Results 8,581-8,600 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (10 Jul 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Under the Industrial Development Acts, the management of IDA Ireland's industrial property portfolio is a day to day operational matter for the Agency and not one in which I have a function. I am informed by the IDA that there are 6 units in the Waterford Industrial Estate on which the Agency has long term lease agreements, and which are currently available for use. A list of these units...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (10 Jul 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The agenda of the inter-agency forum continues to be addressed by the Economic sub-Group of Waterford County Development Board which was established to direct economic development in County Waterford. The sub-Group includes elected representatives and representatives of business and the Development agencies. In addition, Waterford County Council continues to employ a dedicated Economic...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (10 Jul 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 316 and 318 together. Employment data for the Shannon Free Zone are available only on an annual basis. At end 2007 there were 105 companies at Shannon Free Zone employing 7047 employees compared to 101 companies and 7,188 employees at end 2006. The Job Losses Announcements/Notifications 30th June 2007 to 30th June 2008 on the Shannon Free Zone are set out in...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (10 Jul 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The Mid West region has a strong base of businesses (indigenous and foreign owned) that trade internationally. The region employs over 170,000 and exports €4.2 billion worth of products every year. Limerick-Shannon represents the largest urban centre after Dublin and Cork and represents approximately 20% of Ireland's GDP. There are approximately 600 indigenous companies employing over...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (10 Jul 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Employment data in respect of companies supported by the Enterprise Agencies are collated by Forfás on a county and annual basis only, and accordingly data are not available for 2008 nor can figures be provided on a town or sub-county basis. Responsibility for indigenous enterprise transferred from Shannon Development to Enterprise Ireland in January 2007. There were 2,811 people in...

Written Answers — International Trade: International Trade (10 Jul 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Trade between Ireland and Zimbabwe is at a very low level: figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that during 2007 the value of merchandise trade between Zimbabwe and Ireland amounted to €964,000 comprising €277,000 in imports from Zimbabwe and €687,000 in exports to Zimbabwe. The CSO's figures for the period January to March 2008 show the value of merchandise...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (10 Jul 2008)

Mary Coughlan: My Department has been making good progress in the relocation of the required 250 posts to Carlow under the Government's Decentralisation Programme. Officials of my Department, in consultation with the Department of Finance and the OPW, as well as decentralising staff and Business Units opened an advance office in Carlow on July 30th 2007. There are currently 101 staff in the advance office...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (10 Jul 2008)

Mary Coughlan: My Department has been making good progress in the relocation of the required 250 posts to Carlow under the Government's Decentralisation Programme. Officials of my Department, in consultation with the Department of Finance and the OPW, as well as decentralising staff and Business Units, opened an advance office in Carlow on July 30th 2007. There are currently 101 staff in the advance...

Written Answers — Traffic Management: Traffic Management (10 Jul 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment does not collect specific statistics to measure the economic costs of congestion. I am aware, however, that congestion is a concern for the business community, particularly in Dublin. The Deputy will be aware that the Government is continuing to improve transportation infrastructure and reduce congestion. This is being addressed through the...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (10 Jul 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 324 and 326 together. The following tables set out the number of full time job gains and losses in enterprise agency assisted firms in Co. Louth for each of the years between 2002 and 2007. (Agency data is collected on a county and annual basis and therefore no data is available for 2008). Overall in the period in question 3,216 new full-time jobs were...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (10 Jul 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The provision of grant assistance is a matter for the enterprise development agencies and not one in which I have a direct function. However the attached table outlines total grants paid for the creation of jobs, as issued by Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, and the County Enterprise Board to companies in Co. Louth for each of the years in question. Payments 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (10 Jul 2008)

Mary Coughlan: On Tuesday 1st July, I announced that the Coca-Cola Company would, on the following day, be submitting a planning application to Wexford County Council with a view to establishing a combined manufacturing and innovation facility on a 41 acre site on the Wexford Business Park. The proposed investment is expected to exceed $300 million, of which a portion would be attributed to R&D...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (10 Jul 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The company in question announced the closure of its manufacturing and distribution operations in Drogheda in August 2007. The decision was due to excess capacity in Ireland. The company is committed to supporting its employees through a generous redundancy package, retraining, business start up assistance, a high level of outplacement and by promoting the skills and expertise of its...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (10 Jul 2008)

Mary Coughlan: In the context of the review of the operation and implementation of the Competition Act, 2002, my predecessor, Mr. Micheál Martin, established an Advisory Group at the end of March 2008 to review the current legislative framework relating to the public interest aspects of media mergers in Ireland. The Group was asked to report within three months. The Report of the Group was presented to...

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (10 Jul 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The details requested by the Deputy are provided on the tables which follow. The tables show the cost incurred by my Department each month in respect of travel undertaken by me and by the Ministers of State at my Department from 8 May 2008 to 9 July 2008 inclusive. The frequency of travel under each of the categories of transport specified by the Deputy is also provided. The tables do not...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (10 Jul 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The Agencies and Offices, which come under the aegis of my Department, are aware of the necessity to comply with the Department of Finance Public Procurement Guidelines in relation to the acquisition of goods and services by them. The Department of Finance Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, which applies to non commercial and commercial State Bodies, states: competitive...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (10 Jul 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The Government decided this week that public expenditure savings totalling €440 million will need to be found this year across all Departments and agencies to manage the present budgetary pressures. My Department will contribute a minimum of €24.551 million towards the overall savings target. €19.15 million of my Department's 2008 savings will be in respect of FÁS's allocation, which...

FÁS Internal Audits. (24 Sep 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Regular internal audits are part of the normal governance process of any organisation and I am aware that, of the many internal audits carried out into both FÁS activities and projects funded by FÁS, some have shown up irregularities and possible occasions of fraud. FÁS has referred two cases of possible fraudulent activity to the Garda Síochána. Some internal audits have also...

FÁS Internal Audits. (24 Sep 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I have initiated an overall review of FÁS and that process has commenced. This overall project is outside the specific remit I have asked the Comptroller and Auditor General to consider. The Deputy is aware that matter will also be discussed at the beginning of October in the context of public accounts. If the Comptroller and Auditor General is of the view then that there is a need to...

FÁS Internal Audits. (24 Sep 2008)

Mary Coughlan: There is nothing to lead me to believe the situation is otherwise. The overall review of the activities of FÁS is very important and commenced in the summer of this year. I am very anxious that review takes place in the context of deciding what the priorities of such a large organisation should be. Our view is the priorities must be on upskilling and supporting those who have found...