Results 8,301-8,320 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (17 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The total spend in the Indigenous Industry Sub-Programme in 2007 was €221.7. The 2008 spend will not be available until next year. Interim reports are not requested and therefore are not available. The Government's objective is to deliver on all aspects of the National Development Plan, having due regard to the economic assumptions set out in Chapter 2 of the Plan.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (17 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The provision of grant assistance for individual companies is a matter for the development agency or body concerned, and not one in which I have a direct function. Enterprise Ireland (E.I.) has primary responsibility for Irish companies in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors. It supports companies employing 10 or more people and start-up companies which have the...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (17 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: A total of €210 million has been spent by IDA Ireland and Shannon Development on the foreign direct investment sub-programme of the NDP in 2007. Of this amount €125 million was provided from the Exchequer and the balance was generated from the agencies own resources. The 2008 spend will not be available until next year. Composite interim reports are not normally sought and, accordingly,...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (17 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 517 and 518 together. The total amount spent on the Training and Skills Development Programme in 2007 was €1,087.2 million, of which €1,052.3 million was current expenditure and €34.9 million was capital expenditure. €412.2 million was spent on the Upskilling Programme of which €386 million was current expenditure and €26.2 million was capital...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (17 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: All prosecutions to date under the legislation have been initiated under the Employment Permits Act, 2003, by An Garda Siochána. There have been no proceedings commenced to date for offences under the Employment Permits Act, 2006, which came into force on 1st January, 2007. I understand from the Department of Justice Equality and Law Reform that the numbers of proceedings commenced and...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (17 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: One of the key programmes to encourage the employment of people with disabilities is the Wage Subsidy Scheme. The Wage Subsidy Scheme is operated by FÁS on behalf of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The Scheme is available to all employers (except public service employers and/or any employers or schemes where wages are funded by FÁS) in the State who provide a minimum of...

Written Answers — Price Inflation: Price Inflation (17 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The Deputy will be aware that since the beginning of the year the wholesale price of oil has increased considerably. This increase, which has been caused by a combination of strong demand, tight capacities and some market speculation, has led in turn to increases in the retail price of petrol, diesel and other fuels. At the same time as oil, which is priced in dollars, has been increasing in...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (17 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that there is no current valid application made on behalf of the above named person. However, if the above named wishes to submit an application it will be considered on its merits.

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (17 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that this application was refused on the grounds that it is current Government policy to issue new employment permits only for highly skilled, highly paid positions or for non-EEA nationals already legally resident in the State on valid employment permits. The applicant was notified of this decision in writing on the 9th June 2008 and...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (17 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Details of progress in securing new office accommodation for the Agencies, which are referred to above by the Deputy, are set out as follows: Under the Government's decentralisation programme the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) is due to relocate to Arklow, Co. Wicklow. The number required to decentralise from the NSAI is 132. To date, no costs have been incurred by the NSAI...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (17 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: State support for enterprise and job creation is channelled through the industrial development agencies. While I may give general policy directives to the agencies, I am precluded under the Acts from giving directives regarding individual undertakings, or from giving preference to one area over others. In line with the National Spatial Strategy IDA Ireland seeks to attract foreign direct...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (17 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I interpret the Deputy's question as relating to the cost of promotional campaigns to publicise specific programmes being implemented by my Department. In 2007, my Department or the offices that come under the aegis of my Department carried out a number of such campaigns. The name of the campaigns and the total costs of advertising in publications, broadcast advertising, outdoor advertising...

Order of Business (18 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I thought he looked quite fetching in it.

Written Answers — Business Regulation: Business Regulation (18 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: In March 2008, the Government decided to reduce the administrative burden of domestic regulation on business by 25% by 2012. Initially, all Government Departments will be required to list the Information Obligations which their regulations impose on business. From that listing, Departments will assess which requirements are the most burdensome and will then measure the actual cost to...

Written Answers — Regulatory Impact Analysis: Regulatory Impact Analysis (18 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tabular statement. The information below does not include Commencement Orders. Year 2006 Title of statutory instruments, bills and EU directives on which the Dept did not carry out any form of regulatory impact analysis on The reason for this decision Additional Information S.I No. 574 of 2006 European Communities...

Order of Business (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: It is proposed to take No. 12a, motion re ministerial rota for parliamentary questions; No. 19a, motion re referral to joint committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Planning and Development Regulations 2008; No. 12, Revised Estimates for Public Services 2008 — Votes 1 to 41, back from committee; No. 11, motion re Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998; No. 22,...

Order of Business (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: As all Members are aware, these Estimates were discussed in select committee, where they were taken line by line. There is a new process of dealing with Estimates comparative to output statements. Last year, the Minister for Finance afforded the opportunity to all Members of the Opposition to put forward an alternative budget. They did not take that opportunity in the past five years.

Order of Business (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Fianna Fáil, when in opposition, put forward our proposals, which were, consequently, accepted by the people in the programme for Government. It is farcical and wrong to say there has not been discussion on the Estimates. There was full discussion by all Members, who are members of the respective committees, during recent weeks.

Order of Business (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: It gives a wrong message to people outside the House to say there has not been serious scrutiny of the Estimates procedure in recent months. With regard to a full and frank debate on the economy and the EU, the Government has agreed to an additional sitting week, when the economy and the EU will be specifically discussed in the context of an Adjournment debate.

Order of Business (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Every Member will have the opportunity to speak on that very important issue. We are not ignoring it. That is why we are affording the opportunity of a specific Adjournment debate on those important issues.