Results 24,401-24,420 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (17 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: The most recent inflation figures from the consumer price index show an inflation rate of 1.8% in January 2004. This is significantly lower than the 5.1% rate of increase recorded in February 2003. The reduction in the rate of inflation, is encouraging and is in keeping with the objective set in the partnership programme, Sustaining Progress. The goal of Sustaining Progress is to create a...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (17 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: Work permits are not issued in respect of certain ineligible job categories. These include low skilled clerical, administrative and general operative jobs where workers should be readily available in Ireland and the wider EEA, in sectors such as retail, transport, hotel and catering, construction etc and for child minding in domestic circumstances. Full details are available from my...

Written Answers — Competition Authority: Competition Authority (17 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: The Competition Authority is an independent statutory body with a specific role to enforce Irish competition law, something it is charged with doing primarily to protect and benefit the consumer. I am aware that the authority is undertaking, on its own initiative, a study of competition in the provision of banking services in the State. It is empowered to do this under section 30(1)(a) of the...

Written Answers — Price Inflation: Price Inflation (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: I am aware of the report in question, which relates to a survey carried out by the Office of the Director for Consumer Affairs as part of its price awareness campaign. The survey demonstrates, first, that price competition is operating in the market for over-the-counter medicines, which is a good thingand, secondly, that consumers can benefitfrom comparing the prices of different retail...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 122 together. Employment permits such as the working visas and working authorisations granted to highly skilled personnel such as nurses, doctors, physiotherapists and other health professionals, to IT professionals and to construction professionals such as architects, engineers and town planners are granted to the individual employee and permit them...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 120, 151 and 191 together. At a meeting on 25 November 2003, the Government discussed the contents of the National Competitiveness Council's annual competitiveness report 2003, and the competitiveness challenge 2003. It was agreed that the Government would consider Ireland's competitiveness status every six months and that this discussion would also cover the...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: The current position in relation to the transposition of EU Directives for which my Department is responsible indicates a total of 26 directives to be implemented, including ten for which the deadline for implementation, in full or inpart, has passed. Details of the directives,including, insofar as it has been decided, theproposed transposition instruments, are availableon my Department's...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: I was very disappointed at the company's announcement of plans to reduce its workforce by 170, including 75 permanent jobs, at its Brinny facility in County Cork. I understand that the decision was taken because of reduced demand for the company's main product, coupled with the recent announcement by the parent company that, as part of major global restructuring, it intends cutting payroll...

Written Answers — Industrial Employment: Industrial Employment (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: The figures for average annual level of industrial employment between 1998 and 2002 together with the latest provisional figure, which is for September 2003, are as follows: Average Annual Industrial Employment 1998-2002 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 (Sept.) 257,900 257,000 266,700 269,000 256,500 241,500 The decline in industrial employment since 2001 undoubtedly reflects the...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: I am aware of the comments in question and welcome the opportunity to set out the position on this issue. At present, the work permit facility grants the permit to an employer to recruit a specific employee to fill a specific vacancy, where the employer has been unable to find a suitable employee within Ireland or the wider European Economic Area. This arrangement does have the safeguard that...

Written Answers — Workplace Inspections: Workplace Inspections (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: On 28 July 2003 the United Nations Security Council decided in its Resolution 1493 (2003) to impose an embargo on the supply of arms and related material as well as on the provision of assistance, advice or training related to military activities to all armed groups and militias operating in the territory of North and South Kivu and of Ituri, and to groups not party to the global and...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: There is a growing recognition in the country that our current arrangements for the articulation and promotion of consumer interests are not all that they should be. We all know how effective and persuasive other sectors and groups can be in defending and pursuing their economic interests. I have no difficulty about that, but if we are to have a fully competitive economy with functioning...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: Despite the global economic downturn the Irish labour market has been resilient with employment continuing to grow. A total of 1,820,800 persons were in employment in the third quarter of 2003, which represented an increase of 26,000 in the year. While job losses were experienced in some sectors, they were more than offset by employment opportunities in other sectors. The forecast for...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment — FDI — to Ireland, including its regions and areas. In 2003, 32 greenfield and expansion job creation projects were announced by IDA Ireland. These projects have a projected total job content of nearly 5,600 jobs and were achieved against a background where there were fewer companies...

Written Answers — Below-Cost Selling: Below-Cost Selling (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: Below-cost selling raises difficult issues in the area of competition and consumer law and many countries, including Ireland, maintain specific regulatory restrictions directed against the practice. Since all restrictions which restrain the operation of free markets need to be periodically examined and justified, I am currently looking at the Groceries Order 1987 and hope to make a further...

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: I no longer have responsibility for insurance undertakings. From 1 May 2003, the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority, IFSRA, is responsible for practically all of the financial services industry, including the registration and supervision of insurance undertakings and the services provided by them. However, I retain responsibility for the insurance reform programme. I am pleased to...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (10 Feb 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 — EU Directives: EU Directives (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: The objective of the EU directive on electronic commerce, Directive 2000/31/EC, is to create a legal framework to ensure the free movement of information society services between the EU member states. In this regard it provides for the regulation of information society services, the legal recognition of electronic contracts, consumer information and protection and rules on unsolicited...

Written Answers — Ministerial Orders: Ministerial Orders (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: Consultations are continuing on this matter between my Department and representatives of the Irish Dental Association and the Irish Medical Organisation and I hope to be in position to conclude matters in regard to those professions as soon as possible. I intend to consider the position regarding other professions in the health sector subsequently.

Written Answers — Departmental Inquiries: Departmental Inquiries (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 143 and 160 together. A total of 16 investigations into company law matters have been initiated by me since I first came into office as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. In respect of three of these, the High Court appointed, on an application by me, inspectors under section 8 of the Companies Act 1990. The inspectors appointed to Ansbacher...