Results 381-400 of 1,279 for speaker:Michael Ahern

Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2007)

Michael Ahern: The Irish Examiner got it wrong again.

Job Losses. (13 Feb 2007)

Michael Ahern: I thank Deputy McGinley for raising this matter. I can empathise with him as my own town of Youghal has lost over 760 jobs in the past two to three years so I understand the problems facing him. My sympathies lie with the workers who lost their jobs with Hospira and Magee. However, I am pleased to say that since Hospira made its announcement in respect of its Donegal plant, IDA Ireland has...

Special Educational Needs (13 Feb 2007)

Michael Ahern: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to clarify the position of the Department of Education and Science on the qualifications of home tuition providers under the home tuition scheme. The home tuition scheme provides funding to parents to provide education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to...

Special Educational Needs (13 Feb 2007)

Michael Ahern: Therefore the parent of the pupil concerned was advised of the need to recruit a tuition provider with suitable qualifications.

Special Educational Needs (13 Feb 2007)

Michael Ahern: I will take the Deputy's concerns to the Minister.

Special Educational Needs (13 Feb 2007)

Michael Ahern: However, in order to accommodate difficulties anticipated in sourcing a qualified tuition provider, an extension of sanction with the current tutor was given until the end of this school year. It is in the interests of children that home tutors funded under this scheme be appropriately qualified tuition providers. It is for this reason tuition providers will be required to meet the minimum...

Written Answers — International Trade: International Trade (13 Feb 2007)

Michael Ahern: As the Deputy's question refers to the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), I am providing the information requested in relation to the seven of the eight Irish Aid programme countries which are taking part in the EPA negotiations, namely Ethiopia, Lesotho, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Timor-Leste. These seven Irish Aid programme countries are all Least Developed Countries...

Job Losses. (8 Feb 2007)

Michael Ahern: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter on the Adjournment. My colleague the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin, was in ongoing discussions with Pfizer prior to today's announcement. He met senior management at the company last Tuesday evening at its request and was fully briefed by the vice president on the company's future plans globally and in Ireland....

Nursing Home Placements. (8 Feb 2007)

Michael Ahern: I am replying to this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, and I thank Deputy Upton for raising it. The issues raised are appropriate to the Health Service Executive working in conjunction with the hospital concerned. The Deputy's question centres on the movement of patients from acute hospitals to nursing care at an alternative...

Seanad: Consumer Protection Bill 2007: Second Stage (6 Feb 2007)

Michael Ahern: I thank the Senators who contributed to the debate. Senator Coghlan referred to the Fine Gael Private Members' Bill that was voted down in the Dáil some time ago. That Bill did not go as far as the proposal currently before the House. Furthermore, it would have done nothing to effectively transpose the unfair commercial practices directive and would have left us in breach of our...

Seanad: Consumer Protection Bill 2007: Second Stage (6 Feb 2007)

Michael Ahern: Fine Gael has proposed a consumers' rights enforcer but there is nothing——

Seanad: Consumer Protection Bill 2007: Second Stage (6 Feb 2007)

Michael Ahern: ——in that proposal that is any different or better than what is being proposed in this Bill. If the Senators read the Bill carefully they will understand that the national consumer agency has a wide range of powers to decide what is of most concern to consumers and to employ its resources to most effect. That is a more effective approach than legislating in a prescriptive manner which...

Seanad: Consumer Protection Bill 2007: Second Stage (6 Feb 2007)

Michael Ahern: Senator Ross missed much of the point of the Bill. We must change a culture and the approach to doing business. Senator Ormonde spoke of a new direction for consumers, and that is the point. Business must see consumers as an asset, not as a target to be ripped off. Consumers must be educated and helped to understand how they can help themselves. There is a world of difference between...

Salmon Fisheries. (31 Jan 2007)

Michael Ahern: The Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Browne, regrets he cannot be in the House to deal with this matter. I believe he is meeting fishermen. It is the Government's strongly held view that our wild salmon stock is a national asset which must be conserved and protected, as well as being exploited as a resource by us all on a sustainable...

Written Answers — Intellectual Property Rights: Intellectual Property Rights (31 Jan 2007)

Michael Ahern: Ireland has been party to the European Patent Convention since 1992 and our law reflects its Article 52 criteria on the patentability of inventions. The Convention makes it clear that computer programs "as such" cannot be patented but it is important to note that this does not extend to so-called 'computer implemented inventions'. These may be patentable under certain conditions and many...

Written Answers — Export Levels: Export Levels (31 Jan 2007)

Michael Ahern: The most recent full year trade figures published by the Central Statistics Office show that the value of Irish merchandise exports for 2005 increased by 5% compared to 2004 and this followed a 3% rise the previous year. This increase of 5% in 2005 continues the upward trend in the value of exports, which, with the exception of the global economic slowdown which occurred around 2002, has...

Written Answers — Arms Industry: Arms Industry (31 Jan 2007)

Michael Ahern: I would like to thank the Deputy for this opportunity to put on record in the House a more accurate presentation on Ireland's export control system than that which has been portrayed in recent media articles. My Department operates an export control system dedicated to preventing the export of goods that could be used in nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, that could be used to...

Written Answers — Intellectual Property Rights: Intellectual Property Rights (31 Jan 2007)

Michael Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 148 and 174 together. The EU and its member states have played an influential and active central role in various initiatives in this field over recent years such as the adoption of the WTO General Council Decision in August 2003 which waived WTO members' obligations under the TRIPs Agreement. That waiver allowed WTO member countries to grant compulsory...

Written Answers — Corporate Enforcement: Corporate Enforcement (31 Jan 2007)

Michael Ahern: I am working towards assigning additional staff to the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) during 2007, having regard to the restrictions on staff numbers arising from the Government's Public Service staffing reduction programme.

Written Answers — Arms Brokering: Arms Brokering (31 Jan 2007)

Michael Ahern: A Memorandum will be brought to Government shortly authorizing publication of the Control of Exports Bill and I hope to bring the new legislation before the Houses of the Oireachtas in the next few weeks. The proposed legislation will update the existing Control of Exports Act which dates from 1983 and will ensure that Ireland's export controls are in line with best international practice....