Results 11,121-11,140 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Order of Business (10 Jul 2009)

Mary Coughlan: With regard to adoption legislation, the Minister issued a press statement on the matter and travelled to Vietnam, which has a sovereign Government. The work in this regard is still in progress and a new overall agreement has not been finalised. I am advised by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform that a group is presently considering the data protection legislation and he is...

Order of Business (10 Jul 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The question is completely out of order because it does not concern legislation.

Order of Business (10 Jul 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I indicated there are ongoing discussions and I will ask the Minister to contact the Deputy directly.

Order of Business (10 Jul 2009)

Mary Coughlan: That is a fair point. When I was in the backbenches the system was such that it was very difficult to prepare for debate within the House. Unfortunately, legislation does not always proceed as the Deputy desires but we will be cognisant of the fact that Deputies need a clear indication of the Bills that are to arise so that they can prepare accordingly. When I first became a Member of this...

Order of Business (10 Jul 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The Deputy will be welcome to Donegal any day.

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (16 Sep 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The Industrial Development agencies under the aegis of my Department, IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, together with the Waterford City and County Enterprise Boards, are responsible for enterprise development in County Waterford. In line with the National Spatial Strategy, IDA Ireland is concentrating its efforts in the County on the Gateway City of Waterford and the town of Dungarvan....

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (16 Sep 2009)

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 Waterford City and County on which the agency has long term lease agreements, and which are currently available for use. The amount due on the balance...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (16 Sep 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 195 to 198, inclusive, and 222 together. In February, 2009, I established the Mid-West Task Force, chaired by Mr Denis Brosnan. I received the Task Force's interim Report in July, which contained a wide range of recommendations. As many of these come within the remit of fellow Government colleagues, I am currently in the process of seeking their views on the...

Written Answers — Employment Action Plan: Employment Action Plan (16 Sep 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Discussions with relevant stakeholders are currently taking place between the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and FÁS with a view to reaching agreement on the FÁS action plan. The action plan has been developed by FÁS for implementing recommendations contained in a recent review of the Supported Employment Programme. Overarching stakeholder consultations are being managed...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (16 Sep 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Civil Servants from my Department who are members of boards of agencies, including commercial and non - commercial State bodies are not in receipt of any fee, salary or remuneration for holding such a position. Travelling and subsistence allowances, at the rate and subject to the regulations appropriate to Civil Servants, are payable in respect of necessary travel undertaken in connection...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (16 Sep 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The marketing of individual areas for new or expansion foreign direct investment (FDI) and jobs is a day-to-day operational matter for IDA Ireland as part of the statutory responsibilities assigned to it by the Oireachtas and not one in which I have a function. The situation is set out in my reply today to a separate question from Deputy Sherlock. In line with the National Spatial Strategy,...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (16 Sep 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The management of IDA Ireland's industrial property portfolio, including the creation and marketing of business parks, are day-to-day operational matters for the agency as part of the statutory responsibility assigned to it by the Oireachtas and not matters in which I have a function. I understand from IDA Ireland that it has approximately six hectares available on the Fermoy Business and...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (16 Sep 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The amount spent by my Department and the Offices of my Department on advertising and promotions in years 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and to the end of August 2009 is outlined in the following table. Year Amount spent on advertising and promotions in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and its Offices 2004 â'¬1,012,238 2005 â'¬1,482,489 2006 â'¬1,146,229 2007...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (16 Sep 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 213 to 216, inclusive, and 218 together. I am not familiar with the article mentioned by the Deputy but I would like to assure him that Ireland, along with EU partners, regards all Israeli settlements in either the West Bank or East Jerusalem as illegal under international law and accordingly any goods produced in those settlements clearly should not benefit...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (16 Sep 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The Consumer Protection Act 2007 includes specific provisions in relation to the provision of information to consumers in the course of commercial transactions. Specifically the Act provides that the provision of false information in relation to the geographical or commercial origin of a product and where that information would be likely to cause the average consumer to make a transactional...

Written Answers — Company Closures: Company Closures (16 Sep 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I am acutely aware of the consequences of the proposal for closure of the IFF facility in Drogheda, County Louth. IDA has had interaction with the company's headquarters in the United States in recent times. Notwithstanding this, IFF is considering the closure of the operation. I have asked IDA to bring local concerns to the attention of IFF Corporate and to use its best endeavours to...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (16 Sep 2009)

Mary Coughlan: There is no discernible cost to this Department's vote in administering the cycle to work scheme. The bicycles and equipment are paid for by way of salary sacrifice by those acquiring the bicycles. There would be minor costs in processing forms and in carrying the up-front costs until such time as those are offset by the gradual deductions from salary. Neither of these is quantifiable....

Written Answers — Ministerial Expenses: Ministerial Expenses (16 Sep 2009)

Mary Coughlan: It has not been possible, in the time available, for my officials to collate the information sought by the Deputy. My Department has changed its financial management systems over the period since 1997 and therefore it is not feasible to provide the information requested by the Deputy for the years prior to 2002. However, I will write to the Deputy shortly with the information he has...

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Sep 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I was re-reading the Lisbon treaty.

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Sep 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I wish to share time with the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Peter Power. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this most important legislation. Some commentators have described this Bill as perhaps the most important legislation to have come before the House in a generation. There is no doubt that we must get it right, not for our own sake, as legislators,...