Results 241-260 of 1,279 for speaker:Michael Ahern
- Seanad: Job Creation (5 Dec 2007)
Michael Ahern: I thank Senator Kelly for raising this matter on the Adjournment. I am highly aware of the situation in Thurles. The Senator referred to the Irish Sugar Company and to Erin Foods. The constituency that I represent includes Mallow, in which the Irish Sugar Company was locatedââ
- Seanad: Job Creation (5 Dec 2007)
Michael Ahern: ââand Midleton, from which I come and in which Erin Foods was located. I worked there myself for a couple of summers and both factories also have closed. I assure Senator Kelly that I understand and am concerned about the consequences of job losses and their effects on the workers concerned, their families and the community. The role of FÃS, the State training agency, is particularly...
- Seanad: Job Creation (5 Dec 2007)
Michael Ahern: Perhaps Senator Kelly should have a chat with them to see how they got on at that meeting.
- Seanad: Job Creation (5 Dec 2007)
Michael Ahern: Yes, it is appropriate to talk to them.
- Seanad: Job Creation (5 Dec 2007)
Michael Ahern: The strategies and policies pursued by the development agencies, in partnership with other key interests, are intended to ensure new employment opportunities in Thurles and the surrounding area. The objective is to replace the companies that have closed with the companies of the future. There has been a significant churn in the economy, which has been reflected in Thurles and the north...
- Competitiveness of the Economy: Motion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2007)
Michael Ahern: The Deputy was totally negative.
- Competitiveness of the Economy: Motion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2007)
Michael Ahern: I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak to the House on this important topic. It is time to dispel this fashionable pessimism about our economy and Ireland's competitiveness performance which is unfortunately gaining currency and which is a denial of the facts.
- Competitiveness of the Economy: Motion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2007)
Michael Ahern: Such unbalanced comments undermine the work of our development agencies and public servants in trying to win markets and gain business for Ireland. Across the world, our competitors are constantly vying to take market share from us. The competitiveness model which Ireland has to follow is one where innovation, talent and flexibility are our acknowledged core competencies. At EU level there...
- Competitiveness of the Economy: Motion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2007)
Michael Ahern: The underpinning role of the social partnership process and the range of commitments agreed under Towards 2016 is also acknowledged. The National Development Plan 2007-2013 further demonstrates a level of investment and a range of measures across the policy spectrum which reinforces this strategy. The European Commission places Ireland in the first tier of member states with the strongest...
- Competitiveness of the Economy: Motion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2007)
Michael Ahern: We are building a consensus around the creation of a national innovation agenda which combines an awareness of the depth and breadth of innovation activity already taking place and supported by our development agencies, with a determination to stimulate the demand for more innovative products. With that in mind I will shortly be publishing a comprehensive policy statement which will act as a...
- Competitiveness of the Economy: Motion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2007)
Michael Ahern: ââ-it is number one in the OECD for greenfield foreign investment sites.
- Competitiveness of the Economy: Motion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2007)
Michael Ahern: The Deputy should not forget that and should not be running down the IDA for the successful work it is doing. I shall conclude by saying intellectual property, IP, is a valuable asset in its own right and must be protected and managed to enable technology transfer and commercialisation to flourish. A favourable regulatory and taxation regime exists in Ireland for intellectual property,...
- Competitiveness of the Economy: Motion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2007)
Michael Ahern: It has nothing to do with the economy.
- Competitiveness of the Economy: Motion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2007)
Michael Ahern: That has nothing to do with the economy either.
- Competitiveness of the Economy: Motion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2007)
Michael Ahern: That is a typical remark and it is completely untrue.
- Science Education. (28 Nov 2007)
Michael Ahern: The Government has set a goal for Ireland to become a leader in research and development and innovation. It has committed a budget of â¬8.2 billion under the National Development Plan 2007-2013 and the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2006-2113 towards achieving this goal. One objective of the strategy is to increase participation in the sciences by young people and to bring...
- Science Education. (28 Nov 2007)
Michael Ahern: Science was reintroduced into the primary school curriculum in 1999. In a recent review it was noted more young people are taking an interest in the sciences.
- Science Education. (28 Nov 2007)
Michael Ahern: At second level, 90% of students study science at junior certificate level, for which a new syllabus was introduced in 2003. Up to 60% of students study one of the three science subjects at leaving certificate level; 14.7% study physics and 13.5% study chemistry. The uptake in these subjects has been a concern for some time. Numbers taking these subjects dramatically declined during the...
- Science Education. (28 Nov 2007)
Michael Ahern: I accept the Deputy's concerns. The Government is concerned about the matter. That is why changes to the curriculum were made and the publicity campaign launched by the Discover Science and Engineering Programme is being promoted. The Government acknowledges that there is a need to reverse the trend that was evident in the 1980s.
- Live Register. (28 Nov 2007)
Michael Ahern: We also created it.