Results 46,341-46,360 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Central Bank Financial Stability Report 2007 referred to by the Deputy looks essentially at the soundness of the financial system. The Report makes clear that Irish credit institutions do not have significant exposures to the sub-prime market, either directly or indirectly. In relation to overall competitiveness, while acknowledging that our strong competitiveness position up to recently...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The budget for FÁS is agreed on the basis of detailed discussions between FÁS, my Department and the Department of Finance in the context of the annual Estimates process. The combined Exchequer and National Training Funds allocated to FÁS for 2008 will amount to €1,082,919. This represents a 3% increase on the Revised Estimates for 2007 and includes an additional amount of €1.7m from...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: My Department has been making good progress in the relocation of the required 250 posts to Carlow under the Government's Decentralisation Programme. The following business units/Offices of my Department are earmarked for decentralisation: Companies Registration Office/Registry of Friendly Societies National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) Work Permits Redundancy Payments Section...

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

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 41 together. The primary agencies under the remit of my Department with responsibility for supports and initiatives for indigenous enterprises in Donegal are Enterprise Ireland (EI) and the Donegal County Enterprise Board (CEB). Enterprise Ireland provides funding and expertise to companies with ten or more employees in the indigenous manufacturing and...

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

Micheál Martin: In the ten year period 1998 to 2007, four Youghal based IDA supported companies have closed with a total loss of 407 jobs. In the same period, two Enterprise Ireland client companies closed with a combined loss of 45 jobs. Details of these closures are set out in the tabular statement. While job losses at any time are to be are to be regretted, particularly for those who actually lose...

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

Micheál Martin: The issues raised by the Deputy relate to Sections 48 and 49 of the Consumer Protection Act 2007. My Department launched a public consultation process in relation to the commencement of these provisions of the Act in the summer of 2007. Almost 50 submissions were received in response to the consultation process. The submissions gave rise to a number of complex matters, which require careful...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: In its first 11 months of operation (February 2007 to end December 2007), a total of 2,974 permits issued under the Green Card Scheme. This figure represents close to one third of total new employment permits issued by the Department in 2007 and represents an increase over the 2,713 permits issued in 2006 under the Work Visa/Work Authorisation Scheme, which the Green Card Scheme replaced....

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: In order to ensure optimal coordination in the implementation of the National Skills Strategy in the training sector and to avoid any possible over-lap or duplication my Department established the Upskilling Co-ordination Group last year. This group, which is chaired by my Department, brings together representatives of FÁS, Skillnets, Enterprise Ireland, the County Enterprise Boards and...

Written Answers — Equal Opportunities Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Wage Subsidy Scheme provides financial incentives to employers and employees, outside the public sector to encourage the employment of people with disabilities. The scheme was implemented by FÁS, on behalf of the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment, in September 2005 on the basis of an initial three year pilot that would be subsequently reviewed within this time frame. The...

Written Answers — Cross-Border Projects: Cross-Border Projects (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I am committed to working with my counterparts in Northern Ireland to implement all-island initiatives where there is mutual economic benefit including in the area of labour market and skills. This area of North/South co-operation was identified in the Comprehensive Study on the All-Island Economy, published in 2006, as a means to optimise the skills pool on the island for continued...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: I am informed by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform that the proceedings commenced and convictions under the Employment Permits Act 2003 were as follows: 2003 Proceedings commenced against Employers 83; Convictions: 6 Proceedings commenced against Employees 3; Convictions 2 2004 Proceedings commenced against Employers 42 Convictions:6; Proceedings commenced against Employees...

Written Answers — Personal Injuries Assessment Board: Personal Injuries Assessment Board (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The Personal Injuries Assessment Board was established in April 2004 as part of the Government's insurance reform programme, with the aim of allowing certain classes of personal injury claim, where liability is uncontested, to be settled without the need for the costs associated with litigation. The threat of rising insurance costs at the time posed serious risks to Irish business and the...

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

Micheál Martin: Payment and repayment of grants are day to day operational matters for the Industrial Development agencies. I do not have any role in day to day operational matters of the agencies. However, in this particular case, I understand from IDA Ireland that the company received approximately €3.7 million in grants since 1989. Discussions will take place between the agency and the company in...

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

Micheál Martin: I understand that a restructuring of the manufacturing activities of the company in question will lead to a cessation of production at its biscuit factory in Tallaght by early 2009. The planned restructuring will include an investment programme and the company expects to employ 120 people at that stage in Ireland. Enterprise Ireland has had a number of discussions with the company over the...

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

Micheál Martin: There are currently a total of thirteen Directives due to be transposed by my Department up to 2010. One of these Directives, Directive 2005/56/EC on cross-border mergers of limited liability companies, is currently overdue. It is intended to transpose this Directive by 31 March 2008. Twelve Directives are scheduled to be transposed in 2008 and subsequent years. My Department has received 24...

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

Micheál Martin: I am aware of the 2007 edition of the Consumers in Europe Report recently published by Eurostat. The Report contains facts and figures on a number of different services of general interest to consumers in the European Union including information on price levels in the various member states. The Report does show that household consumption expenditure in Ireland is above the average for the 25...

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The establishment of the Office for Disability and Mental Health was announced by the Taoiseach on Wednesday, 30th January, 2008. The office will support the Minister of State for Disability and Mental Health at the Department of Health and Children in exercising his responsibilities in four Government Departments, namely, the Departments of Health and Children, Justice, Equality and Law...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: A key objective of the Employment Permits Act 2006 was the strengthening of the protection for migrant workers. In that regard, employment permits are now issued to the employees and a copy sent to the employer. The permit contains a statement of the entitlements of the migrant worker including their remuneration, their right to change employer, and any deductions for board and accommodation,...

Written Answers — Unemployment Levels: Unemployment Levels (7 Feb 2008)

Micheál Martin: The number of people on the Live Register at the end of years 2005, 2006 and 2007 was 155,833, 155,389 and 170,376 respectively. The increase in numbers on the Live Register in this two period was 14, 543. The Live Register is not designed to measure unemployment. It includes part-time, seasonal and casual workers entitled to unemployment benefit. Unemployment is measured by the Quarterly...