Results 11,801-11,820 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Enterprise Stabilisation Fund: Enterprise Stabilisation Fund (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The Government approved an amount of €100 million in total for the Enterprise Stabilisation Fund for the years 2009 and 2010. €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...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The following provides a breakdown of the sectors involved in the 'first round' of the Work Placement Programme (WPP) in respect of the Graduate stream. Marketing / Sales 6 Administration 7 Science 6 Engineering 10 Education 6 Information Technology (IT) 20 Professional 9 HR 3 Production 4 Arts 3 Finance 9 Purchasing 1 Health / Social 3 WPP1 ( Graduate) on WPP as of 27 Nov 09...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 59 and 72 together. The proposal for a Consumer Rights Directive was published in October 2008 and brings together in updated and consolidated form four existing Directives on doorstep selling, distance sales, consumer sales and guarantees, and unfair contract terms. Unlike the Directives it is intended to replace, the proposal has been drafted on a full...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The Government have adopted a co-ordinated, integrated and innovative approach to support the unemployed and to provide these individuals with the necessary skills needed to prepare them for a return to employment as soon as possible. This process is being co-ordinated by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Renewal, which contains Ministerial representatives of the key economic Government...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: As is normal in the run-up to any budget I have interactions with the Minister for Finance and other Ministers on all areas of interest including VAT and PRSI rates. Policy responsibility for taxation matters, including PRSI and VAT rests with my colleague Mr. Brian Lenihan, T.D., Minister for Finance. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on these matters.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I have no plans to amend the existing eligibility requirements to qualify for agency assistance or the numbers employed by companies to benefit from the services of the particular agencies. The Enterprise Agencies (IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Forfás, Science Foundation Ireland, Shannon Development and Údarás na Gaeltachta) have been involved in a process over the past 12 months to...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Work is well advanced on the Heads of a Bill to provide for, inter alia, the merger of the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency. I hope to publish this legislation during the course of 2010.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The new code of practice for the governance of state bodies circulated by Department of Finance in June this year, applies to the following agencies under the aegis of my Department: 1. Enterprise Ireland (EI) 2. Industrial Development Authority (IDA) 3. FAS 4. Health and Safety Authority (HSA) 5. Forfás 6. National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) 7. Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) 8....

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Funding of FÁS Services to Business and Skillnets is a matter for the Estimates process for 2010. The outcome of that process will be released in Budget 2010, which will be released on 9th December 2009.

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The Central Statistic Office released this morning the Live Register figures for November. According to the Live Register there were 413,500 people claiming unemployment benefits at the end of October 2009. This is 1,100 (0.3%) higher than October 2009. The Live Register is 146,300 (55%) higher than this time last year. Positively, the year-on-year increase for November is continuing to...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The Industrial Development agencies, IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland as well as the South Cork County Enterprise Board are making every effort to develop and promote industry in the Youghal area. IDA Ireland is actively promoting the greater East Cork region, including Youghal, to prospective investors across the full range of IDA targeted sectors. The agency continues to target high...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The Government approved special pension arrangements in the case concerned on 28 March 2000. Following discussions between the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of Finance on the appropriate vehicle to provide for these pension arrangements, a Statutory Instrument was drafted and signed by FÁS and the two Ministers concerned in September 2000.

Written Answers — Prompt Payment System: Prompt Payment System (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No: 85 on 12th November 2009. The Secretary General of my Department wrote to all Government Departments on 26th May, asking them to take the necessary steps to implement this commitment and to ensure that Department line staff and Finance Units are made aware of the need to prioritise payments to suppliers to meet the 15 day deadline. The Government...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: On foot of the commitment in the Renewed Programme for Government of October 2009, the Government will consider the optimum legislative mechanisms to regulate in these areas in the light of the Financial Reporting Council reviews of the Combined Code of Corporate Governance and taking into account the views of the Company Law Review Group in the matter.

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The following sections of the Companies (Auditing and Accounting) Act 2003 have not been commenced: Sections 9(2)(l), 15(2), 26, 29(5), 34, 35, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 and 59. Further consideration was given to these sections in light of developments subsequent to their enactment. These include developments in international accounting standards and the publication of two EU Directives...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I refer to a previous Question answered on 22nd September 2009 and to three Questions answered jointly on 6th October about the transposition of the Directive on services in the internal market (Services Directive). Work on the transposition of the Directive is well advanced. Good progress is being made and transposition is largely on track. The Office of Parliamentary Counsel (OPC) is...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: To generate placements and to promote the Work Placement Programme, FÁS have promoted the Programme via their website, and through the national network of FÁS, Local Employment Services, and the Department of Social & Family Affairs offices. FÁS have updated its website to provide details of the revised criteria for the Work Placement Programme. FÁS frontline staffs have been briefed on...

Written Answers — Grocery Industry: Grocery Industry (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The Renewed Programme for Government contains a specific commitment to "implement a Code of Practice for doing business in the Grocery Goods sector to develop a fair trading relationship between retailers and their suppliers" and "to review progress of the Code and if necessary to put in place a mandatory code". The House will be aware that I launched a public consultation process seeking the...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The Government fully recognises the difficulties currently being faced by retailers and other businesses as an inevitable consequence of the current difficult economic climate and the importance of ensuring that we continue to have a viable and successful enterprise sector. It is all the more important in these difficult times that businesses, particularly those with a direct presence in the...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The High Level Action Group on Green Enterprise was launched on 21 May 2009 and the Group continued to meet until 21 September 2009. The group also held a number of consultation sessions with interested parties over the Summer. The Report was finalised in October 2009 and submitted to Government on 3 November 2009. The Report was launched earlier today.