Results 46,321-46,340 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (12 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: My Department does not employ any agency workers. However the following agencies, which fall under the auspices of my Department employ some agency workers. Out of a total of 4382 employees, 54.5 employees are agency workers. Agency No. of Employees No. of Agency Workers Enterprise Ireland 831.5 23 Industrial Development Authority 273 5 FAS 2,265.5 7 Health and Safety Authority 186 2...

Written Answers — Data Protection: Data Protection (12 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: My Department's records indicate that, to date, four laptops and three blackberry devices were stolen or lost over the last seven years. I understand that none of these held personal information about members of the public. Of the four laptops reported stolen one was subsequently recovered. While none of the Blackberry devices have been recovered, my Department invoked the facility to...

Written Answers — Data Protection: Data Protection (12 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The loss or otherwise of equipment belonging to the Agencies is a day-to-day operational matter for the agencies concerned and not one for which I have a function. The various agency liaison units across my Department have confirmed that they have no records of an agency reporting the loss or theft from them of any disks, laptops or memory storage devices containing personal information...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (12 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. The programme helps unemployed people to progress to the open labour market by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to work...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (12 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Civil Service Disciplinary Code, which was revised in July 2006 in accordance with the Civil Service Regulation Act 2005, provides for a number of disciplinary actions including dismissal. The provisions of the code apply to all officers other than officers serving in a probationary capacity after entry to the Civil Service. To date no member of staff who has completed their...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (12 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: Due to the fact that my Department changed its financial management system within the last five years, the information requested by the Deputy is readily available only from the beginning of 2004. The table below sets out the amount paid to staff of my Department and its Offices in respect of travel, subsistence and related payments for each of the years 2004 to 2007 inclusive. The figures...

Written Answers — Trade Missions: Trade Missions (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, accompanied by myself, led an Enterprise Ireland trade mission to South Africa on what was by far the largest trade mission from Ireland to have ever visited that country. The visit also facilitated the Taoiseach's involvement in a range of aid-related activities elsewhere in the region. The mission had a number of objectives, namely to assist Irish companies...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: Regarding measures taken to avoid the job losses, I understand that IDA Ireland had discussions with Allergan management in Arklow with a view to having the company invest more heavily in technical process development and in significant process automation. Unfortunately, the decision taken by the company was to move production to a more modern plant in Costa Rica which has spare capacity....

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I am aware of the situation at the Allergan plant in Arklow. The decision taken by the company to close its facility by the middle of 2009 is very disappointing particularly for the workers and families involved. I am confident that the Industrial Development agencies together with other local interests will make every effort to secure alternative employment for the area. I will, of...

Written Answers — Price Inflation: Price Inflation (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I am fully aware that the price of a range of foods has increased in the last number of months. Whilst the December 2007 Consumer Price Index as published by the Central Statistics Office shows that although the annual rate of inflation fell to 4.7% in December down from 5.0% in November, the price of food and non alcoholic beverages increased by 6.3% in the year. Rising food prices are...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 63 together. The last Quarterly National Household Survey on the labour market showed that the pace of employment growth actually accelerated slightly and employment over the year 2007 was up nearly 4%. Last year total employment in the country exceeded 2 million for the first time, an increase of 78,000 on the same quarter in 2006 and net job creation...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Enterprise Development Agencies under the aegis of my Department, Enterprise Ireland, the County Enterprise Boards, and IDA Ireland are responsible for growing indigenous enterprises and attracting and growing foreign direct investment. My Department has put in place a range of strategies, programmes and financial incentives to promote economic and enterprise development that will support...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: To date my Department has not made an application to the European Globalisation Fund. However, my Department is currently investigating the possibility of making an application to the Fund subject to the strict criteria associated with the European Globalisation Fund being met.

Written Answers — Research Funding: Research Funding (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Government has made a major commitment, through the substantial investment set out in the Strategy for Science, Technology & Innovation (SSTI) and the National Development Plan (NDP) 2007-2013, to making the transition to a knowledge-economy. The ambition is that "Ireland by 2013 will be internationally renowned for the excellence of its research, and will be to the forefront in...

Written Answers — FETAC Awards: FETAC Awards (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: My Department is regularly in contact with the Department of Education and Science, the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland and FETAC in relation to accreditation issues. I understand that at present in excess of 600 training providers have agreed their quality assurance arrangements with FETAC and can offer programmes leading to FETAC awards at Levels 1 to 6 of the National...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I have asked the Company Law Review Group, as part of their Work Programme for 2006/2007, to examine the issue of 'Limited Liability Partnerships'. This follows from concerns, particularly by the legal profession, about the consequences of unlimited liability on partners in a firm. This is one of several issues under consideration by the Company Law Review Group in its 2006/2007 Work...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Consumer Protection Act 2007, which commenced in May last year, empowers the National Consumer Agency to prepare and publish guidelines to traders in relation to matters of consumer welfare and protection and matters related to commercial practices. The Act also entitles the Agency to review or approve Codes of Practice submitted to it by traders or their trade associations where the...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Climate and Energy proposals published by the Commission on 23rd January are a complex package which raise economic and social issues for Ireland and thus require careful consideration by all Government stakeholders. The Commission package includes the following elements: The separation of the EU Emissions Trading Sector (ETS) from the rest of the economy through the creation of a single...

Written Answers — Product Labelling: Product Labelling (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: Price display law is covered by Orders made under Section 19 of the Prices Acts 1958 to 1972 and under the European Communities (Requirements to Indicate Product Prices) Regulations 2002, Statutory Instrument No. 639 of 2002. The various Price Display Orders made under the Prices Acts 1958 to 1972 cover Drinks Display in Licensed Premises, Hairdressing Services, Petrol and Diesel and...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The legally binding agreements covering the payment of industrial grants by IDA to its client companies provide, among other things, that companies are obliged to repay grants in their entirety in the event of the project not proceeding. I am satisfied that the company concerned is fully aware if its obligation to repay the grant in its entirety. Where a contractual entitlement to recover a...