Results 46,721-46,740 of 50,917 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (23 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Forfás Annual Employment Survey records jobs gained and lost in companies supported by the Industrial Development Agencies. Data is compiled on an annualized basis and is aggregated at county level. Data in relation to 2007 will not be available until mid 2008. The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the years 2005 and 2006 is set out in the attached tabular statement....

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (23 Oct 2007)

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. CE helps unemployed people to re-enter the active workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to a work routine and to...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (23 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: State support for enterprise and job creation is channelled through the industrial development agencies. While I may give general policy directives to the development agencies, I am precluded, under the Industrial Development Acts from giving directives regarding individual undertakings or from giving preference to one area over others. I have been informed by IDA Ireland that to date in...

Written Answers — Company Closures: Company Closures (23 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: Following the closure of the plant in question, finding alternative employment for the area and the county was a priority for the Industrial Development agencies. In this regard, a major financial services project which will provide 700 jobs was announced for Navan in 2006. This project will be of significant benefit to the whole county. Another financial services company, which announced...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (23 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: Employment data in respect of companies supported by the Enterprise Agencies is collated by Forfás on an annual basis and accordingly there is no data available for 2007. In 2006 there were 5621 persons in permanent employment in Enterprise Agency assisted firms in Co.Meath; the table outlines the number of jobs created in the years mentioned. In addition to these figures, the Meath County...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (23 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: The management of IDA Ireland's industrial property portfolio, including the purchase and disposal of property, is a day-to-day operational matter for the Agency as part of the statutory responsibility assigned to it by the Oireachtas and not a matter in which I have a function. I have been informed by IDA Ireland that, in 1998, the Agency sold 1.3152 Hectares, on a leasehold basis, to...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: My Department is the Managing Authority for the EQUAL Community Initiative Programme. This Programme is co-funded by the European Social Fund during the period 2000-2007. The Programme seeks to identify and address fundamental forms of discrimination and inequality in the labour market through the development of new and innovative policies and practices initiated by EQUAL Development...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: Excluding the offices and agencies of my Department which have their own budgets, my Department has spent €59,903.85 on paper (of which €53,373.35 was spent on recycled paper) and €52,000.89 on stationery so far in 2007.

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (23 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that all applications are considered upon receipt into the Department. However, the following occupations are on the Ineligible Job Categories for Employment Permit for new applicants, as it is considered their positions can be filled from within the EEA region. All Clerical and Administrative positions. All General Operatives /...

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (23 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: The thirty-five County & City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) are the principal initial point of contact for people seeking support in setting up a new business. Their role is to provide support to micro-enterprise in the start-up and expansion phases, to promote and develop indigenous micro-enterprise potential and to stimulate entrepreneurship at local level. They can provide both financial and...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (23 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Green Card scheme was introduced under the Employment Permits Act 2006 to address skills shortages in the economy in specified and identified occupation categories. Therefore, Green Card holders would normally be expected to hold a third level qualification and earn a salary in excess of €30,000. Between February and end-September 2007, a total of 2,260 Green Cards were issued, 361...

Written Answers — Training Programmes: Training Programmes (23 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Government is committed to upskilling the Irish labour force and has substantially increased State investment in training those in employment in recent years. The attached table details the relevant FÁS expenditure on training those in employment as a share of FÁS total direct costs. FÁS two main programmes under the in-company heading are both the apprenticeship programme and the...

Written Answers — Skill Shortages: Skill Shortages (23 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: The effective implementation of the National Skills Strategy requires an integrated approach jointly led by my own Department, by the Department of Education & Science and that successfully involves all of the key agencies in the education and training sectors. Since the publication of the Strategy progress has been made in several areas. I asked the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs to...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (23 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: While the issue of broadband is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, I am informed that broadband take-up continues to grow strongly in Ireland. At the end of June 2007 there were 698,000 broadband subscriptions, which represents an annual increase of 87%. At the end of March this year the European Competitive Telecommunications...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (23 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI) to Ireland and its regions, while Enterprise Ireland is responsible for indigenous industry in the Mid- west region. Shannon Development's remit includes the provision of property solutions to accommodate the FDI and indigenous sectors in the Mid West region. While I may give general...

Pre-Budget Outlook: Motion (23 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this discussion on the pre-budget Estimates for 2008, published last week by the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance. They mark a significant development in reform of the Estimates and budgetary process. The Government's objective is to create a more unified and transparent approach to the budgetary framework and to provide greater transparency in...

Pre-Budget Outlook: Motion (23 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: I sought those data.

Pre-Budget Outlook: Motion (23 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: That is disingenuous. Deputy Burton knows the pre-budget Estimates were not designed to deal with a detailed scheme under the aegis of one Department. We should not use this process as an opportunity for propaganda. What is of primary concern within this framework is the outcome, which is about looking after those most vulnerable and disadvantaged. This is the focus we wish to develop. I...

Pre-Budget Outlook: Motion (23 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: I expect the authority to be fully staffed by the end of 2007 and there is an ambitious business plan in place for 2008 focusing on the promotion and enforcement of employment rights. The Labour Court, the Labour Relations Commission and the Employment Appeals Tribunal, which are all funded through my Department's Estimate, provide further supports where necessary to workers — and indeed to...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (18 Oct 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that an application was received in respect of the above. The application in this instance was refused as it did not fall within the ambit of Section 4 of the Employment Permits Act 2006. A right of appeal within 21 days applies to decisions under this Act. Outside of this appeal period, a new application will be considered on its...