Results 4,601-4,620 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Legislative Provisions: Legislative Provisions (21 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I have no legislative responsibility in ensuring the payment of building subcontractors on public sector and private contracts. Payment terms in commercial transactions are determined by the parties concerned and the responsibility for the collection of those payments and general credit control rests with the selling enterprise, in the first instance. Legislation relating to prompt payments...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (21 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 to 132, inclusive, and 135 and 136 together. The table sets out the contracts awarded by FÁS North East to the company in question and the full amount paid in respect of each contract indicating the trainer fee and the trainee allowances paid. Details concerning contracts awarded to the company by other FÁS regions are being compiled and will be...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (21 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 134 together. Complaints are received by my Department relating to alleged wrongdoing in FÁS from time to time and when received are investigated thoroughly. It is not possible to compile the information requested in the time available. I will be in touch with the Deputy on the matter as soon as possible. Questions Nos. 135 and 136 answered with...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (21 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: FÁS has increased the range of training options available to unemployed persons including those with a 3rd level qualification to assist their re-entry into the labour market. Courses, such as Specific Skills Training (SST) and Traineeships which lead to major awards on the National Framework of Qualifications continue to be offered. FÁS also offers a number of Short Courses (typically 2...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (21 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Every two years FÁS commissions a follow-up survey of a representative sample of former trainees who completed their training with FÁS eighteen months previously. The purpose of this study is to monitor the post programme experience of trainees in terms of their view of the training they received, their employment experience subsequent to their training, and the extent to which they have...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (21 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The information requested by the Deputy is set out. Names, backgrounds and positions of the chairpersons of AnCO and FÁS since 1968: The following is a list of Chairpersons of AnCo and of FÁS since 1967. It has not been possible to provide exact dates for all appointment terms, but, where known, these are indicated below: Chairpersons of AnCO: 15/05/1967 – early 1971 AnCO Mr. Michael...

Written Answers — Computer Games Industry: Computer Games Industry (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 168 and 200 together. Enterprise Ireland has primary responsibility for Irish companies in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors. It supports companies employing 10 or more people and start-up companies which have the potential to employ 10 or more people and reach or exceed €1m in exports over three years. Enterprise Ireland offers a...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The development and expansion of Ireland's trade is a key economic objective and my Department strives to seize all opportunities to enhance our trade footprint. We are especially conscious of the necessity to secure new and emerging markets, including the fast growing Asian economies. In particular, trade with China has developed rapidly in recent years, as a result of the Government's Asia...

Written Answers — Job Protection: Job Protection (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: On the 14th October, I held a meeting with a group of workers from IFF, during which I assured them of my full support for the efforts being made by IDA Ireland to save as many jobs as possible, following the proposal by the company to close its facility in Drogheda. IDA had met with local management of IFF in June while the operation was on a three day week. At the time, it was genuinely...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I recently published the Labour Services (Amendment) Bill, 2009, which sets out the criteria for the selection of members to the Board of FÁS. It is proposed, following enactment of the Bill, that appointments to the Board of FÁS will be based on a person's individual talents and experience as described in the Bill.

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: FÁS regularly conducts surveys to establish how effective the Agency's services are to its customers. For example, each year FÁS commissions independent external consultants to conduct a follow-up survey of a representative sample of former trainees who completed their training with FÁS eighteen months previously. The purpose of this study is to monitor the post programme experience of...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The number of people in employment is measured by the Quarterly National Household Survey or QNHS and published by the Central Statistics Office on a quarterly basis only. In the second quarter of 2009, the most recent quarter for which data is available, there was an annual decrease in employment of 174,300 or 8.2% while unemployment increased by 137,900 over the same period. Employment...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 179 to 181, inclusive, together. The Employment Subsidy Scheme (Temporary) applies to vulnerable but viable companies in the manufacturing or internationally traded service sectors. It will involve the payment of a subsidy to firms to retain an agreed level of jobs. The principal aim of the Scheme is to maximise full-time employment in the first place by...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: FÁS Services to Business supports skills development in small businesses through the Excellence Through People standard which has been running for several years. FÁS Employment Services recently announced the Work Placement Programme which is designed to offer unemployed people, including unemployed graduates, the opportunity to obtain 6 months quality experience in a work situation. The...

Written Answers — National Training Fund: National Training Fund (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Under the terms of the National Training Act, 2000 any surplus remains in the accounts of the National Training Fund for re-investment in eligible training activity. Current NTF funding allocations to FÁS, Skillnets Ltd and Enterprise Ireland, already help to fund a broad spectrum of training initiatives for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) including in-company training as well as...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: The aim of the Work Placement Programme is to provide valuable work experience for 6 months to 2,000 unemployed individuals, including graduates. Participants on the programme will retain their existing social welfare entitlements for the duration of their placement. The eligibility criteria for both participants and providers participating in the programme are to be reviewed in the near...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: Ensuring value for money in terms of government investment is always important but it is particularly critical in times of economic challenge. It has long been established that value for money is achieved through focusing state assistance on exporting companies rather than on those selling to the domestic market. The provision of assistance to indigenous companies that are not...

Written Answers — Credit Supply: Credit Supply (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: In conjunction with my colleague, the Minister for Finance, Mr. Brian Lenihan, T.D., I established the Credit Supply Clearing Group in May of this year with the following terms of reference:- · To identify specific patterns of events or groups of cases, by sector, geographically, or otherwise, where the flow of credit to viable business appears to be blocked. · To aggregate the details of...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: My Department currently has 48 officers serving at Principal Officer or higher. This is 4.4% of current serving staff numbers of 1093. To date my Department has received 45 applications under the Incentivised Scheme of Early Retirement. Due to the small number of applications at the higher level I am not prepared to give a breakdown of grades, as it may be possible to identify individual...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (20 Oct 2009)

Mary Coughlan: In July this year, the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes was published. Among several recommendations contained within the Report was the proposed discontinuation of Shannon Development. 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...