Results 11,701-11,720 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: A key issue in respect of selection for redundancy is that the selection process must be seen to be fair and non-discriminatory. Should an individual feel that they have been unfairly dismissed by reason of unfair selection for redundancy, it is open to that individual to take a case to the Rights Commissioners or to the Employment Appeals Tribunal under the Unfair Dismissals Acts. The...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: An application for co-funded assistance from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) towards the costs of a personalized package of occupational guidance, training, employment, entrepreneurship and educational measures for workers made redundant at the DELL plant in Raheen, Co. Limerick, and in ancillary enterprises, was made by my Department on 19 June 2009. The EGF application has...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Funding is allocated to groups, organizations or businesses, in respect of the provision of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programmes by my Department through a number of our enterprise and labour force development Agencies. However, in the time available since this Question was tabled my Department has not been able to collate all the information requested by the Deputy. I will...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I understand that the last five follow-up surveys on a representative sample of former participants on FÁS training and employment programmes carried out by the ESRI on behalf of FÁS, are all available for downloading via the FÁS website. The details of each survey are indicated below: Publication Date Dates of Survey Period of Data Surveyed November 2007 November 2006 – April 2007...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 121 to 124, inclusive, together. I understand that during the ten-year period referred to by the Deputy, 75% of the increase in management grades within FÁS occurred as a result of a one step increase from a senior staff grade to assistant manager as part of a major restructuring within the organisation. FÁS management grades currently account for 12.8% of...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The European Globalisation Fund application has been approved by the European Commission but has not yet received the required approval from the EU Council and the European Parliament. While such approval is imminent, the setting up of additional promotional and information services is not opportune at this point. However, all eligible redundant workers will be contacted directly as to the...

Written Answers — Budget Submissions: Budget Submissions (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I have received a number of pre-budget submissions from various business organisations and representative groups, including the Restaurants Association of Ireland. I have noted the contents of all of these submissions and will give consideration to the proposals in the context of the pre-budget deliberations with my Government colleagues.

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Work is underway on the legislation required to implement the merger of the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency and I hope to publish this legislation during the course of 2010. Whilst it is expected that the synergies arising from the merger of the two bodies will result in savings to the exchequer, particularly in areas such as shared services, it is not possible to...

Written Answers — Business Regulation: Business Regulation (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: In March 2008 the Government set a 25% target to reduce administrative burdens on business arising from regulations by 2012. My Department is charged with leading the cross-Government drive to reduce administrative burdens on business. This is being done in a prioritised way, drawing from the experience of other Member States involved in administrative burden reduction. Departments are...

Written Answers — Construction Sector: Construction Sector (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Enterprise Ireland reorganised its Department structure in 2008 to reflect a focus on construction. Expert appointments have been made in London, Dublin and two Gulf States to work with companies in the sector. Enterprise Ireland is working with the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland (RIAI), the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland (ACEI), the Construction Industry...

Written Answers — Financial Services Sector: Financial Services Sector (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The international financial services industry in Ireland contains more than 1,000 entities employing approximately 25,000. These entities comprise Irish and foreign-owned, single and multi-establishment companies, small managed activities and captive finance and insurance operations. The financial services portfolio of IDA is a sub-set of this overall industry and comprises 150 companies,...

Written Answers — Digital Sector: Digital Sector (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: There is already a large number of data-intensive multinationals located in Ireland and a critical mass has been developed in this field. This is contributing to a broad pool of skills in the operations of digital centres as well as in the development of new technologies such as in energy reduction. The fact that Google, eBay, Facebook, PayPal and others have major activities here increases...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The cost of translating documents into the Irish Language for my Department and the Offices of my Department for the period 1 January 2008 to date is approximately €119,060. The costs associated with the printing of those documents for the same period is €24,160. All these documents have been stored electronically and only printed where deemed necessary. The printing of documents by the...

Leaders' Questions (25 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: We are meeting them now.

Order of Business (26 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: It is proposed to take No. 12, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann for a Council Framework Decision on accreditation of forensic service providers carrying out laboratory activities, back from committee; No. 13, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann for a Council Framework Decision on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings, and protecting victims, repealing...

Order of Business (26 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: With regard to the report on the Dublin diocese, victims are being advised of, and will be given, the report prior to its publication at 2.15 p.m. An electronic copy will be made available to Members with a hard copy available later. It runs to 750 pages.

Order of Business (26 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: They are being spoken to now in private.

Order of Business (26 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: If they choose to go. The most important thing is that they are being spoken to at the moment prior to the report's publication at 2.15 p.m. The assessment of the impact of flooding is ongoing. Two insurance companies have decided to provide some funding prior to the full assessment being made. One of my Ministers of State has been in touch regarding that initiative. With regard to the...

Order of Business (26 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Yesterday, the Minister of State and I had an opportunity to meet the small business forum, where the issue of access to capital has been raised. The NAMA legislation gives the Minister for Finance powers to issue guidelines on lending and to set up an arbitration mechanism to deal with disputes regarding the availability of credit.

Order of Business (26 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: This is a matter for ongoing discussion by my Ministers of State, the banking sector and myself to ensure that, following from the NAMA legislation, we get money back into business. That is an ongoing difficulty and struggle.