Results 8,381-8,400 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

EU Directives. (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Sections 48 and 49 of the Consumer Protection Act 2007 sought to restrict the manner in which some traders impose additional charges on consumers solely by reason of the method of payment chosen by the consumer when paying for goods and services. In the course of public consultation carried out by my predecessor as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Micheál Martin, on the...

EU Directives. (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The position is that no final decision has been made by my colleague on any national discretions permitted under the payment services directive. I will be having discussions with him on the basis of the legal advice of the Attorney General.

Written Answers — Industrial Relations: Industrial Relations (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 23 together. Ireland is a signatory to both International Labour Organisation Conventions No. 87 on the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise 1948 and No. 98 on the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention 1949 since 1955 and Ireland's laws have been in compliance with these conventions since that date. Ireland...

Written Answers — Food Prices: Food Prices (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 123 together. I am aware of the concerns raised in the Deputies' questions and in a number of surveys that consumers may not be experiencing the benefits of the Euro's appreciation in value, particularly against the dollar and sterling and I too share those concerns. Indeed the latest survey published by the National Consumer Agency yesterday comparing...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (19 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 — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18, 32 and 68 together. The report referred to by the Deputy was an internal FÁS report which was produced by the FÁS Board sub-committee on the construction/contracting sector and discussed by the FÁS Board. It was produced to allow the Agency to respond in an appropriate and effective matter to ongoing developments in the construction industry and to...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 67 together. In 2008 nearly €246 million is being invested in the provision of training and upskilling programmes for the unemployed. This represents an increase of 5.7% on that spent in 2007. This training ranges from basic bridging foundation courses to more advanced skills training and traineeship. In addition to this €377 million will be...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The development of the knowledge-based economy is one of the key challenges and opportunities facing Ireland. The factors which have contributed to our economic success to date will not be sufficient to sustain our recent achievements. Increasing international competition is creating pressure for improvements in efficiency, quality and productivity and a growing need to innovate. These...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Forecasting employment figures is a perilous business and subject to a variety of unforeseen, often extraneous, variables influencing estimates of that nature. However, I still expect employment growth — being the excess of jobs created over jobs lost — to continue in 2008, albeit at a slower pace than in previous years. In the Budget Outlook employment is forecast to grow by over 1% in...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: 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 — Grocery Industry: Grocery Industry (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 41 together. The Restrictive Practices (Groceries) Order 1987 was revoked by the Competition (Amendment) Act 2006 with effect from 20th March 2006. During the debate that surrounded the removal of the Order my predecessor, Mr. Micheál Martin, indicated that increased competition in the market should lead to prices being cheaper than they would be if...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The Consumer Protection Act 2007, which commenced in May last year, 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 empowers the Agency to review or approve Codes of Practice submitted to it by traders or their trade associations where the...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The 35 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. The CEBs deliver a series of Programmes to underpin this role and they can provide both financial and...

Written Answers — Company Law: Company Law (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The issue of whether or not there should be provisions for "whistleblowing" (and related protection of the whistleblower from penalisation), specifically in the context of breaches of company law, was considered by the Company Law Review Group (CLRG), as part of its 2007 Work Programme. The CLRG is the statutory body appointed to advise the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in...

Written Answers — Price Inflation: Price Inflation (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 34, 119 and 121 together. I share Deputies' concerns about recent increases in the price of goods and services. The greater part of those increases have resulted from global factors over which Government here has little or no influence. Approximately 60 per cent of the rise in the Consumer Price Index in the year to May 2008 was attributable to rises in...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Last year my Department responded to the Director's request for additional staffing resources by increasing the approved Departmental staff complement from 30 to 38. In addition, approved Garda staff numbers were also increased by one in 2007 bringing the total approved staffing complement of the ODCE to 46 posts. Four of the additional 8 Departmental staff were provided to the ODCE in 2007...

Written Answers — Unemployment Levels: Unemployment Levels (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 72 together. Unemployment is measured by the Quarterly National Household Survey, collated and published by the CSO. The latest release on 5th June for Quarter 1 2008 (Dec-Feb 2008) shows that there are now 102,100 people unemployed, an increase of 8,700 in the year. The current rate of unemployment is 4.6%. Employment has grown by 2.6% or 53,800 in...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The Company Law Review Group (CLRG) was asked, as part of its Work Programme for 2007, to examine the issue of "Limited Liability Partnerships" (LLPs). This follows from concerns, particularly of the legal profession, about the consequences of unlimited liability on partners in a firm. The Report of the CLRG on its 2007 Work Programme has been presented to me and laid before the Houses of...

Written Answers — National Consumer Agency: National Consumer Agency (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The National Consumer Agency was established on a statutory basis on the commencement of the Consumer Protection Act 2007 on the 1st May 2007. The Act gave the Agency a significantly expanded remit with specific functions in areas such as consumer advocacy, research, information, education and awareness and enforcement. In the 12 months since its establishment, the Agency has been very active...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The criticisms referred to by the Deputy relate to a report dealing with a number of issues which arose in recent audits of Non-Commercial Semi-State Bodies, including FÁS. I have discussed the matter with the Director General of FÁS and the issue has also been raised at a recent meeting of the FÁS Board. The issues referred to by the Comptroller and Auditor General had been previously...