Results 4,441-4,460 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (12 Nov 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...

Written Answers — Employment Statistics: Employment Statistics (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The Forfás Annual Employment Survey reports on job gains and losses in companies that are supported by the industrial development agencies. Data is compiled on an annualised basis and is aggregated at county level. The latest date for which figures are available is 2008. Data in respect of 2009 will not be available until early in 2010. Details of the number of jobs lost and new jobs...

Written Answers — Services Sector: Services Sector (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The report of the Services Strategy Group, "Catching the Wave: A Services Strategy for Ireland", sets out new policy proposals on how we can ensure the continued development and growth of Ireland's services sector and outlines how to maximise the future returns to the country from services activities in all enterprises, both current and potential. Three strategic aims for future services...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 43, 62 and 69 together. The resignation of the person concerned from the position of Director General of FÁS was secured as it was considered to be in line with the best interests of the FÁS organisation and its clients. The former Director General resigned on the basis that severance arrangements acceptable to him were agreed. The severance arrangements...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: There are currently a total of 10 EU Directives due to be transposed by my Department up to 2012. Three of these Directives are currently overdue, namely Directive 2008/47/EC on aerosol dispensers, Directive 2006/43/EC on statutory audits of annual and consolidated accounts and Directive 2006/46/EC on company reporting. My Department aims to transpose these Directives by 13 November, 30...

Written Answers — National Skills Strategy: National Skills Strategy (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 46, 54 and 89 together. The National Skills Strategy (NSS) provides details of an ambitious vision for the skills profile in Ireland in 2020. It contains a long-term target for some 500,000 workers to increase their levels of educational attainment by at least one level of the National Framework of Qualifications. This remains the long-term objective....

Written Answers — Cross-Border Initiatives: Cross-Border Initiatives (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The ground-breaking Comprehensive Study on the All-Island Economy, to which the Deputy refers, sets out a strong rationale for beneficial all-island economic activity. The strategic context for North/South co-operation, which is outlined in the study, highlights the "market-widening effect" of a larger market on the island of Ireland, where previously unexplored business opportunities are...

Written Answers — Companies Legislation: Companies Legislation (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: On foot of the commitment in the Renewed Programme for Government of October 2009, the Government will consider the optimum legislative mechanisms to regulate in these areas in the light of the Financial Reporting Council reviews of the Combined Code of Corporate Governance and taking into account the views of the Company Law Review Group in the matter.

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I am aware that Harris Incorporated has advised its 70 permanent and 49 temporary employees that it intends closing its newly acquired operation (formerly Tyco Electronics) at Ballytrasna, Little Island, County Cork. The operation is to close in June 2010, with manufacturing to cease by March 2010. The primary reason for the closure is that Harris has surplus capacity at its Rochester New...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: As with all Group recommendations relevant to my Department, I am examining the recommendation in the context of Estimates for 2010 and evaluating its potential impact on the provision of services to enterprise and on my efforts to promote employment.

Written Answers — Enterprise Development: Enterprise Development (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Enterprise Ireland delivers a wide range of supports to Irish companies, targeted at the specific requirements of clients to ensure that they develop to their full potential in terms of employment, innovation and exports. The Agency works with almost 490 client companies in the West Region which employ 10,535 people. In 2008, €19.7m was approved by Enterprise Ireland for clients in the...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: How best to give effect to the Towards 2016 commitment to exclude certain workers from the provisions of the Competition Act 2002 is being examined in the context of on-going work on the preparation of draft legislation which will give effect to the amalgamation of the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority. In addition to including the amendments to section 4 of the Act...

Written Answers — Public Procurement: Public Procurement (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: My Department recently established and chaired a Procurement Innovation Group who have developed new policy guidelines in conjunction with the National Public Procurement Policy Unit (NPPPU) in the Department of Finance and the National Public Procurement Operations Unit (NPPOU) in the OPW. The Group have produced two documents, which were published in July 2009: a Report with 13...

Written Answers — Job Protection: Job Protection (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: My Department's continuous support for enterprises arises through maintaining a positive business environment and through particular interventions from the State development agencies such as Enterprise Ireland and the County and City Enterprise Boards. Enterprise Ireland is focused on providing support to clients to maximise export sales and consequently employment, by investing in companies...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The Job Initiative Programme (JI) which was launched in July 1996 continues to provide full time employment for people who are 35 years of age or over, unemployed for 5 years or more, and in receipt of Social Welfare payments over that period. The main purpose of the programme is to assist long-term unemployed people to prepare for work opportunities by providing participants with work...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy is aware, the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) is carrying out an investigation into certain matters within FÁS. A copy of the report that deals with the examination of advertising and promotion in FÁS, which forms part of the investigation, was laid before the House on 9 September. I understand that a further report from the C&AG will be issued in the coming months....

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Funding of FÁS Services to Business and Skillnets is a matter for the Estimates process for 2010. The outcome of that process will be published in Budget 2010, which will be released on 9 December 2009.

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: My Department does not compile specific annual statistics on the number of new start-ups that have commenced trading in the State. As an assistance to the Deputy, the closest approximation to the information sought may be derived from the number of new companies registered each year and the yearly number of new VAT registrations. However, these figures in themselves must be seen as...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The current approved staff complement for the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) is 45. In addition, eight Gardai are assigned to the office. In March this year the Director requested six additional staff to assist in carrying out the work of his office. The six staff requested have since been assigned through the redeployment of staff from within my own Department. The...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (12 Nov 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I am fully committed to the prevention of exploitation of migrant workers and to ensuring that all workers benefit from the full range of our employment rights protections. In this respect the provisions of the Employment Permits Act 2006 have added substantially to this range of protections. The employment permit is granted to the employee, rather than to the employer and it contains a...