibility for the enforcement of these Regulations is a matter for the National Consumer Agency and I have no direct function in the matter. I am informed that, to date, authorised officers of the National Consumer Agency have served twelve fixed payment notices....

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (30 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: The reviews of the Wage Subsidy Scheme and the Supported Employment Programme, that have been commissioned respectively by my Department and FÁS, are nearing completion and are expected to be concluded very shortly. Copies of these reviews will be made available to relevant interest groups in due course.

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (30 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: Consistent with best practice internationally, labour market services for people with disabilities that are administered by FÁS on behalf of the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment, are mainstreamed. The objective of the Government's mainstreaming policy is the systematic integration of people with disabilities into the open labour market. FÁS seeks to create the conditions...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (30 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: A total of 41% of Ireland's merchandise exports were to other Eurozone countries in 2007. The most significant non-Eurozone destinations are the United States and the UK. There has been a significant rise in the value of the Euro against many currencies over recent times and this has been particularly evident in relation to its exchange rate with the United States Dollar and the Pound...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (30 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: The EU's 7th Framework Research Programme provides support for R&D across the whole spectrum of research. In the particular area of stem cell research, specific conditions and safeguards apply. In line with our support for ethical subsidiarity, we insist that no Community funding shall be allowed for embryonic stem cell research in Ireland. The corollary of this is that we have to respect...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (30 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: Donegal is a target location for the IDA with the County now competing for a different type of business to labour intensive manufacturing, which IDA so successfully won over the past four decades. The overseas investor is now seeking locations for more advanced manufacturing or office based solutions, to a great extent depending on high skill and high value work. While this has required a...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (30 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: The potential of a cross border business and technology park to attract and grow high-value enterprise in the Letterkenny/Derry corridor was recognised by both IDA Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland. Discussion between the development agencies and relevant stakeholders concluded at the time that the most appropriate solution was the creation of a Virtual Cross Border Technology Park. This...

Written Answers — Regulatory Functions: Regulatory Functions (30 Apr 2008)

Micheál Martin: Under the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924, my Department prepares and administers legislation in areas such as commerce, employment rights, occupational safety health and welfare, competition and consumer rights, chemicals and intellectual property. Naturally, in that regard, we exercise many regulatory functions. The information requested by the Deputy, insofar as it relates to the ten...