Results 1,641-1,660 of 50,134 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (2 Nov 2005)

Micheál Martin: I am continuing to examine the issues raised in the House and in the media in relation to the academic qualifications of the chief science adviser. I have raised the specific issues identified in the previous questions and representations from members of the House with the chief science adviser and have sought his response. I have met the chief science adviser to discuss the issues in...

Written Answers — Unemployment Levels: Unemployment Levels (2 Nov 2005)

Micheál Martin: Since 1997 more than 450,000 new jobs have been created. There has also been a significant fall in unemployment, from 10.4% to 4.2% at present. Long-term unemployment fell from 5.5% in 1997 to 1.6% in 2000, and that very low level has been maintained — it is now at 1.4%. That long-term unemployment rate compares very favourably with the EU average of 4% and ranks fourth-lowest among the 25...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (2 Nov 2005)

Micheál Martin: As a consequence of a Commission audit decision in 2000, €15.6 million of European Social Fund moneys were withheld from Ireland. The sum involved represents less than 1% of the amount allocated to the three operational programmes for the period 1994-99. The Commission decision was contested by my Department, and that resulted in a hearing before the European Court of Justice this year. On...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (2 Nov 2005)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 354 and 355 together. Support for job creation and investment in individual counties is a day-to-day operational matter for the development agencies as part of their responsibility under the Industrial Development Acts. While I may give general policy directives to the agencies, I am precluded under the Acts from giving directives regarding individual...

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (2 Nov 2005)

Micheál Martin: The financial regulator, under the aegis of the Minister for Finance, is responsible for the financial supervision of insurance companies here. Before the establishment of the financial regulator, my Department regulated and supervised insurance undertakings. I had ministerial responsibility, and my Department had access to detailed statutory returns which would have allowed my Department to...

Written Answers — Public Relations Contracts: Public Relations Contracts (2 Nov 2005)

Micheál Martin: No contracts for public relations projects have been awarded by my Department since December 2004.

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (2 Nov 2005)

Micheál Martin: Two civil servants and three other staff are employed in my Department's constituency office. Details regarding grade and remuneration are outlined in the following table: Grade Breakdown Salary Scale 2 Personal Assistants (1 work-sharer) €21,245- €34,448 Class A PRSI €20,181-€32,728 Class B PRSI 1 Personal Secretary €20,187-€38,948 3...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (2 Nov 2005)

Micheál Martin: I understand the Deputy has confirmed that he is seeking details of contracts which have a total value of €10,000 or more. That information cannot be provided within the timescale available. Officials of my Department are compiling the information, and it will be forwarded to Deputy McGrath as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (2 Nov 2005)

Micheál Martin: There are five civil servants and one press adviser in my Department's press office. Details of grade and remuneration are outlined in the table below. The principal officer undertakes other duties in addition to his role in the press office. Grade Breakdown Salary Scale 1 Press Adviser €78,985-€97,698 Class A PRSI €75,036-€92,813 Class B PRSI 1...

Written Answers — Health and Safety Regulations: Health and Safety Regulations (2 Nov 2005)

Micheál Martin: The Personal Injuries Assessment Board, PIAB, was established by ministerial order on 13 April 2004. From 1 June 2004, all personal injury claims arising from workplace accidents where an employee is seeking compensation from his or her employer, must be referred to the Personal Injuries Assessment Board before legal proceedings are issued. From 22 July 2004, all motor liability and public...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (2 Nov 2005)

Micheál Martin: Following a review of FÁS employment schemes, I announced on 10 November 2004 that the three-year cap for participants on CE was to be raised to six years for those over the age of 55. The FÁS CE programme is available for the unemployed and persons experiencing disadvantage who wish to return to the labour market. Therefore, these arrangements could be of benefit to persons in the age...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (2 Nov 2005)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 364 and 365 together. The current regional aid guidelines are due to expire at the end of 2006. Negotiations regarding the revised regional aid guidelines covering the period 2007 to 2013 have been ongoing with the European Commission. Ireland has taken part in two multilateral meetings of state aid experts and also in a bilateral with senior officials of the...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (2 Nov 2005)

Micheál Martin: The issue of job creation is a day-to-day operational issue for the industrial development agencies under the remit of my Department and not one in which I, as Minister, have direct involvement. IDA Ireland has responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment, FDI, to Ireland. The attractiveness of Tipperary for inward investment has to be seen in a regional context and, in that...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (2 Nov 2005)

Micheál Martin: The main purpose of the community employment programme operated by FÁS is to provide work experience and training for the long-term unemployed and disadvantaged groups and thereby enable participants to advance successfully to employment in the open labour market. Following a review of FÁS employment schemes — the community employment, job initiative and social economy programmes — on...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (2 Nov 2005)

Micheál Martin: IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to Ireland. While I may give general policy directives to the agency, I am precluded under the Industrial Developments Acts from giving directives regarding individual undertakings or from giving preference to one area over others. IDA Ireland is working closely with several public and...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (2 Nov 2005)

Micheál Martin: The work permits section of my Department issued 29,532 work permits applications in the 12 months from 1 October 2004 to 30 September 2005 of which 7,634 were new permits. This compares with 36,400 for the period 1 October 2003 to 30 September 2004 for which 12,398 were new work permits. Following is a detailed monthly breakdown. The Deputy may wish to note, for his convenience, that the...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (2 Nov 2005)

Micheál Martin: The work permits section of my Department refused 1,429 work permits applications in the 12 months from 1 October 2004 to 30 September 2005. Following is a detailed monthly breakdown. The Deputy may wish to note, for his convenience, that the information outlined is available from my Department's website, www.entemp.ie. Month Refused Oct 2004 116 Nov 173 Dec 193 Jan 2005 158 ...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (2 Nov 2005)

Micheál Martin: According to the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report 2005-2006, Ireland has moved up four places from 30th to 26th out of 117 countries. This improvement in Ireland's national competitiveness is further supported by the findings of the National Competitiveness Council's Annual Competitiveness Report 2005. This report highlights several encouraging statistics, which show that...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (2 Nov 2005)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 374 and 375 together. It is not possible to determine the number of manufacturing or service jobs that have relocated to lower wage economies in the past five years. Relocation is just one factor in the many enterprise-related issues that determine employment levels. Firms invest in different regions for a variety of reasons and while there is little doubt...

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (2 Nov 2005)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 376 and 378 together. The National Competitiveness Council, NCC, in its Annual Competitiveness Report 2005 found that of the 16 countries benchmarked, Irish expenditure on non-life insurance was the fourth highest. However, the NCC also found that the rate of growth in the cost of insurance has slowed down substantially in recent years. This can be attributed...