Results 841-860 of 50,064 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Ministerial Responsibilities: Ministerial Responsibilities (22 Mar 2005)

Micheál Martin: The Public Service Management Act 1997 provides that I, a Minister of the Government having charge of a Department, shall be responsible for the performance of functions assigned to the Department pursuant to the Ministers and Secretaries Acts 1924 to 1995.

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (22 Mar 2005)

Micheál Martin: IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to Ireland, including its regions and areas. Through its overseas offices and project divisions, IDA Ireland actively promotes property solutions provided in the mid-western region, which includes west Limerick, by its sister agency Shannon Development. A central goal for IDA Ireland is the...

Written Answers — : (22 Mar 2005)

Micheál Martin: Small and medium enterprises are generally recognised as firms which employ between ten and 250 employees. Enterprise Ireland is the national development agency with primary responsibility for assisting the development of indigenous SMEs in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sector. Both Shannon Development and Údarás na Gaeltachta carry out EI's functions in their...

Written Answers — Departmental Transport: Departmental Transport (22 Mar 2005)

Micheál Martin: The total amount paid by my Department in 2004 for car mileage expenses was €717,135. Figures in respect of the total mileage registered, are not immediately available from the Department's systems. I will furnish this information to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Late Payments Legislation: Late Payments Legislation (22 Mar 2005)

Micheál Martin: The issue of late payments in the private sector is already addressed by the European Communities (Late Payment in Commercial Transactions) Regulations 2002, SI 388 of 2002. These regulations, which came into operation on 7 August 2002, apply to all commercial transactions with the following exceptions: · Contracts made before 7 August 2002 · Claims for payment of late interest of less than...

Written Answers — Health and Safety Regulations: Health and Safety Regulations (23 Mar 2005)

Micheál Martin: The European Communities (General Product Safety) Regulations 2004 place a requirement on producers and distributors to ensure that the products they place on the market do not pose a hazard to consumers. Enforcement of these regulations is the responsibility of the Director of Consumer Affairs. The director is given authority to ensure that products placed on the market are safe and that...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (23 Mar 2005)

Micheál Martin: The posts of special adviser, policy adviser and press adviser are not part of the line management structure of the Department.

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (23 Mar 2005)

Micheál Martin: The special adviser, Mr. Christopher Mannion; policy adviser, Ms Deirdre Gillane; and press adviser, Ms Caitriona Meehan, employed at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment are involved in the provision of advice and assistance to me as Minister. The Department did not issue a formal office notice concerning special advisers. My private secretary issued an e-mail to staff in the...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (23 Mar 2005)

Micheál Martin: A work permit issued in respect of the above named individual on 25 May 2002 and expired on 26 May 2003. A work permit application was received in respect of this individual on 12 February 2004 from an employer. The work permits section of my Department wrote to this employer on two occasions requesting additional information. This application was subsequently cancelled by the section, as the...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (24 Mar 2005)

Micheál Martin: In the context of the State agencies involved in enterprise development, the issue of business parks and possible feasibility studies for such parks in this State is a matter for IDA Ireland in the first instance and not one in which I, as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, have a direct role.

Seanad: Company Closures. (24 Mar 2005)

Micheál Martin: I am grateful to the Senator for raising this matter. Neither I nor my predecessor gave any commitment to the former workforce at Comerama in respect of their entitlements under the redundancy payments legislation enacted in 2003. On 12 December 2002, following the announcement of the closure of the Comerama factory with a loss of over 160 jobs, the Tánaiste, together with officials of the...

Seanad: School Accommodation. (24 Mar 2005)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Senator for raising this matter and for giving me the opportunity to outline to the Seanad the actions being taken by the Department of Education and Science to address the school accommodation needs of the Dublin 15 area in general. Dublin 15 is one the most rapidly developing areas in the country and, as a result, there has been a marked increase in the demand for school places,...

Written Answers — Property Management Companies: Property Management Companies (12 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: Apartment complex management companies are generally constituted as companies limited by guarantee under the Companies Acts and are required to comply with the relevant provisions of company law. The operation of such companies under their relevant memorandum and articles of association, including the employment of any property manager or management entity, is a matter for their members, who...

Written Answers — Research Funding: Research Funding (12 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: Research and development is at the core of the EU's Lisbon strategy. On 6 April 2005 the Commission published its formal proposal for a new EU programme for research, the seventh research framework programme — FP7 — which will run from 2007-13. The proposal involves a doubling of the research budget to approximately €73 billion over the seven-year period. The proposal is designed to...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (12 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: The live register figure for County Sligo for March 2005 at 1,995 shows a decrease of 8.74% compared to 2,186 for March 2004. The figure of 1,995 is one of the lowest in more than 12 years. While the live register is not a true record of the level of unemployment, it is nevertheless a useful indicator of the current employment trend. During my visit to Sligo on 31 March 2005, I announced the...

Written Answers — Petrol Pricing: Petrol Pricing (12 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment does not analyse retail petrol prices in Ireland compared with the prices charged in other EU member states. However, this information is available from several organisations. The Automobile Association website, www.aaroadwatch.ie contains information for petrol prices in 18 EU member states. The most recent information available on this...

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (12 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: I travelled to Australia for the St. Patrick's day celebrations. My official party comprised my private secretary and I. The visit lasted seven days, from Saturday 12 March to Friday 18 March 2005 inclusive. Not all costs for this visit have been submitted or approved, so it is not possible at this point to provide a final cost. The costs which have been approved to date amount to €8,998.83...

Written Answers — Grocery Industry: Grocery Industry (12 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 486 and 487 together. I recently received the report of the consumer strategy group which has made recommendations on a wide range of consumer issues including the Groceries Order. I am discussing the group's findings with my Government colleagues and arrangements will be made to publish the report as soon as possible. Once the report is published, I intend to...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (12 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: The work permit section of my Department recently decided to refuse the application for a work permit in this case on the following grounds: from documentation submitted in support of the application it appeared that the proposed employee, while resident in the State, did not have current valid residency permission. There appeared to be no evidence to show that sufficient efforts were made by...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (12 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: FÁS employment programmes, which comprise community employment social economy and job initiative, will provide a total of 25,000 places in 2005. Community employment schemes offer work experience and training opportunities for the long-term unemployed and other disadvantaged groups with the aim of assisting participants to progress to a job in the open labour market. There are specific...