Results 46,661-46,680 of 50,917 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Consumer Rights: Consumer Rights (24 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: The commitment to introduce on-the-spot fines for breaches of consumer legislation has been met by the Consumer Protection (Fixed Payment Notice) Regulations 2007 which came into effect on 13 October 2007. The Regulations permit an authorised officer of the National Consumer Agency to serve a fixed payment notice in respect of breaches of the European Communities (Requirements to Indicate...

Written Answers — Labour Force Upskilling: Labour Force Upskilling (24 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: The commitment contained in the Programme for Government reflects the National Development Plan's intention to invest €2.8 billion in the upskilling of the workforce over the next six years. This includes the training for people in employment, upskilling those affected or likely to be affected by industrial restructuring including those in the manufacturing sector, improving and enlarging...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (24 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section of my Department has informed me that an application for a Work Permit was refused and the applicant notified accordingly. An appeal of this decision was subsequently lodged and this is currently under consideration. It is anticipated that a decision will issue in the next 7 days.

Written Answers — Semi-State Bodies: Semi-State Bodies (24 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Board members of FÁS and Enterprise Ireland are respectively appointed under the Labour Services Act 1987 and the Industrial Development (Enterprise Ireland) Act 1998. The Board of FÁS has four employers' members, including representation from the Irish Business and Employers Confederation, who represent the interests of industry, including small and medium sized businesses at both...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (24 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 200 and 202 together. Table 1 sets out details of jobs created and job losses in the enterprise development agencies under my remit in the period 1997 to 2006. In that period 294,713 new permanent full time jobs were created while job losses amounted to 236,057 giving a net increase in employment in these agency firms of 58,656. It is not possible to...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (24 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 201, 203 and 205 together. It is not possible to provide a list of countries to which companies have relocated from Ireland. While the Department's enterprise development agencies collect, on an annual basis, employment data in their client firms, no data is gathered on a similar basis of the new location of companies that relocate their Irish operations....

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (24 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: In the 5 year period from 2002 to 2006 (the latest date for which figures are available) a total of 54,750 jobs were created in IDA supported companies. The number of jobs created in each of those years is set out in the tabular statement. The level of foreign direct investment in Ireland, relative to the size of the economy, is one of the highest in the world. Today, more than 1,000...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (24 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: Table 1 shows the numbers of jobs created and job losses by region for the period 2000-2006 in firms assisted by the enterprise development agencies under my remit. In total 198,076 new jobs were created in all regions while job losses amounted to 185,499 giving a net increase of 12,577 over the period. It is not possible to quantify how many of the jobs lost in the period were relocated....

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (24 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: When the National Competitiveness Council looked at general insurance in its 2005 Annual Competitiveness report, it found that of the 16 countries benchmarked, Irish expenditure on non-life insurance was the fourth highest. However, the NCC also found that the rate of growth in the cost of insurance has slowed down substantially in recent years. This can be attributed to the series of...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (24 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: The following tables 1 and 2 set out the number of full time permanent created and job losses in manufacturing and services in Enterprise Agency (Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Shannon Development) assisted firms for each of the years between 2000 and 2006. Over the period approx 17,000 net jobs were lost in manufacturing firms supported by the enterprise agencies while 30,634 net new...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (24 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: The following tables set out the number of full time permanent jobs, between manufacturing and services in Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland assisted firms in Co. Kildare for each of the years between 2000 and 2006. Overall in the period in question over 7,000 new manufacturing jobs were created while job losses amounted to 4,276. In addition Kildare County Enterprise Board assisted in the...

Written Answers — Employment Statistics: Employment Statistics (24 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: Statistics on job relocation are not compiled by the Industrial Development agencies. However, I understand that the number of jobs lost in agency assisted companies (IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland) over the last seven years in Co. Kildare is 5,321. In the same period, these two agencies created a total of 8,117 jobs. Over the seven-year period from 1999 to 2006, permanent jobs in IDA...

Departmental Agencies. (24 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: That is a completely different question from the one tabled. We can reply in detail to the Deputy later in terms of the specifics of that question. The question he tabled is about the funding and resources for the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement and whether I will make a statement on the matter. I wish to clarify the backdrop to the increase in resources for that office....

Departmental Agencies. (24 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: We can get that information for the Deputy.

Departmental Agencies. (24 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: In terms of the specific questions the Deputy asked, we can get the detail of that.

Departmental Agencies. (24 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: I would have to get analyses on those court judgments and their full implications from the Attorney General and our own people. The remit of the director is as wide as one would want it, and that applies to the remits of many agencies. Inevitably there will be a need for prioritisation and targeting. There must be a realistic assessment of what is achievable. That is the context in which...

Job Creation. (24 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 79, 95, 108, 112 and 132 together. As stated in my previous reply to the House on this matter, I was disappointed to hear about the decision by Amgen on 3 October last that it was to indefinitely postpone its proposed development of the Carrigtwohill site. On 15 October last detailed discussions were held in California between myself, the Secretary General of...

Job Creation. (24 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: The position is as I have stated. The company has not changed from its position, as articulated on 3 October 2007; in essence it has postponed the project indefinitely and is either redeploying or laying off staff. Prior to 3 October it was employing people and was planning and designing for the biopharmaceutical plant at Carrigtwohill. The company decided, however, it wants to hold on to...

Job Creation. (24 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: There is an ongoing early warning system in the Department but that is dependent on information from the companies themselves. We maintain contact with the companies but corporate headquarters do not always tell people lower down the hierarchy of a business about the decision they are soon to announce. Amgen made an announcement in April. The Amgen personnel travelled especially to Ireland...

Job Creation. (24 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: Today we announced the Enterprise Ireland strategic review for the next three years, which clearly illustrates the range of supports that will be available to indigenous Irish companies to grow, develop their research capability and become international. This is not about pursuing Amgen. That is not in the spirt of the relationship. There are set procedures and processes in play that...