Results 46,501-46,520 of 50,917 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Telecommunications Services. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: He is. He is very keen to advance this agenda and he will leave an impact on this area — of that I have no doubt. There are pluses and minuses. We have the strongest per capita subscriber growth in the OECD. We have added 6.6 subscribers per 100 inhabitants in the past year, which is far ahead of anybody else. We improved to 21st out of 32 countries as benchmarked by Forfás in June...

Industrial Development. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 75 together. The most recent full year merchandise trade figures published by the Central Statistics Office relate to 2006. Between 2004 and 2005 imports rose from €51.1 billion to €57.5 billion, a rise of €6.4 billion, 12.5%, while between 2005 and 2006 imports rose from €57.5 billion to €60.7 billion, a rise of €3.2 billion, 5.7%. These...

Industrial Development. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The key strategy we have adopted involves trying to move to value-added activities which can be more effective in terms of dealing with our cost base. Our capacity to compete in sectors like low-cost services and low-cost merchandise has been reducing. As we invest more in research and innovation, small and medium sized enterprises and companies of that nature are in a better position to...

Work Permits. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: Under the Employment Permits Act 2006, the fee for an employment permit may be refunded if an application has been refused or withdrawn prior to the issuing of the permit. The fee is not normally refunded, however, after the permit has been issued. Employment permits are processed in accordance with the Employment Permits Acts 2003 and 2006 and SI Nos. 682 and 683 of 2006, which clearly and...

Work Permits. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: It costs €1,000 for two years.

Work Permits. (28 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The danger with that proposal is that our approach is vacancy-driven. When an employment vacancy occurs, that can be the catalyst for an application by an employer or an employee for a work permit. We do not want a free-for-all to develop, whereby somebody utilises a vacancy to get a work permit and then goes somewhere else within two months. That would bring the entire system into...

Job Losses. (27 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: I thank Deputy Tom Hayes for raising this matter. I am aware of the situation in Clonmel and am concerned about the job losses at the company. The company has experienced a reduction in sales in a key market in the United Kingdom, primarily due to the impact of bad weather during the summer and increased competition from its main competitors. The company's sales in the UK are significantly...

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (27 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: My Department does not provide direct funding or grants to businesses but provides funding to a number of State Agencies, including the County and City Enterprise Boards, Enterprise Ireland and FÁS, through whom assistance is delivered directly to businesses. The 35 County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) provide a source of support to small businesses with 10 employees or fewer. Subject...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (27 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section has indicated that a work permit has issued in this case.

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (27 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that the above named applicant's Spousal/Dependant Permit was issued recently in this case.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (27 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The following table identifies the number of permanent employees; the number of temporary staff and the number of contracted staff in my Department for the periods 31 October 2002 and 31 October 2007. 31st October 2002 31st October 2007 Permanent staff (Full time equivalents) 1,065 992.12 Temporary staff 24 15.00 Staff on contract 16 25.00

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (27 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The total amount spent by my Department on air travel for each year from 2004 to date is set out on the table below. The table also shows the amount charged to my Department for Business Class and First Class flights each year. Year Total spent on air travel of which: Business Class First Class € € € 2004 718,175.30 244,827 17,021 2005 555,004.52 148,232 9,683 2006 434,571.54...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (27 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: My Department has spent the following amounts on couriered documents and registered / standard post to date in 2007: â'¬ Couriered Documents 27,951.17 Registered Post/Standard Post * 168,864.30 *It is not possible to disaggregate the amount spent on registered / standard post. The above figures do not include any spending by the offices and agencies of my Department.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (27 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The scheme of performance-related awards in the civil service applies to Deputy and Assistant Secretaries and equivalent grades. Details of awards to individual officers under the performance related scheme are not disclosed on the basis that they are confidential to the officer concerned. However, I can say that during 2007 awards totalling €168,000 were made to 14 officers in my...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (27 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The following table identifies the number of civil servants in my Department who transferred to other Government Departments and those who left the Civil Service in each of the past five years. Year Transferred to other Government Departments Staff who left the Civil Service 2002 10 9 2003 21 10 2004 43 27 2005 34 39 2006 41 38

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (27 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: As far as I am aware, there have been no allegations of victimisation for whistleblowing reported to my Department by any of my staff since 1 January 2007.

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (27 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 347 and 349 together. I reported to the Dáil on 24th October last that I first learned of the indefinite postponement of the Amgen project by way of conference call with the Irish General Manager and the Executive Vice President of Operations of Amgen Inc. on the morning of 3rd of October 2007. The Secretary General of my Department, the Chairman and CEO...

Written Answers — World Trade Negotiations: World Trade Negotiations (27 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: At the Africa Caribbean Pacific (ACP)-EU Joint Council of Ministers in May of this year, all 6 ACP regions, together with the EU, reaffirmed their intention to conclude full EPAs (including provisions on services and investment) before the deadline of the 31st of December 2007. After that date the current trading arrangements under the Cotonou Agreement must end if the EU and our ACP partners...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (27 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: Under the Industrial Development Act of 1986, as amended by the Acts of 1993 and 1995, IDA Ireland has the power to acquire, hold and dispose of land and any other property or any interest therein for the purpose of facilitating an industrial undertaking. Only when the Agency intends to dispose of land, other than in accordance with facilitating an industrial undertaking, is the consent of...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (27 Nov 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section has indicated that, in general, employment permits are only issued in respect of full-time positions and for persons over the age of 18. However, under the current Spousal/Dependant Permit Scheme the Employment Permits Section can consider applications in respect of eligible Dependants over the age of 16. This is in line with the Protection of Young Persons...