Results 11,561-11,580 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Order of Business (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I made a statement yesterday.

Order of Business (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I indicated yesterday that I will work with the relevant authorities to deal with this issue.

Pension Provisions. (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The valuation figures for the FÁS closed superannuation scheme, which solely covers former AnCo staff, as at 31 December 2008 are the following; the market value of pension fund assets is €328 million; and the present value of pension liabilities is €631 million, which leaves a deficit in the FÁS pension fund of €303 million. The valuation has been prepared by a qualified independent...

Pension Provisions. (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: It is important to reiterate that this scheme only refers to former AnCo staff and not to the person referred to by the Deputy. The deficit in the FÁS pension fund is €303 million and that is made up of a market value of fund assets of €328 million and liabilities of €631 million. We are all aware of difficulties in pension funds and it was on such a basis that the Department of...

Pension Provisions. (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I appreciate that the Deputy is trying to introduce an element that has nothing to do with the question but that is beside the point. We are discussing AnCo.

Pension Provisions. (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: More than 95% of the non-commercial semi-State pensions are now operating on a pay-as-you-go basis, which is very significant. It is appropriate to say that we had separate pension schemes and funds, as well as separate actuarial staff and fund managers looking after this. The Government decided that the best way to address those costs and centrally manage them was under the National...

Employment Levels. (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I note the publication of the latest FÁS quarterly labour market review for autumn 2009, published last Wednesday. It highlights the increase which has occurred in youth unemployment as evidenced by the latest quarterly national household survey, QNHS, and live register statistics. According to the QNHS at the end of the second quarter the unemployment rate for the age group 20-24 years of...

Employment Levels. (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: None of us disagrees with the absolute necessity to ensure that young people are interfacing with the labour market, which is hugely important. That is why our investment and activation programmes have a specific focus on young people. The youth framework that has been developed following consultation with the Minister of State, Deputy Dara Calleary, is distinctly looking at the needs of...

Employment Levels. (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: We agree with what the Deputy has said. It is on that basis that we will change the scheme. The Minister, Deputy Hanafin, has facilitated us in the context of volunteerism, for example. She has changed the rules so that one no longer has to be continually available for and genuinely seeking work, which is an issue raised by the voluntary sector. The Deputy was right in what he said about...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes presented its report to the Government in July of this year. In its report, the Group outlined options to achieve savings in public expenditure across all Departmental Vote groups. In relation to my own Department, the Group made proposals for the rationalisation of some services provided by my Department's agencies,...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Enterprise Ireland is the lead government agency responsible for the development of Irish enterprise. Its mission is to accelerate the development of world-class Irish companies to achieve strong positions in world markets resulting in increased national and regional prosperity. While Enterprise Ireland does not have a specific mandate in relation to addressing unemployment, the agency is...

Written Answers — Cross-Border Trade: Cross-Border Trade (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: InterTradeIreland commissioned the Economic and Social Research Institute to undertake the Report "A Gravity Model Approach to estimating the expected volume of North/South Trade". The Report aims to assess whether aggregate and sectoral cross-border trade between Ireland and Northern Ireland is at, above or below the expected level. The deviations of actual trade from the expected level...

Written Answers — Enterprise Development: Enterprise Development (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Forfás provide policy advice to my Department on a range of issues including infrastructure priorities for enterprise. Their most recent Statement on Infrastructure Priorities was published in January 2009. This Report identified priorities in the areas of transport, energy, telecommunications, waste and water infrastructure. The views and advice in the Forfás Report are taken into...

Written Answers — Unemployment Levels: Unemployment Levels (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: According to the QNHS at the end of Quarter 2 the unemployment rate for the age group 20-24 years of age stood at 23% (51,700 unemployed) an increase of 12.6% (25,400) from 2008. While the percentage and the number of people in this cohort has increased, there has been a fall in the participation rate by 2.4%. The recent October Live Register statistics show that 84,948 under 25s are signing...

Written Answers — Export Sector: Export Sector (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Notwithstanding the challenging trading environment, global opportunities for Irish businesses remain significant. My Department, through Enterprise Ireland, is active both in assisting Irish indigenous companies to find new markets for their products and services and to increase their existing level of market share. Encouraging companies to re-orientate towards the Eurozone in the first...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) is carrying out an investigation into certain matters within FÁS. A copy of the report that deals with the examination of advertising and promotion in FÁS, which forms part of the investigation, was laid before the House on 9 September. I understand that a further report from the C&AG will be issued in the coming months. This report will focus...

Written Answers — Small and Medium Enterprises: Small and Medium Enterprises (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: As previously outlined to the House, in supporting small and medium enterprises, Government focus has been on actions to sustain a positive business environment, including the proper functioning of the banking system, allied with specific targeted supports for SMEs through the enterprise development agencies. Developments in the financial sector and wider economy during the last year have...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 39 together. Earlier this year my Department completed a review of employment permit arrangements, the purpose of which was to ensure that such arrangements continued to be appropriate to the needs of our changing labour market. Following the outcome of consultations with the Social Partners and other interest groups, a number of changes were...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: As Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, I am directly accountable to the Oireachtas for the activities of my Department and my Department's own expenditure decisions. In that regard, together with the Ministers of State assigned to the Department, I answer parliamentary questions, adjournment debates, etc, on our departmental policies and strategies. I also present my Department's...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 44 together. Four of the 14 agencies in my Department have pension funds. Based on returns from the bodies in question, the following tabular statement below lists the assets and liabilities of the relevant pension funds at 31 December 2008. Agency 2008 Assets 2008 Liabilities FÁS 328,193,000 631,428,000 IDA (Forfás) 182,800,000 209,340,000...