Results 46,161-46,180 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

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

Micheál Martin: Over the last number of years there has been a significant churn in employment as is typical of a developed, open, and dynamic economy such as Ireland's. Ireland is no longer a low cost economy and manufacturers in particular are facing increased competition from producers in lower cost economies. Other sectors, especially the services sector, are providing significant new employment...

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

Micheál Martin: Competitiveness is a remarkably broad policy area covering many policies and is constantly under review and consideration both in my Department and across Government. While there are a number of national and international organisations that monitor competitiveness, primary responsibility for considering competitiveness issues in the context of the work of my department lies with the National...

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: Motor insurance is provided in an open and competitive market where consumers can exert their influence. The cost of Motor Insurance, generally, has declined by 11% in the twelve months to December 2007. Motor insurance prices have dropped by 40% since April 2003 and at the end of Q3 2007 were at levels last seen in November 1997. This is due to various reasons such as increased...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: Community Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a fixed term basis. CE aims to facilitate unemployed people to re-enter the active workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to a work...

Employment Rights. (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: One joint campaign has already been initiated by the three agencies, which I detailed earlier, concerning the construction sector. In terms of NERA, it is a non-statutory body. The legislation underpinning NERA is currently being drafted and a memorandum will go the Government shortly on it. I have already outlined that to the Deputy. Under the existing body of legislation to which I...

Employment Action Plan. (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The key policy intervention concerning people on the live register at present is the national employment action plan preventive strategy which was first introduced in 1998 and rolled out nationwide in subsequent years. This process involves a more systematic engagement with the unemployed. On reaching a three month threshold on the live register, individuals aged between 18 and 64 years are...

Employment Action Plan. (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: That was a very lengthy question but I welcome some of the suggestions made by the Deputy. I accept the broader point that we must do more in terms of labour activation measures. I am not so sure there are huge numbers of people out there deciding not to work.

Employment Action Plan. (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I do not accept that totally. We have reduced the threshold in the preventative plan from six months to three. I met people in my clinic recently who had been working for 20 or 30 years, who said they thought they were entitled to their PRSI. They were only two weeks unemployed and felt they were being put through the wringer in terms of lining up another job. I cannot say what the Deputy...

Employment Action Plan. (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I beg the tolerance of the Chair, particularly as I mentioned him in glowing terms in the Tallaght Institute of Technology approximately two hours ago——

Employment Action Plan. (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: When the interviews take place in FÁS and with the Department of Social and Family Affairs, a very significant percentage of interviewees do not come back for a second interview and go back to employment. That has been a feature of our plan and a very effective part of it. On the other hand, in the broad area of disability and unemployment, we must do better than we have done in the last...

Employment Action Plan. (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív, has developed the role of the social employment through the community services programme, which facilitates exactly what the Deputy has articulated. The fundamental mandate of the community employment programme originally was as a labour activation measure. It was meant to be short term, to get people back into...

Employment Action Plan. (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I accept that we must re-examine the matter. When we did so three years ago, we extended the age limit to 55 years and sent social economy affairs to the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs with €30 million of taxpayers' money, such is my generous nature. We recognised that social economy matters belonged there, not under a labour market measure. In terms of labour...

Employment Action Plan. (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: Not at all. The Acting Chairman's absence was noted. It is an extraordinary event when he is not present.

Employment Action Plan. (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: We should mention him also.

Planning Issues. (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The provision of information in respect of the planning process is a matter for the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and local authorities. I understand that the Department provides documentation in respect of this issue, including the leaflet, "Planning for the Business Person". Enterprise development agencies operating under the aegis of my Department provide...

Planning Issues. (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: This is the job of directors of enterprise, which are positions of employment in many local authorities. I am glad the Deputy raised this question, as it gives me an opportunity to make a few points. I am concerned that in some local authority areas, the issue of enterprise has fallen down the ladder. Family enterprises and so on that have been in rural locations for 30 years or so are...

Planning Issues. (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: Yes, to set up one's business again. Enterprise Ireland is giving grants to companies in terms of human resources, research and development and so on but, thanks to development levies, those grants are increasingly going from one State agency to the county manager. Through the Small Business Forum, we made strong representations to the then Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local...

Planning Issues. (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I accept the broad thrust of Deputy Penrose's proposition, and that my Government colleagues and I have a collective responsibility in this regard that I must discharge. I take on board the Deputy's opinion that my Department should meet local authority managers. Traditionally, it was a matter for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. On an individual basis, I...

Planning Issues. (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: It would put into context the Oireachtas' opinion in this regard, not just the Executive's.

Groceries Order. (28 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Competition Authority made a submission to the Government alcohol advisory group last month and, subsequently, made it available on its own website. As the independent statutory agency responsible for the enforcement of competition law in the State, the authority is entitled to respond to public consultations. While I have not discussed the submission with the authority, I am aware of...