Results 11,421-11,440 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (15 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The Knowledge Economy Skills Passport programme is an innovative initiative of the National College of Ireland. It is developed in collaboration with a consortium of software companies to deliver the core skills and competencies needed for the knowledge economy. The programme is funded by FÁS. It is a blended learning course in the areas of technology and business. It comprises an...

Written Answers — Business Regulation: Business Regulation (15 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: My Department is charged with leading the cross-governmental drive to reduce administrative burdens on business. We are doing this in a prioritised way, drawing on the experiences of other Member States who are also involved in this international effort. Departments are currently identifying the "Information Obligations" contained in their legislation that are likely to be causing the...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (15 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The temporary Employment Subsidy Scheme applies to vulnerable but viable companies in the manufacturing or internationally traded service sectors. It will involve the payment of a subsidy to firms to retain an agreed level of jobs. After the deadline of the 4 September last, Enterprise Ireland, which is managing the scheme, received 561 eligible applications seeking employment subsidies...

Written Answers — Enterprise Stabilisation Fund: Enterprise Stabilisation Fund (15 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The Government has approved a total of €100 million for the Enterprise Stabilisation Fund for 2009 and 2010. Some €50 million has been included in the Estimate of my Department for this purpose in 2009. Under the scheme, Enterprise Ireland may provide up to €500,000 to viable companies with robust business models that are facing difficulties as a result of the current economic...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (15 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Following extensive discussions with interested companies and employees in each FÁS region who wish to avail of the short-time training programme, training courses with FETAC certification are being developed and tailored by FÁS to meet local needs. It is not anticipated that individuals on systematic short-time working will take up a place on their training course until next month at the...

Written Answers — Entrepreneurial Activity: Entrepreneurial Activity (15 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 120 to 123, inclusive, together. The statistical information sought by the Deputy in relation to entrepreneurial programmes and entrepreneurial activity is not compiled or available in the format sought for the periods mentioned. Details in relation to the range of initiatives available in Ireland to support entrepreneurship were published by Forfás in...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (15 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The company in question has not been grant aided by Enterprise Ireland in respect of its operation in Freshford, County Kilkenny. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has informed me that no other national or EU grant was paid to this company in respect of its plant at Freshford, County Kilkenny. I will set out the facilities operated by the company and the assistance received...

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (15 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The total cost of official domestic travel incurred by all Ministers and Ministers of State at my Department from January 2007 to the end of September 2009 was as follows: 2007, €86,607.41; 2008, €121,543.63; and 2009 (to the end of September), €76,016.33. These figures include all identifiable costs incurred by the Ministers and Ministers of State which were paid for by my Department...

Written Answers — Computer Games Industry: Computer Games Industry (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 168 and 200 together. Enterprise Ireland has primary responsibility for Irish companies in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors. It supports companies employing 10 or more people and start-up companies which have the potential to employ 10 or more people and reach or exceed €1m in exports over three years. Enterprise Ireland offers a...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The development and expansion of Ireland's trade is a key economic objective and my Department strives to seize all opportunities to enhance our trade footprint. We are especially conscious of the necessity to secure new and emerging markets, including the fast growing Asian economies. In particular, trade with China has developed rapidly in recent years, as a result of the Government's Asia...

Written Answers — Job Protection: Job Protection (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: On the 14th October, I held a meeting with a group of workers from IFF, during which I assured them of my full support for the efforts being made by IDA Ireland to save as many jobs as possible, following the proposal by the company to close its facility in Drogheda. IDA had met with local management of IFF in June while the operation was on a three day week. At the time, it was genuinely...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I recently published the Labour Services (Amendment) Bill, 2009, which sets out the criteria for the selection of members to the Board of FÁS. It is proposed, following enactment of the Bill, that appointments to the Board of FÁS will be based on a person's individual talents and experience as described in the Bill.

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: FÁS regularly conducts surveys to establish how effective the Agency's services are to its customers. For example, each year FÁS commissions independent external consultants to conduct a follow-up survey of a representative sample of former trainees who completed their training with FÁS eighteen months previously. The purpose of this study is to monitor the post programme experience of...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (20 Oct 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 on a quarterly basis only. In the second quarter of 2009, the most recent quarter for which data is available, there was an annual decrease in employment of 174,300 or 8.2% while unemployment increased by 137,900 over the same period. Employment...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 179 to 181, inclusive, together. The Employment Subsidy Scheme (Temporary) applies to vulnerable but viable companies in the manufacturing or internationally traded service sectors. It will involve the payment of a subsidy to firms to retain an agreed level of jobs. The principal aim of the Scheme is to maximise full-time employment in the first place by...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: FÁS Services to Business supports skills development in small businesses through the Excellence Through People standard which has been running for several years. FÁS Employment Services recently announced the Work Placement Programme which is designed to offer unemployed people, including unemployed graduates, the opportunity to obtain 6 months quality experience in a work situation. The...

Written Answers — National Training Fund: National Training Fund (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Under the terms of the National Training Act, 2000 any surplus remains in the accounts of the National Training Fund for re-investment in eligible training activity. Current NTF funding allocations to FÁS, Skillnets Ltd and Enterprise Ireland, already help to fund a broad spectrum of training initiatives for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) including in-company training as well as...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The aim of the Work Placement Programme is to provide valuable work experience for 6 months to 2,000 unemployed individuals, including graduates. Participants on the programme will retain their existing social welfare entitlements for the duration of their placement. The eligibility criteria for both participants and providers participating in the programme are to be reviewed in the near...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Ensuring value for money in terms of government investment is always important but it is particularly critical in times of economic challenge. It has long been established that value for money is achieved through focusing state assistance on exporting companies rather than on those selling to the domestic market. The provision of assistance to indigenous companies that are not...

Written Answers — Credit Supply: Credit Supply (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: In conjunction with my colleague, the Minister for Finance, Mr. Brian Lenihan, T.D., I established the Credit Supply Clearing Group in May of this year with the following terms of reference:- · To identify specific patterns of events or groups of cases, by sector, geographically, or otherwise, where the flow of credit to viable business appears to be blocked. · To aggregate the details of...