Results 4,221-4,240 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Job Creation. (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: He is answering the question.

Bank Lending Policy. (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The Deputy asked the question.

Insurance Industry. (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 39, 50, 73, 74 and 87 together. As part of the forensic analysis of the Irish credit insurance market I commissioned last July, KPMG consulted both large business groupings and also a range of individual companies which embraced a wide spectrum of business sectors, including the food sector, engineering and plastics. These companies operated in a range of...

Insurance Industry. (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: We are very open to this. An attitude has slipped into this House which I do not like, namely, the notion that just because a person is not in the same party he or she cannot come and talk to Ministers about ideas. It is very important that we share those ideas. If there are issues of personal circumstances we would be more than happy to do what we can. We speak to the Revenue...

Insurance Industry. (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I have good Irish tea bags, a choice of two.

Insurance Industry. (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Question No. 74.

Insurance Industry. (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: We had a very robust analysis. KPMG was involved with the UK credit insurance scheme so we were using some of its knowledge. We were operating from a different base than the United Kingdom at the time. We carried out a forensic analysis and we have a comprehensive picture of the market. Only 4% of Irish exports are insured. The existing cover is heavily concentrated in one sector, the...

Insurance Industry. (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: SMEs were very much involved also. The SME sector, in itself, is not large in the context of obtaining credit insurance. I met some of the smaller foreign direct investment people who do not insure themselves but one should note it was some of the raw materials that were being imported that were not being insured. This created some difficulties in itself and we had to meet some people about...

Insurance Industry. (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I do not disagree on the role of the SMEs in the export sector. That is why the plan we have will be international and will focus on our trade opportunities. Tied to it will be the export credit insurance scheme, which will be very complementary. Another issue raised is equally appropriate for consideration. I was asked whether I would publish the report. I am not in a position to do so...

Job Creation. (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The high-level group on labour market issues was established under the provisions of Towards 2016: Review and Transitional Agreement 2008-2009, which was ratified in October 2008. The high-level group is chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach and comprises two representatives from each of the social partner pillars and senior officials from several Departments. The group met in January...

Job Creation. (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The Department of the Taoiseach.

Job Creation. (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: As I indicated, it is part of the social partnership programme. The group has been superseded by the Cabinet sub-committee on economic renewal, which has discussed labour activation measures at every meeting. The group is a high-level group and is made up of officials. It is not a ministerial group. The ministerial work is done through the Cabinet sub-committee. The work of the...

Job Creation. (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: What is happening is that its work is being superseded by the work of myself, the Minister for Social and Family Affairs and the Minister for Education and Science.

Job Creation. (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: It is a part of the social partnership group. What has happened arising from that-----

Job Creation. (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: No. There was a meeting in September 2009 to analyse the labour market activation programmes. The committee had points to make on these yesterday and I will be taking them on board in the context of quality assurance. It is important to reiterate that the group has been superseded by the Cabinet sub-committee, which has met almost every fortnight. All these matters are discussed at...

Job Creation. (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: That is exactly what has happened. The Cabinet sub-committee on economic renewal is now the main committee dealing with all these issues. Competitiveness, energy, tourism and education are all interlinked and are all under the auspices of one Cabinet sub-committee. The implementation of policy is done through the high level group or additional work is put back into the committee. Any...

Job Creation. (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: One cannot talk to the social partners every day.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: In the Review of Towards 2016 the Government committed to introducing amending legislation to exclude voice-over actors, freelance journalists and session musicians from the provisions of Section 4 of the Competition Act 2002. This commitment takes into account, inter alia, that there would be negligible negative impacts on the economy or on the level of competition and, having regard to the...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I established a short-time working training programme after the April 2009 Budget, which is training people who are on systematic short time for the days they are not working. The training lasts for a year and individuals retain their social welfare entitlements while on the programme. The number of people currently participating on this Programme is 156. I understand from FÁS that they...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (2 Dec 2009)

Mary Coughlan: This Government recognises the critical importance of reducing business costs at this time, when all sources of efficiency are in focus and when jobs are at stake in all sectors of the economy. Restoring cost competitiveness is a vital part of driving export led growth. Under the Framework for Economic Renewal we are taking a number of measures across Government to improve our...