Results 1,161-1,180 of 50,136 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Strategy Group Report: Strategy Group Report (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: The Government considered and endorsed the report of the high level committee that was asked to look at the most appropriate implementation arrangements for the enterprise strategy group, ESG, recommendations. The Government broadly supports the policy directions recommended by the group as underlined by its intention to implement, either in full or with some modifications, most of the ESG...

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

Micheál Martin: The proposed Employment Permits Bill will put the existing employment permits system on a statutory basis and allow for the introduction of a more managed economic migration policy. The Bill will enable the Minister by means of regulation to provide for quotas on the number of employment permits issued in any particular period, in particular economic sectors and in particular categories of...

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

Micheál Martin: I am aware of the decision by the company in question to close its plant in Bray, County Wicklow. I understand that the reason for the closure is that the company believes that the Bray plant is no longer viable due to changed customer demands, rising costs, increased competition and trading losses which could no longer be sustained. Finding alternative employment for the workers affected is...

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

Micheál Martin: On 4 October 2004, the company in question announced that it intended to close its three existing manufacturing plants, one north of the Border and two south of the Border, and concentrate all of its manufacturing in one new plant. None of the three existing sites were deemed to be large enough, nor did any of them have access to sufficient water to accommodate the project. The company...

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

Micheál Martin: The position of migrant workers will be addressed in the forthcoming Employment Permits Bill which will provide additional protections for migrant workers.

Written Answers — Consumer Strategy Group: Consumer Strategy Group (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: The consumer strategy group recommends that a consistent approach to casual trading be applied across all local authorities and that this be done by means of statutory guidelines. The Government in its decision on the report of the consumer strategy group decided to establish a high level interdepartmental committee to examine the recommendations and report back to Government within three...

Written Answers — Consumer Strategy Group: Consumer Strategy Group (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: The consumer strategy group in its report published on 18 May 2005, stressed the need for businesses to provide high standards of service and customer care. One of the group's specific recommendations relates to the promotion of codes of practice by all businesses and the establishment of private sectoral complaints boards as alternative means of redress for consumers. The Government was very...

Written Answers — Manufacturing Sector: Manufacturing Sector (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: The principal means of delivering direct assistance to indigenous manufacturing companies is through the national enterprise development agency, Enterprise Ireland. Enterprise Ireland can assist those indigenous manufacturing companies that are, or at least have the potential to be, export focused. The decision to provide support to a client company is a day-to-day administrative matter for...

Written Answers — Consumer Strategy Group: Consumer Strategy Group (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: The report of the consumer strategy group was published on 18 May 2005. The report contains more than 30 separate recommendations whose implementation will involve a variety of different Departments and agencies. The Government has already accepted the core recommendation in the report and has approved in principle the establishment of a new national consumer agency. My Department has already...

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

Micheál Martin: The work permits section of my Department received an application for a work permit renewal in respect of the above named individual on 17 May 2005. I can confirm that a work permit issued in respect of the individual concerned on 25 May 2005 valid until 13 May 2006.

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

Micheál Martin: The management of IDA Ireland's industrial property portfolio is a day-to-day operational matter for the agency as part of the statutory responsibility assigned to it by the Oireachtas for the attraction of foreign direct investment to the State and its regions. While I may give general policy directives to IDA Ireland, I am precluded under the Acts from giving directives regarding individual...

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

Micheál Martin: In respect of projects assisted by agencies under my remit, total funding paid towards inward investment projects for 2004 was €68.4 million which is a provisional figure, and for indigenous companies was €103 million. The breakdown of these figures is outlined as follows. IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to Ireland...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 274 and 276 together. FÁS employment programmes, which comprise community employment, CE, social economy and job initiative, will provide a total of 25,000 places in 2005 at a cost in the region of €368 million, of which €293 million is in respect of CE. CE places rose by 2,346 during 2004. I am informed by FÁS that the cost to it of supporting the...

Written Answers — Small Business Supports: Small Business Supports (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: A small business is defined by the European Commission as one that employs fewer than 50 people and has a turnover or balance sheet total of less than €10 million. My Department provided funding and support to small businesses in 2004 through a number of relevant state agencies which operate under the aegis of my Department, namely, Enterprise Ireland, Shannon Development, the county and...

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

Micheál Martin: IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to Ireland and its regions. During 2004, a total of six companies were involved in greenfield start-ups in the Border, midlands and western region. By 2004, a total of 41% of all new greenfield jobs created by IDA Ireland-supported companies were located in the BMW region. Substantial...

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

Micheál Martin: From 1 May 2004 to 30 April 2005 the work permits section of my Department has issued 7,221 new work permits, 22,413 renewal work permits, 743 group permits and 1,597 were refused. The section accepted 29,332 valid applications during this period. A detailed breakdown of the number of applications accepted, permits issued and refused is provided on a monthly breakdown for the Deputy's...

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (31 May 2005)

Micheál Martin: The national competitiveness council, NCC, in its Annual Competitiveness Report 2004 mentioned the issue of insurance costs in Ireland. The NCC's commentary was based on data published by Swiss Re Sigma. These data, which are based on 2003 figures, depict insurance premia per capita for non-life insurance for 16 countries. This includes both motor and public liability insurance. It should be...

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

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 282, 284 and 288 together. It is not possible to determine the number of manufacturing or service jobs that have relocated to more competitive economies in the past five years or the employment change arising directly from just one aspect affecting the enterprise economy. Firms relocate for a variety of reasons. Relocation is just one factor in the many...

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

Micheál Martin: The results of the recently published Institute for Management Development, IMD, report indicate that Ireland is in 12th position in the overall world competitiveness yearbook rankings. In 2004, Ireland scored tenth overall. While the IMD report is a useful data source, all forms of international benchmarking should be treated with caution. Ireland was ranked 22nd in the 1995 report yet was...

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

Micheál Martin: The population and labour force projections compiled by the Central Statistics Office project immigration over the next five years, depending on the assumptions used, to be either 41,000 or 51,000 per annum, while the net inward migration is projected to be 20,000 or 30,000. These projections are based on recent migration trends and would include migrants who may not enter the labour force....