Results 24,301-24,320 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Job Protection: Job Protection (13 May 2004)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 74 together. The Irish economy has been undergoing substantial change which has impacted on both the manufacturing and service sectors. A fundamental shift in our strengths and competitive advantages has taken place and the economy is now one typified by high output and productivity together with high returns to labour in the form of wages, salaries and...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (13 May 2004)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 81 together. The Government is committed to providing a pro-business environment, which will enhance the competitiveness of the Irish economy. A pro-business environment with low inflation will stabilise firms' costs and provide them with a solid competitive business environment from which they can successfully compete on both domestic and international...

Written Answers — Grocery Industry: Grocery Industry (13 May 2004)

Mary Harney: My review of the groceries order is ongoing and I hope to conclude my consideration of the matter in the near future.

Written Answers — Nítrigin Éireann Teoranta: Nítrigin Éireann Teoranta (13 May 2004)

Mary Harney: Nítrigin Éireann Teoranta is not in liquidation. Nítrigin Éireann Teoranta is the holding company for the State's interest in Irish Fertiliser Industries Limited, which went into liquidation in November 2002, and it is assumed that the parliamentary question refers to the liquidation of Irish Fertiliser Industries Limited. I understand that the liquidation of Irish Fertiliser Industries...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (13 May 2004)

Mary Harney: Policy and legislation regarding persons who seek asylum in this State is the responsibility of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Persons seeking asylum in Ireland are currently prohibited from taking up employment in the State under the Refugee Act 1996. I am not aware of any plans to amend this legislation, and the provisions contained therein, at this time.

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (13 May 2004)

Mary Harney: In determining the allocations for individual city and county enterprise boards this year, my Department adopted a systematic approach to ensure the maximum degree of objectivity and equity of treatment. This approach involved the provision of a basic allocation to each board as well as an additional allocation that was determined mainly by population. It also took account of issues such as...

Written Answers — Trade Union Recognition: Trade Union Recognition (13 May 2004)

Mary Harney: I have examined my diaries covering the last five years. This examination indicates that the issue of trade union recognition was on the agenda at one meeting I attended. The meeting took place in June 1999 with representatives of a number of foreign hi-tech companies. The issue of trade union recognition has also been raised at other multi-purpose meetings such as the national partnership...

Written Answers — Unemployment Levels: Unemployment Levels (13 May 2004)

Mary Harney: Long-term unemployment has been reduced dramatically during the last seven years. In 1998 long-term unemployment amounted to 63,500, which represented 3.9% of the labour force. By 2002 the numbers had fallen by over 40,000 to 21,600 — 1.2% of the labour force. There was a small increase to 26,900 during 2003, resulting in an end of year rate of 1.4%. The EU average rate, by contrast, is 3%....

Written Answers — Services Sector: Services Sector (13 May 2004)

Mary Harney: The Competition Authority is studying the market for professional services and the study aims to identify any unnecessary or disproportionate restrictions to entry to the various professions under examination. The authority engaged Indecon Economic Consultants to carry out initial work on the study which it published a report in 2003. The Indecon report found that there were three types of...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (13 May 2004)

Mary Harney: Following the announcement of the Government's decentralisation programme, under which 250 staff of my Department will decentralise to Carlow, a survey was conducted within the Department with a view to establishing the numbers of staff interested in decentralising to locations outside Dublin. A total of 503 staff responded to the survey, 69 of whom indicated that they would be prepared to...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (13 May 2004)

Mary Harney: The new arrangements for spouses are designed to give greater ease of access to employment for the spouses of non-EEA nationals working in the State under specified schemes and facilities. These arrangements are already in operation for some weeks now. Some 40 work permits have already been issued in respect of eligible spouses. A detailed set of guidelines, outlining the eligibility criteria...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (13 May 2004)

Mary Harney: The current position in relation to the transposition of EU directives for which my Department is responsible indicates a total of 22 directives to be implemented, including six for which the deadline for implementation, in full or in part, has passed. Details of the directives, including, in as far as it has been decided, the proposed transposition instruments, are available on my...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (13 May 2004)

Mary Harney: The question of the immigration status of workers from overseas is primarily one for my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. To the extent that work permits are an issue, experience has shown that each case must be considered on its own merits. Some employees have undoubtedly been misled by unscrupulous employers and my Department has generally been able to adapt a...

Written Answers — Social Economy Programme: Social Economy Programme (13 May 2004)

Mary Harney: The Social Economy Programme, SEP, was launched in September 2000 with a view to generating 2,500 jobs for the long-term unemployed and other disadvantaged people. The number of people supported by the SEP for the years 2000 to 2004 inclusive are: Year Numbers 2000 0 2001 101 2002 1,889 2003 2,370 2004 2,374 (as at 7 May 2004) The programme is funded by FÁS from its...

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (13 May 2004)

Mary Harney: The insurance reform programme that I announced on 25 October 2002 comprises a comprehensive set of inter-related measures designed to improve the functioning of the insurance market. I chair a ministerial committee established to drive the co-ordinated implementation of the reform programme across the relevant Departments and other bodies concerned. Substantial progress is being made on a...

Written Answers — Consumer Strategy Group: Consumer Strategy Group (13 May 2004)

Mary Harney: The role of the consumer strategy group, which I established this March, is to advise and make recommendations for the development of a national consumer policy strategy which will provide consumers with the knowledge, information and confidence to be demanding of quality, service and value; ensure consumers are well informed of their rights and have effective and speedy means of redress in...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (13 May 2004)

Mary Harney: IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to Ireland and its regions. In 2003, 32 greenfield and expansion job creation projects were announced by IDA Ireland with a projected total job content of nearly 5,600 jobs. This result was achieved against the backdrop of two consecutive years of falling global inflows of foreign direct...

Written Answers — Ansbacher Report: Ansbacher Report (13 May 2004)

Mary Harney: The inspectors appointed by the High Court to Ansbacher (Cayman) Limited investigated the affairs of the company, drew conclusions based on the evidence before them that named individuals and companies may have breached certain laws and reported back to the court. Action on the conclusions drawn by the inspectors is a matter for the ODCE, the DPP, the Revenue Commissioners and the Central...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (13 May 2004)

Mary Harney: The number of redundancies notified to my Department in the years specified were 13,316 in 2000, 19,997 in 2001, 25,358 in 2002, 27,702 in 2003 and 8,761 to the end of April 2004. The corresponding figure to the end of April 2003 was 8,115, which means an 8% increase in the number of redundancies notified to my Department so far this year. However, the quarterly national household survey...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (13 May 2004)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 79 and 80 together. Champion Automotive, Naas, County Kildare, informed IDA Ireland of its intention to close on 7 May 2004. I understand from IDA Ireland that the facility will be closed in the next few months with the loss of approximately 50 jobs. The news of the intended closure is disappointing, particularly for the workers affected and their families....