Results 321-340 of 1,279 for speaker:Michael Ahern

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (5 Apr 2007)

Michael Ahern: A wide variety of different trade activities is undertaken by Enterprise Ireland (EI) on behalf of my Department. This includes Outward Trade Missions, some of which are led by a Minister, usually either by myself or by Minister Martin; there have been 74 such Ministerial-led Missions since 2003. In addition, Inward Missions organised by EI are made of behalf of buyers and business...

Written Answers — Company Closures: Company Closures (4 Apr 2007)

Michael Ahern: While I have no direct function in relation to the matter raised by the Deputy, I understand that the High Court appointed a provisional liquidator to the company concerned on the 23rd of March 2007. The liquidator is an officer of the Court and will report back to the Court. Under the Company Law Enforcement Act 2001, liquidators have certain duties to report to the Director of Corporate...

Written Answers — Economic Partnership Agreements: Economic Partnership Agreements (3 Apr 2007)

Michael Ahern: All 78 ACP countries come under the terms of the Cotonou Agreement, which includes provision for duty free access for most goods to the EU. Within the ACP group there are 41 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) that benefit from the European Council Regulation of 1st of March 2001. That Regulation amended the EU's Generalised Scheme of Preferences so as to extend duty and quota free access to...

Written Answers — Registration of Companies: Registration of Companies (3 Apr 2007)

Michael Ahern: I understand that in some jurisdictions it is possible to incorporate companies on-line and in a very short time frame. Under our current system most applications are submitted electronically and are dealt with within 3 to 5 days. This system is not yet fully on-line. To introduce a fully on-line facility will require changes in legislation. I understand that proposals in this regard are...

Written Answers — Company Closures: Company Closures (3 Apr 2007)

Michael Ahern: As the matter is in the hands of a High Court appointed liquidator I have not met with the farmers or considered any proposals to ensure that creditors will be paid. A liquidator was appointed in January 2002 and in accordance with the obligations set out in section 56(1) of the Company Law Enforcement Act 2001, the liquidator subsequently submitted a report to the Office of the Director of...

Written Answers — Overseas Trade Missions: Overseas Trade Missions (28 Mar 2007)

Michael Ahern: The Government's efforts to strengthen Irish exports to Ukraine are primarily channelled through Enterprise Ireland (EI). Since late 2004, following the "Orange Revolution" in that country, a number of initiatives have been undertaken by the EI office in Moscow (which also services the Ukraine), to increase and deepen trade ties between the two countries. Following a successful EI seminar on...

Community Development. (22 Mar 2007)

Michael Ahern: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. While my colleague, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin, does not have functional responsibility for programmes for economic development, he does have responsibility in the area of job creation and improving the environment for job creation. In July 2006, the Minister published the report of the interdepartmental group...

Schools Building Projects. (22 Mar 2007)

Michael Ahern: I thank the Deputy for raising the matter as it affords me the opportunity to outline to the House the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects and also the position on the application for a new school building for Rockcorry national school, Rockcorry, County Monaghan. Modernising facilities in our 3,200 primary and 750 post-primary schools is not an easy task given...

Schools Building Projects. (22 Mar 2007)

Michael Ahern: On behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, I thank the Deputy for raising these matters as it affords me the opportunity to outline to this House the Department of Education and Science position regarding the development of education provision in the schools outlined by the Deputy. I will highlight with the Minister the request for a date. Gaelscoil Dara, Renmore, is a...

Schools Building Projects. (22 Mar 2007)

Michael Ahern: I will speak to the Minister for Education and Science.

Schools Building Projects. (22 Mar 2007)

Michael Ahern: I thank the Deputy for raising the matter.

Refugee Status. (22 Mar 2007)

Michael Ahern: On behalf of the Tánaiste, I will reply to Deputy Durkan. The Tánaiste has no intention to grant any amnesty to asylum seekers currently in the asylum determination process. Such a move would impact negatively on the very considerable progress made in terms of the reduction in asylum applications on hand, on processing timescales and on the State's ability to accommodate the individuals...

Leaders' Questions (21 Mar 2007)

Michael Ahern: What about the 100 Deputy Kenny did not deliver on?

Leaders' Questions (21 Mar 2007)

Michael Ahern: This is the same Minister who——

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (8 Mar 2007)

Michael Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 188 and 189 together. In common with most Member States of the United Nations, Ireland recognises the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legitimate government of China. Taiwan's official status is that of a province of China. The Institute for Trade and Investment of Ireland (ITII) was established in 1989 and it undertakes a range of...

Written Answers — Trade Missions: Trade Missions (6 Mar 2007)

Michael Ahern: As part of Enterprise Ireland's mission to grow global export sales, the Moscow office of that agency is running a Market Study Visit to Kazakhstan from 12th to 16th. March. The visit is part of a number of initiatives designed to introduce Enterprise Ireland client companies to one of the world's fastest growing economies (average GDP growth of 9% p.a. since 2001) and to tap the many market...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (6 Mar 2007)

Michael Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105, 369 and 370 together. While there has been some variation in our merchandise export performance during the course of this year, the latest expectations, based on figures from the CSO, are that the value of exports for 2006 will increase by 3% relative to 2005, when full year figures for last year are available later this month. This is a very creditable...

Written Answers — Export Data: Export Data (6 Mar 2007)

Michael Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 168 together. The Control of Exports Bill 2007, which I am pleased to inform the House has passed all stages in the Seanad, contains provision for the publication of an Annual Report to be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. This is in line with a key recommendation of the Forfás review on export licensing and responds to calls for greater...

Seanad: Control of Exports Bill 2007: Committee Stage. (1 Mar 2007)

Michael Ahern: I will set out what section 3 does. It enables the Minister to make orders or regulations to control brokering activities in accordance with the EU Common Position 2003/468/CFSP of 23 June 2003. This provides for controls to be imposed on brokering activities undertaken in the State — and outside the State, if undertaken by an Irish citizen or company. The issue of extraterritoriality...

Seanad: Control of Exports Bill 2007: Committee Stage. (1 Mar 2007)

Michael Ahern: I understand, yes.