Results 8,401-8,420 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: A fundamental review of the role and functions of the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) in the development of micro-enterprises, including the level of financial assistance which they have available to them, was conducted during 2004 on behalf of the Department by Fitzpatricks and Associates, Economic Consultants. The Review recommended that, in providing assistance to...

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

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 43 and 71 together. Management of Waterford Wedgwood plc requested support to assist in the implementation of its restructuring plan at Waterford Crystal. Detailed discussions were held with the company with a view to identifying possible interventions that would assist them to successfully complete the planned restructuring in Waterford, while not...

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The role of the thirty-five County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) is to provide a source of support for micro-enterprise 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 provide a single point of contact at local level for new and established small businesses....

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

Mary Coughlan: Section 4 of the Competition Act 2002 prohibits anti-competitive practices, such as price fixing, by "undertakings". An "undertaking" is defined in the Act as "a person being an individual, a body corporate or an unincorporated body of persons engaged for gain in the production, supply, or distribution of goods or the provision of a service". This definition has been in use in Irish...

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I have, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, approved the introduction of Superannuation Schemes and associated Spouses' and Children's Superannuation Scheme by each County and City Enterprise Board (CEB) with a commencement date of 2 April 2008. The Schemes will, subject to the offer document, be based on the Public Service Model Employee Scheme and standard provisions for public...

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

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49, 55, 118 and 126 together. The retail price of all carbon fuels, including diesel, has increased significantly in recent months. This essentially reflects the considerable increase in the global wholesale price of oil. As the Deputies are aware the Irish oil industry is fully privatised, liberalised and deregulated. There is free entry into the market, and...

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

Mary Coughlan: The Enterprise Development agencies under the aegis of my Department are responsible for growing indigenous enterprises and attracting and growing foreign direct investment. Balanced regional development and a thriving culture of entrepreneurship in all parts of Ireland are key strategic objectives for my Department and the Development agencies under its remit. Enterprise Ireland's current...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: There are currently a total of twelve Directives due to be transposed by my Department up to 2012. Two of these Directives are overdue. The first of these, Directive 2007/13EC on measuring instruments, is expected to be transposed by 30 June. It is intended to transpose the second overdue Directive, Directive 2006/121/EC on dangerous substances, by 31 July. Full details of all current and...

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

Mary Coughlan: The Consumer Protection (Fixed Payment Notice) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 689 of 2007) came into effect on 13 October 2007. Responsibility for 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 payments have been paid in fourteen cases in response to fixed payment notices served by Authorised...

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

Mary Coughlan: The Enterprise Development Agencies under the aegis of my Department, Enterprise Ireland, the County Enterprise Boards, IDA Ireland and Shannon Development are responsible for growing indigenous enterprises and attracting and growing foreign direct investment. Strong, balanced regional development and a thriving culture of entrepreneurship in all parts of Ireland are key strategic objectives...

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

Mary Coughlan: I am very much aware of the announcement made by the company in question. Both myself and the Chief Executive of Enterprise Ireland met with the company prior to the announcement. Since the announcement, I have met with Union Representatives and I have been in correspondence with the company in Dublin. In my press release of 9 May, 2008, I welcomed the company's major investment plans to...

Written Answers — Offshore Exploration: Offshore Exploration (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: There are currently no plans or discussions between my Department and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to establish a training scheme for people specifically in the oil and gas exploration industry.

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

Mary Coughlan: 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 — Price Display: Price Display (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: 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 — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I am fully aware of the concerns expressed by the Chief Executive of the National Consumer Agency in relation to the logistical challenges arising from the Agency's relocation to Cork. The proposed location of the Agency in Cork is as part of the overall decentralisation programme, which provides that staff of public bodies, such as the National Consumer Agency, transfer to decentralised...

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

Mary Coughlan: I would like to express my disappointment at the decision of the company to close its Cork operations and I have asked the State development agencies under the aegis of my Department to make every effort to assist the workers being made redundant in securing alternative employment. Freescale is a large global company that regularly makes adjustments to resources as a normal course of...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The role of FÁS in relation to the National Drugs Strategy is to facilitate the rehabilitation of stabilised drug users and to prepare them to re-enter the active labour market through focused training which will enable them to re-integrate into working life. This is being achieved through participation in a range of FÁS programmes, including Community Employment (CE), and also integration...

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

Mary Coughlan: The "Small Business Act for Europe" (SBA) was announced in the European Commission Discussion Paper for EU Heads of State and Government at the Lisbon informal summit on 18-19 October 2007 and in the Commission's Mid-term Review on Modern SME Policy adopted on 4 October 2007. It is one of the priorities in the Commission's Legislative Work Programme 2008. Following a public consultation...

Written Answers — Companies Registration Office: Companies Registration Office (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: In general, the Companies Registration Office (CRO) is in a position to accept an annual return in respect of a limited company in advance of that company's statutory annual return date. An exception is in respect of a new company filing its first annual return, as the first return is required under the Companies Acts to be made up to the date which is six months after the company's date of...

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

Mary Coughlan: As a small open economy many of the factors which determine inflation are beyond our control. We have no control over issues such as rising oil prices and the decline in the value of the dollar against the euro. However, it is important to ensure that our domestic cost base does not undermine competitiveness. The Government is actively seeking to restrain inflationary pressures, promote...