Results 46,141-46,160 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Price Inflation: Price Inflation (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The January 2007 Consumer Price Index as published by the Central Statistics Office shows that although the annual rate of inflation fell to 4.3% in January down from 4.7% in December, the price of food and non alcoholic beverages increased 6.7% in the past 12 months. It is an undisputed fact that rising food prices are being experienced right across the world. These increases have been...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: There is no provision in Irish consumer law which prevents retailers from recording the price of goods in different currencies. The European Communities (Requirement to Indicate Product Prices) Regulations 2002, do, however, oblige retailers to indicate the price in euro on all goods offered for sale. Additionally the Consumer Protection Act 2007 makes it illegal to mislead consumers in...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: As I advised the House in a previous reply to a question on this matter on 7th February, the public consultation process in relation to issues raised by the Deputy which relate to Sections 48 and 49 of the Consumer Protection Act 2007, resulted in a significant number of submissions to my Department. Those submissions gave rise to a number of complex matters, requiring careful consideration....

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Consumer Protection (Fixed Payment Notice) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 689 of 2007) came into effect on 13 October 2007. Responsibility for the enforcement of these Regulations is a matter for the National Consumer Agency and I have no direct function in this matter. I am informed that to date authorised officers of the National Consumer Agency have served eight fixed payment notices all...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I have been advised by the National Consumer Agency that since its establishment on a statutory basis in May 2007, it received 25 sterling price related complaints/queries on goods sold in the State and 12 of these involved currency differential issues in 2007. For the year to date, the Agency has received 8 sterling price related complaints/queries on goods sold in the State and 3 of these...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The visit of His Royal Highness Prince Faisal Bin Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz to Ireland, between 18th–21st February 2008, resulted from the Taoiseach-led Trade Mission to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in January 2007, in which I participated. Present on the mission were a number of Irish companies operating in the electronics, software and medical sectors. During the visit I met...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that they have no record of a valid application in this case.

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that significant progress has been achieved in reducing the processing time for employment permits. At present, fully completed applications for all employment permit types are processed within our customer service target of 15 working days.

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that a renewal application in respect of the above named was received in the Employment Permits Section on the 14th January 2008. However, this application was subsequently withdrawn by the employee by letter received on the 30/1/2008. If the above named wishes to submit another application it will be considered on its merits.

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI) to Ireland and its regions. The marketing of individual areas for new or expansion FDI investments and jobs is a day-to-day operational matter for the Agency. While I may give general policy directives to the Agency, I am precluded under the Industrial Development Acts from giving...

Written Answers — Importation of Fuel: Importation of Fuel (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: My Department has no function in relation to the import of coal to Ireland.

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section of my Department has indicated that they received an application in respect of the above named on the 26/03/2007. This application cannot be considered until the applicant's immigration status has been resolved with the immigration authorities. However, in the event that his immigration status is resolved, the Employment Permits Section would consider the work...

Written Answers — Competition Authority: Competition Authority (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: While any decision to issue a declaration is entirely a matter for the Competition Authority, it is open to any party to make a case to the Competition Authority why a particular category of agreements, decisions or concerted practices meets the various conditions specified in Section 4(5) of the Competition Act and to request the Authority to make a Declaration under Section 4(3) of the Act....

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: There are several mechanisms that my Department has established to ensure that emerging competitiveness issues are addressed expeditiously and responded to promptly. In July 2005, I asked the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs to identify the skills required for Ireland to become a competitive, innovative, knowledge based, inclusive economy by 2020. In response the Expert Group undertook a...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: There are a variety of differing and complex factors and not just cost, which might influence a decision to relocate all or part of a firm's functions. Therefore, it is not possible to determine the number of jobs which have relocated to low cost economies. In addition to relative wage rates and other cost factors, these may include business takeovers, consolidations and changes in product or...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section of my Department has informed me that it is not possible to determine the number of Work Permit applications received as some applications are rejected in a pre screening process if they are evidently outside the criteria for granting a Work Permit and are not captured in the statistics. The number of Work Permits issued from end January 2007 to end January 2008...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: Forecasting employment figures is a perilous business and subject to a variety of unforseen extraneous variables influencing estimates of that nature. However, employment growth — being the excess of jobs created over jobs lost — is expected to continue to be positive in 2008, though growing at a slower pace than in previous years. In the Budget Outlook employment is forecast to grow by...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The National Competitiveness Council's Annual Competitiveness Report 2007 has identified three areas essential to improving our competitiveness position: costs, productivity growth and promoting an innovation intensive economy. I agree with the NCC that, as part of our economic policy, seeking to maintain low inflation, promoting competition, the pursuit of sensible incomes policy, and...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: Ireland is no longer a low cost economy and manufacturers in particular are facing increased competition from producers in lower cost economies. The model of manufacturing in developed countries is changing and Irish enterprises are adapting to those changes and engaging in higher value added activities in order to compete in the global marketplace. This has been achieved as a result of...

Written Answers — Skill Shortages: Skill Shortages (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Government is fully aware of the need to ensure that the skills of the labour force are adequate to meet the future requirements of the economy. That is why we established the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs in 1997 to provide advice to the Government on Ireland's future skills requirements and make recommendations as to how those needs could be met. The work of the Expert Group on...