Results 8,501-8,520 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan
- Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (8 Jul 2008)
Mary Coughlan: There are five Civil Servants and one Press Adviser employed in the Press Office broken down as follows: The Civil Servants are 1 Principal Officer (part-time), 1 Higher Executive Officer, 1 Executive Officer and two Clerical Officers. The following table sets out the remuneration for each staff member: Grade Remuneration (Pay Scale) Press Adviser â¬64,565 â â¬80,507 Principal Officer...
- Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (8 Jul 2008)
Mary Coughlan: There are seven staff employed in my constituency office broken down as follows: The following table outlines the number of staff employed in my constituency office including their respective rank and salary scale. Number Rank Remuneration (Pay Scale) 1 Personal Assistant â¬45,422 â â¬57,656 1 Personal Secretary â¬22,615 â â¬43,635 1 Temporary Clerical Officer â¬22,609 â...
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2008)
Mary Coughlan: The Department undertook an Expenditure Review of spending on Science & Technology in 2004. The Review was completed in December 2005 and presented to the Expenditure Review Steering Committee in Department of Finance. It was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas during 2006. The Review focussed on the principal Research Technological Development and Innovation in Industry measures under...
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2008)
Mary Coughlan: The Value for Money review of Science Foundation Ireland programmes is nearing completion and is expected to be finalised in July 2008. The purpose of the review is to examine SFI's major funding programmes and make targeted comments and recommendations, where appropriate, on the overall effectiveness of the agency supports in building a world-class research system in Ireland, with a focus on...
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2008)
Mary Coughlan: My Department is currently conducting a Value for Money Review of the FÃS Competency Development Programme. The Competency Development Programme is the main FÃS programme for supporting the training of people in employment. It is expected that the Value for Money Review will be completed during Autumn 2008. It is not possible at this point in time to estimate savings accruing from...
- Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (8 Jul 2008)
Mary Coughlan: Overall, Ireland has performed very strongly over the last number of years. However as the country's economy moves to higher value added activities, providing quality sustainable jobs, some traditional lower-cost industries throughout the country are under pressure and other lower-value activities are transferring out of Ireland. While I very much regret the decision of Hibernian Insurance...
- Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (8 Jul 2008)
Mary Coughlan: The Board of FÃS identified the changing employment patterns and future prospects in the Construction / Contracting Sector as a key area in the external environment that could impact on the achievement of FÃS "strategic objectives". The Board established a Sub-committee to oversee the development of a FÃS contingency plan to meet these changes. The Sub-committee widely consulted all...
- Written Answers — Skill Shortages: Skill Shortages (8 Jul 2008)
Mary Coughlan: Skillnets Ltd. is an enterprise-led body that was set up to provide companies with new opportunities to develop relevant, effective answers to their training and development needs. The main training programme operated by Skillnets Ltd. at present is the Training Networks Programme. Under this Programme, Skillnets Ltd. facilitates and supports companies to form networks known as 'Skillnets'...
- Written Answers — Research and Development Strategy: Research and Development Strategy (8 Jul 2008)
Mary Coughlan: The level of Business Expenditure on Research and Development (BERD) has increased from â¬784 million in 1999, to â¬900 million in 2001, â¬1,105 million in 2003, â¬1,329 in 2005 and â¬1,560 (estimated) in 2006 (all amounts in 2006 prices). BERD data is collected biennially, with survey respondents asked to provide expenditure details in respect of the previous year and an estimate of...
- Written Answers — Skill Shortages: Skill Shortages (8 Jul 2008)
Mary Coughlan: To date no regional skills advisory groups have been established. However, the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs is currently undertaking an analysis on the possible role that regional skills advisory councils could play in Ireland.
- Written Answers — Research and Development Funding: Research and Development Funding (8 Jul 2008)
Mary Coughlan: The amount invested by the Government in R&D activities is calculated by the Forfás Science Budget survey which uses agreed OECD guidelines and methodologies. The relevant international indicator for comparative purposes is the GBOARD metric (Government Budget Outlays or Appropriations for R&D). The latest data available, as provided in the table, shows that GBOARD in Ireland rose from...
- Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (8 Jul 2008)
Mary Coughlan: The Competency Development Programme is the key FÃS programme for upskilling those in employment. It aims to encourage employees to increase their competency levels and promote an ethos of lifelong learning in the workplace. Programmes supported under CDP are intended to provide participants with portable and transferable skills. Priority is given to programmes aimed at the upskilling of...
- Written Answers — Skill Shortages: Skill Shortages (8 Jul 2008)
Mary Coughlan: Ireland's Green Card Scheme, operated under the Employment Permits Act 2006, is the principal way in which employers can source employees from outside the EEA to meet shortages in a range of highly skilled occupational categories in the Information and Communications Technology, Health Care, Construction, Engineering, Financial Services and Research sectors. My Department has issued a total...
- Written Answers — Innovation Voucher Initiative: Innovation Voucher Initiative (8 Jul 2008)
Mary Coughlan: Innovation Vouchers are now available to small businesses in every sector subject to the condition that the applicant is a registered company. The Innovation Voucher Initiative was introduced in April 2007. In the 2007 pilot phase of the initiative 428 companies received vouchers with a total grant allocation of â¬2.14 million. In the first half of 2008 a further 188 vouchers were awarded...
- Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (8 Jul 2008)
Mary Coughlan: Community Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons (including those with a disability) with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a fixed term basis. The eligibility criteria and participation limits for CE are set by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and...
- Written Answers — Live Register: Live Register (8 Jul 2008)
Mary Coughlan: The number of persons on the live register in Dublin Mid-West has increased by over 26% in the last twelve months compared to an increase of 31% in the State overall. The Live Register is not a measure of unemployment as it includes part-time, seasonal and casual workers who might be signing on from time to time. Employment/unemployment is measured by the Quarterly National Household Survey,...
- Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (8 Jul 2008)
Mary Coughlan: Payment and repayment of grants are day-to-day operational matters for the Industrial Development agencies and I do not have any role in these matters. However, I understand from Enterprise Ireland that the company in question has not returned any grant aid to the agency. I am aware that this matter has been complicated by a fire at the Glanbia Fresh Pork plant in Edenderry in 2007 and the...
- Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (8 Jul 2008)
Mary Coughlan: Payment and repayment of grants are day-to-day operational matters for the Industrial Development agencies. While I do not have any role in the day-to-day operations of the agencies, I understand from Enterprise Ireland that in this particular case the company received approximately â¬370,000 in grant aid over the past ten years. As I pointed out in my reply of 13 February, 2008, there is no...
- Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (8 Jul 2008)
Mary Coughlan: The training bonus was introduced as a special initiative to introduce an additional allowance for the following categories of people who were on, or commenced, a FÃS training course on or after 19 April 1999: Persons in receipt of Jobseeker Benefit or Jobseeker Allowance for 12 months or more or Persons who progress to FÃS training having completed a minimum of 12 months on a Community...
- Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (8 Jul 2008)
Mary Coughlan: I have arranged for officials in the Employment Permits Section to send out the information requested to the above named.