Results 961-980 of 50,134 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Banking Sector: Banking Sector (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: I understand that the new rules are part of the ongoing development of a single euro payment area, which will facilitate cross-border payments such as credit transfers and direct debit payments. As such, the new rules are primarily the responsibility of the Minister for Finance. With regard to the effect of the rules on competition, I have not undertaken any study. However, I hope that the...

Written Answers — Departmental Inquiries: Departmental Inquiries (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99, 105 and 127 together. Sixteen investigations into company law matters were initiated by my predecessor in the period since 1997. In three cases, the High Court appointed, on an application by the Minister, inspectors under section 8 of the Companies Act 1990. The inspectors appointed to Ansbacher (Cayman) Limited presented their report to the High Court on...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 101, 126, 139 and 219 together. FÁS employment programmes, which comprise community employment, CE, social economy, SE, and job initiative, JI, will provide over 25,000 places in 2005. I am informed by FÁS that the number of participants on community employment was 24,991 in January 2003, 19,848 in January 2004 and 22,194 in January 2005. There are currently...

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 102 and 128 together. The 47 recommendations contained in the report of the Competition Authority are designed to make the insurance market in Ireland more open, transparent and competitive. Accordingly, I welcome the authority's findings and conclusions. However, responsibility for the implementation of the majority of the recommendations lies with the...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: The review of industrial performance and policy 2003 carried out detailed analysis of Irish industrial performance and policy over the previous decade, including the performance and role of the enterprise development agencies over that period. While the review made no specific recommendations relating to future policy or the role of the agencies, the analysis contained therein informed the...

Written Answers — Company Closures: Company Closures (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: I understand that the liquidator has made considerable progress in realising the assets of the company and establishing the full extent of its liabilities and that he hopes to complete the liquidation process later this year. At this stage, the production sites at Arklow and Cork remain the principal assets yet to be realised. It is understood that contracts have been signed for the sale of...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 116 together. The statistics referred to arise from the Review of Enterprise Ireland Supported High Potential Start-ups 1989-2004 conducted by Enterprise Ireland. The report is an internal report of Enterprise Ireland and as such is an operational issue for the agency and not one in which I have a direct function. Enterprise Ireland has informed me...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: During the years 2003 and 2004 IDA client companies made a total of 39 first time visits to the north-west region. Of this number, 14 visits were made to Letterkenny and two were made to Buncrana. On 31 March 2005, I announced that 423 jobs were to be created in the north-west region in IDA supported companies — 300 in Toucan, the consumer telecoms business of IDT Corporation, at its new...

Written Answers — Air Services: Air Services (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: SI 468 of 2000 entitled the Consumer Information (Advertisements for Airfares) Order 2000 requires that in every advertisement for an airfare the total price for the airfare shall be clearly stated. The only exception is that if any charge is payable in respect of a method of payment this can be shown separately. A number of legal issues have arisen in regard to the enforcement of this order...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: A Bill to put Ireland's existing employment permit system on a statutory basis is in the final stage of drafting. The intention is to have the Bill introduced during this session. The preparatory stages of this Bill have taken longer than expected because of the change in labour market circumstances due to the enlargement of the European Union. The proposed employment permits Bill 2005, which...

Written Answers — Skill Shortages: Skill Shortages (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: The expert group on future skills needs, EGFSN, was set up by Government in 1997 to develop national strategies to tackle the issue of skills needs, manpower estimating and training for business and education in Ireland. The EGFSN has published many reports that have identified in a systematic way the skills needs of different sectors and advised on the actions needed to address them. The...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: On 1 March last, my colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform announced Government approval for the establishment of the Irish naturalisation and immigration service, INIS, as an executive office within the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. It is intended that this new service will provide a one-stop-shop service to migrants. Whereas the processing of work...

Written Answers — Regulation System: Regulation System (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: The Government recently considered and endorsed the report of the high level committee that was asked to examine the most appropriate implementation arrangements for the enterprise strategy group, ESG, recommendations. While the Government is broadly supportive of the policy directions recommended by the ESG, it decided not to implement the recommendation that the existing regulators for...

Written Answers — Science and Technology Groups: Science and Technology Groups (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: Ireland attaches great importance to participating in intergovernmental research organisations, IGROs, where this can enhance the goals of national research policy. Our current membership includes the European Space Agency, ESA, European Molecular Biology Conference, EMBC, EUREKA, network for market orientated research and development, COST, European co-operation in the field of scientific...

Written Answers — Grocery Industry: Grocery Industry (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: I have received the latest report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business on its study of the grocery market. The recommendations contained in the report are directed to a variety of Government Departments and agencies, a number of which relate to my Department. The Deputy will also be aware that my Department last year commissioned the consumer strategy group to...

Written Answers — Grocery Industry: Grocery Industry (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 146 together. I have 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 — Consumer Rights: Consumer Rights (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: The views of Government on the consumer rights enforcer proposed by Fine Gael were outlined in detail by my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for labour affairs, on the occasion of Deputy Hogan bringing forward his Private Member's Bill, the Consumer Rights Enforcer Bill 2004 last November. The Government opposed...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: The position on the transposition of EU directives for which my Department is responsible indicates a total of 29 directives to be implemented, including nine for which the deadline for implementation, in full or in part, has passed. Details of the directives, including, in so far as it has been decided, the proposed transposition instruments, are available on my Department's website at...

Written Answers — Trade Missions: Trade Missions (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: In the three-month period since the Taoiseach led this trade mission there has been significant progress. This is additional to contracts valued at about €126 million signed in the course of the trade mission. Enterprise Ireland arranged for the education sector to participate in trade fairs in Beijing and Shanghai, where 23 institutions were represented. Best estimates suggest that...

Written Answers — Equal Opportunities Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: Gender gaps in participation in certain sectors or occupations reflect, to a certain extent, the different roles that men and women have traditionally played in society. This has resulted in the situation where, for example, women are over-represented in caring roles, such as teaching and nursing, while men continue to dominate in science, engineering and technology. This is a complex issue...