Results 1,141-1,160 of 50,064 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: I have not received a request from the Director of Consumer Affairs to amend the law along the lines suggested by the Deputy. The director and my Department have received queries about correspondence received by people informing them that they had won prizes and that they had to use premium phone lines to collect or verify their prizes. In most cases no prizes were forthcoming. However, I can...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: Competitiveness is an issue of national importance that deserves careful monitoring and corrective policy intervention where necessary, but it must be pointed out that competitiveness does not affect the manufacturing sector alone. An uncompetitive economy will never be able to consistently create employment and increase its citizens' standard of living. While I recognise that manufacturing...

Written Answers — Departmental Inquiries: Departmental Inquiries (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 108 together. Some 16 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 10...

Written Answers — Staffing Levels: Staffing Levels (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: As outlined in the answer to the Deputy's previous parliamentary question, the reduction of 5,000 in staffing levels as announced by the Government in 2002 applies to all sectors of the public service. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and its agencies, including FÁS, are expected to contribute to this reduction. In the case of FÁS, a reduction of 150 over a number of years...

Written Answers — Foreign Direct Investment: Foreign Direct Investment (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71, 93 and 268 together. IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment, FDI, to Ireland, including its regions and areas. While I may give general policy directives to the agency under the Industrial Development Acts, I am precluded from giving directives regarding individual undertakings or from giving...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: I note the recommendation of the consumer strategy group that the Consumers Association of Ireland should continue to be supported. My Department fully supports the work of the Consumers Association and has allocated funding totalling €63,000 to assist the association in its work in 2005. The allocation of this funding, as in the case of all public expenditure, is subject to certain...

Written Answers — Immigration Policy: Immigration Policy (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 74 and 87 together. I welcome the publication of this policy institute blue paper by Dr. Martin Ruhs. Dr. Ruhs has undertaken valuable and comprehensive academic research with regard to the history and trends of economic migration in Ireland. The paper puts forward suggestions regarding the employment permits system. These suggestions will be closely studied...

Written Answers — Trade Mission: Trade Mission (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 94 together. The United States is a key export market for Irish owned companies, which exported over €1 billion to the market in 2004. It is a powerful global economy and leading in many industries and remains an essential market for Irish companies seeking to grow an international presence. I led a trade mission organised by Enterprise Ireland to New...

Written Answers — Company Closures: Company Closures (31 May 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 — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: The future development of Irish industry through innovation and internationalisation is a priority for me as Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment. The enterprise strategy group's report, Ahead of the Curve — Ireland's Place in the Global Economy, provides a blueprint for the actions that need to be taken to secure and build on Ireland's position as a developed economy. Following...

Written Answers — National Consumer Agency: National Consumer Agency (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: The report of the consumer strategy group was published on 18 May 2005. The Government has accepted the core recommendation contained in the report and has given its approval, in principle, to the establishment of a new national consumer agency. The establishment of the new agency will require primary legislation. My Department has already commenced the necessary legislative and...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: The work permits section of my Department has issued 9,349 work permits from 1 January 2005 to 30 April 2005. This compares with 13,039 for the same period in 2004, and 13,909 for that period in 2003. The labour inspectorate of my Department is responsible for monitoring certain employment conditions for all categories of workers in Ireland, including immigrant workers. Inspectors pursue...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: The current position in relation to the transposition of EU directives for which my Department is responsible indicates a total of 28 directives to be implemented, including eight 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...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: As the regulations regarding the use of various forms of transport are agreed centrally for the Civil Service as a whole by my colleague the Minister for Finance, I do not have scope to offer particular incentives to my officials to use bus or rail for official business purposes nor do I believe that it would be appropriate for me to do so. Generally, the travelling and subsistence...

Written Answers — Price Display Orders: Price Display Orders (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: I announced in reply to a parliamentary question put to me on 16 December 2004 that I did not intend to proceed with the making of an order under the Prices Acts 1958 to 1972 obliging doctors and dentists to display the charges for their services. The reasons were both legal and practical. Enforcement of price display orders are carried out by way of regular surveys involving test purchases...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: The European Commission's quarterly report on the euro area asserts that Ireland's export performance appears quite weak relative to the euro-area average for the 2000-03 period, once the effects of our high-tech sector are excluded. At first glance this appears a rather surprising statement but on closer analysis the basis for the Commission's assessment is very narrowly defined. For...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: On 4 May 2005, the company in question notified my Department of its decision to make 485 of its 1,456 employees redundant. Unfortunately, cost saving measures, including short-time working for the majority of its employees, which were taken last September, have proved insufficient for the company's needs. The company has indicated that its current sales volume does not justify maintaining...

Written Answers — Departmental Investigations: Departmental Investigations (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: I have not yet received reports of the investigations concerned. The current position is that I am completing a fundamental review of progress to date with a view to having matters brought to a conclusion as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: The employment permits Bill is in the final stage of drafting. The intention is to have the Bill published before the summer recess. The preparation of the Bill has 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, which will govern the issue of employment permits for nationals...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: The evolving structure of Irish enterprises, particularly the growth in internationally-traded services and the manufacture of higher technology based products means Irish exports are higher value-added in nature and as such are more resilient to exchange rate movements. Transforming our enterprise base will be accelerated by consolidating our competitiveness strengths, helping existing firms...