Results 8,421-8,440 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

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

Mary Coughlan: Though data on increases in food and other prices are compiled on an ongoing basis by statistical bodies in Ireland and other member states, surveys comparing food prices here and in other euro area and EU countries are not routinely undertaken by these bodies. Foodstuffs, food brands, VAT rates and excise duties can differ significantly between member states and this makes the process of...

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

Mary Coughlan: The table below sets out the numbers in employment and unemployment in the years 2004 to 2008. 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Employment 1,833,000 1,910,800 2,004,800 2,081,300 2,135,100 Unemployment 83,500 82,600 89,500 93,400 102,100 Source: CSO, QNHS Quarter 1 Dec-Feb 2008. Employment has increased by 302,100 in the five-year period while unemployment has increased by 18,600 over the same...

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

Mary Coughlan: There are various reasons why firms decide to relocate. Firms adjust their plant location and utilisation strategies to address matters such as accessing new markets, moving production nearer to customers, meeting firm or market specific customer relationship issues, accessing technology or other competitive considerations. We are equipped to manage this process successfully and enterprise...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (19 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The following table details the total numbers of employment permits processed by my Department under the Employment Permits Acts, 2003 and 2006 in the past five years, as well as in 2008 to date: Year New Permits Permits Renewed Total Issued Refused 2008 4,464 3,478 7,942 1,324 2007 10,094 13,412 23,506 2,130 2006 7,296 16,569 23,865 1,122 2005 7,618 19,505 27,123 1,332 2004 10,408...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (24 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 230 and 231 together. My Department is keeping the possibility of making an application to the European Globalisation Fund under review. This involves the monitoring of available redundancy data for Ireland and assessing whether the necessary criteria of the European Globalisation Fund have been met. In addition, an application to the European Globalisation...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (24 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The facts as stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 286 of 20 May 2008 are accurate. I have asked officials in my Department to review the Freedom of Information request referred to by the Deputy and they will contact the Deputy on this matter in the near future.

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (24 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: A number of measures have been introduced in recent years to further strengthen the legislative framework and resources to detect and prosecute breaches of company and competition legislation. Alongside other measures contained in the Companies Act that regulate the activities of companies, recent protections against market abuse including "insider dealing" were introduced by the Market...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (25 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: In view of the volume of Directives involved in the 35 years since 1973, I am not in a position to provide the Deputy with a list of the numbers and titles of those Directives. However, all such Directives are published in the Official Journals of the European Communities. Full details of all current and recent EU Directives are maintained on the Departmental website, www.entemp.ie. There...

Order of Business (26 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: It is proposed to take No. a11, motion re membership of committees; No. b11, motion re referral to joint committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Planning and Development Regulations (Amendment) 2008; No. 11, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Employment Equality Act 1998 (section 12) (Church of Ireland College of Education) Order 2008; No. 12, motion re...

Order of Business (26 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I will respond first to the points made about today's Order of Business. I was of the opinion that the party leaders at least would be familiar with or have been given a background note on these proposals. I am asked the same question every Thursday on these types of motions. I propose that in future, in respect of all motions coming back from committee, a short briefing be made available...

Order of Business (26 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Committee meetings sometimes finish late but we will ask that each clerk make a note available to all the relevant parties. That will address the issue. Deputy Burton asked specifically about the motion being referred to committee, No. b11. This refers to the fact that there is duplication of consent procedures. Where, for example, permissions are given under ecological perspectives,...

Order of Business (26 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I am not familiar with them.

Order of Business (26 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I wish to be helpful. I will ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government or somebody in his Department to brief the Deputy on this prior to the committee meeting, which I assume will be next week. If Members are not satisfied with the outcome of the discussions in committee, this can be brought to the Whips' attention and we can deal with it in the full forum of this...

Order of Business (26 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: It would be appropriate that if needs be the Minister for Health and Children can give the Deputy a note on that issue when the matter has been finalised in discussions.

Order of Business (26 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I am not aware of proposed legislation on the health issue. I think the Deputy is referring to the announcements on the National Treatment Purchase Fund and the fact that a number of hospitals are not participating in it, which is disappointing. I do not propose to introduce any new legislation on competitiveness re prices, as it is not a competitiveness issue. Nothing has occurred that has...

Order of Business (26 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I am working tirelessly to pursue those issues on behalf of the consumer.

Order of Business (26 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: As of yet, we are not in a position to say on what date the Electricity (Transfer of Transmission Assets) Bill will be before the House.

Order of Business (26 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The Bill will come to the House later this year.

Order of Business (26 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: No.

Order of Business (26 Jun 2008)

Mary Coughlan: No.