Results 10,201-10,220 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (1 Apr 2009)

Mary Coughlan: On 3 February 2009, the Government decided that it would introduce a general reduction of the order of 8% in professional fees as part of a range of measures to restore stability to the public finances. On the basis of instructions provided by the Department of Finance, my Department issued guidelines for implementing the Government decision across the Department, its Offices and its...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (1 Apr 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Staff in my Department or its agencies are not paid for periods of unauthorised absence or work stoppages due to industrial action.

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (1 Apr 2009)

Mary Coughlan: There are currently a total of eight Directives due to be transposed by my Department up to 2012. Two of these Directives are currently overdue, namely Directive 2006/46/EC on company reporting and Directive 2006/43/EC on statutory audits of annual and consolidated accounts. My Department aims to transpose these Directives by 30 April and 31 May 2009 respectively. Full details on the state...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (1 Apr 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The FÁS Annual Labour Market Review for 2008, which was published in March 2009, presents an overall assessment of labour market developments in Ireland. The report highlights changes in the labour market including the rise in unemployment due to the economic downturn and also contains a number of proposals for dealing with the current unemployment situation. The Government has already put...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (1 Apr 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 44, 52, 54, 76 and 91 to 94, inclusive, together. The House will be aware that the issue of the differentials in prices between this jurisdiction and Northern Ireland and the UK has been a matter of concern for some time. These concerns stem from the widespread belief, particularly amongst consumers, that the benefits of the Euro's appreciation in value...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (1 Apr 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I am keenly aware of the impact on Ericsson's employees and their families following the company's decision to reduce its workforce in Ireland by 300. This is due to begin in June on a phased basis over an 18 months period. The State development agencies under the remit of my Department have adopted a co-ordinated approach in response to the announced job losses, which includes relevant...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (1 Apr 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Price display law is covered by Orders made under the Prices Acts 1958 to 1972 and under the European Communities (Requirements to Indicate Product Prices) Regulations 2002, Statutory Instrument No. 639 of 2002. The various Price Display Orders made under the Prices Acts 1958 to 1972 cover Drinks Display in Licensed Premises, Hairdressing Services, Petrol and Diesel and Restaurants. The...

Written Answers — Small and Medium Enterprises: Small and Medium Enterprises (1 Apr 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I have met with both ISME and the SFA to discuss issues impacting on the SME sector, including access to bank credit. I have also met with representatives of the recapitalised banks to discuss the provision of bank credit to the sector. In addition, within my own Department, I have established a Roundtable on Access to Bank Credit which includes representatives of ISME and SFA, the Irish...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (1 Apr 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49, 60 and 79 together. The Forfás report referred to was prepared for my Department in advance of the decision and announcement by Dell in January to reduce its Limerick workforce by 1,900. The report was prepared on a basis of a "what if/worst case" scenario with all jobs being lost at Dell in Limerick which of course is not what subsequently transpired....

Written Answers — Business Regulation: Business Regulation (1 Apr 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 55 and 59 together. Earlier this year in the context of unfolding developments in the market, I asked the Director of Corporate Enforcement to let me know whether any improvements to the legislation under which he operates were necessary. In response the Director identified a number of provisions that he considered required modification to improve their...

Written Answers — Foreign Direct Investment: Foreign Direct Investment (1 Apr 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The relationship between Ireland and the United States is unique in terms of our political, economic and cultural links. The Government and I attach the highest importance to strengthening that relationship and in consolidating and growing the economic partnership between our two countries. That partnership has contributed enormously to the very significant trade and investment ties with the...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (1 Apr 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The number of people in employment is measured by the Quarterly National Household Survey or QNHS and published by the Central Statistics Office. In the fourth quarter of 2008, the most recent quarter for which data is available, employment increased by 155,600 in the five-year period, while unemployment increased by 84,800 over the same period. The most recent data on employment levels in...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (1 Apr 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The Government is anxious that as many jobs as possible are secured at Dublin Airport. We would like to see the SR Technics Group do what it can to facilitate this, such as helping to promote the capabilities and skills available at the Dublin facility, agreeing to an orderly wind down of the facility to give IDA Ireland an opportunity to promote the location to interested parties, and...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (1 Apr 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I welcome the report of the Public Accounts Committee on FÁS and commend the Committee for the work carried out in this matter. I note that while the report in general concentrates on the things that went wrong, the Committee is of the view that the good work being done by the employees of FÁS should not be overlooked and that this examination is no reflection on their role and the valuable...

Written Answers — Skills Development: Skills Development (1 Apr 2009)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy will be aware, budgets committed to all Departments are currently under review. The outcome will be reflected in the announcement of the Minister for Finance on 7 April next. Any adjustments announced then will reflect the funding priorities agreed by the Government. Accordingly, I am not in a position to answer the specifics of the Deputy's question at this juncture.

Written Answers — Export Credit Insurance: Export Credit Insurance (1 Apr 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 67, 69 and 75 together. It is recognised that there has been some withdrawal and reduction of export credit insurance cover for business, including companies in the food sector, by the commercial insurance companies, in recent months. In relation to the possible introduction of a State Export Credit Insurance scheme as a response to this situation, I recently...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (1 Apr 2009)

Mary Coughlan: On 3 February 2009, the Government announced a range of savings measures that will be implemented this year in order to restore stability to the public finances. These savings measures include general administrative efficiencies which are expected to save €140 million across all public bodies on a full-year basis. As the Taoiseach indicated to the Dáil on 3 February, the savings will...

Written Answers — Business Regulation: Business Regulation (1 Apr 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The negotiation of commercial contracts is essentially a matter for the contracting parties themselves and I have no direct function in relation to such contracts. Nevertheless, the Competition Acts prohibit retailers from engaging in certain practices in their dealings with suppliers. Should the Deputy have any evidence of retailers engaging in prohibited practices, I would urge him to...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (1 Apr 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I very much regret the most recent decision by Dell to seek a further reduction in staffing levels, which will impact on employees working at the Limerick and Dublin operations. I understand that the background to this decision was the announcement by Dell Corporate that they now wish to make annual savings of $4bn versus the originally forecast savings of $3bn by 2011. Dell Corporate plan...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (1 Apr 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The Industrial Development agencies under the aegis of my Department and the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) are responsible for industrial development. In this regard, IDA Ireland is the agency charged with the attraction of foreign direct investment to this country. The agency provides a range of financial incentives to support capital, employment, training innovation and research...