Results 46,881-46,900 of 50,917 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Competence Centres: Competence Centres (4 Jul 2007)

Micheál Martin: The recently announced Competence Centre initiative is one of a number of key initiatives emanating from the Government's Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2006 — 2013 (SSTI). Competence Centres will be collaborative entities established and led by industry in Ireland and resourced by highly-qualified researchers associated with research institutions that are empowered to...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (4 Jul 2007)

Micheál Martin: State funding for enterprise promotion at all levels is primarily channelled through the relevant State Agencies. The County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs), funded by my Department, already have a well established role in the delivery of a wide range of enterprise education initiatives as part of their role in promoting and developing indigenous micro-enterprise potential and stimulating...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (4 Jul 2007)

Micheál Martin: My Department and its agencies support the financing of SMEs in a number of ways. The funding provided by Enterprise Ireland and the County and City Enterprise Boards, in the form of grants, refundable aid and equity participation, provides an important source of finance to many SMEs. In addition, Enterprise Ireland actively promotes the availability of venture capital in Ireland and I have...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (4 Jul 2007)

Micheál Martin: Work being undertaken through my Department complements that of the Department of Education and Science which has general responsibility for providing for those with adult literacy problems. The FÁS Workplace Basic Education Fund was established in 2005 to address low levels of literacy and numeracy issues in the workplace. A National Steering Committee was put in place to manage the Fund....

Written Answers — Programmes for Government: Programmes for Government (4 Jul 2007)

Micheál Martin: My Department has undertaken a detailed examination of the New Programme for Government and identified the commitments that will impact on our mission over the term of the new Government. Implementation of the commitments in the Programme will be a major element informing my Department's new Strategy Statement for 2008-2010 as well as the annual Estimates campaigns. To the extent that...

Written Answers — Research Funding: Research Funding (4 Jul 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Lisbon Strategy was adopted in March 2000 and aims to make the EU the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010. In relation to research and development the strategy's objective is that overall spending on R&D and innovation in the Union should be increased with the aim of approaching 3% of GDP by 2010 with two-thirds of this new investment coming from the...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (4 Jul 2007)

Micheál Martin: There is no evidence to support the assertion that Ireland is facing difficult economic times. In fact there are strong indications to the contrary. For example the most recent NCB Purchasing Managers Index shows that new orders hit a 12-month high and new export orders grew for the first time in 3 months. This complements data from the CSO showing increasing industrial employment and...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (4 Jul 2007)

Micheál Martin: The mode of transport which staff of my Department use in travelling to and from work is a matter of choice for each individual. However, my Department generally supports the use of public transport by staff. In this context, it operates a Travel Pass scheme which was introduced by the Department of Finance in 2001. Under this scheme, an employee can forego part of his or her salary in...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (4 Jul 2007)

Micheál Martin: There are currently a total of twelve Directives due to be transposed by my Department up to 2010. One of these Directives is overdue and the following is the position with regard to implementation progress: Directive 2006/109/EC adapting Directive 94/45/EC on the establishment of a European Works Council by reason of the accession of Bulgaria and Romania; Transposition deadline: 1 January...

Written Answers — Enterprise Policy: Enterprise Policy (4 Jul 2007)

Micheál Martin: The new Programme for Government sets out this Government's priorities in all key policy areas for the coming years. Implementation of the commitments in the Programme will be a major element informing my Department's new Strategy Statement for 2008-2010. Some of the main priorities for me, as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, are as follows: Working to enhance competitiveness...

Written Answers — Industrial Disputes: Industrial Disputes (4 Jul 2007)

Micheál Martin: There has been no person-hours lost either in my Department or in the Agencies under the aegis of my Department to date in 2007, due to industrial action. There are no pending strike notices in place against my Department or any of the agencies under the aegis of my Department.

Written Answers — Competition Authority: Competition Authority (4 Jul 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Competition Authority is the independent statutory agency responsible for the enforcement of competition law in the State. Its mandate and functions are set out in the Competition Act 2002, as amended. The 2002 Act consolidated, reformed and modernised previous legislation relating to competition policy and merger control. In essence the Act: increased the penalties for serious cartel...

Written Answers — Research Funding: Research Funding (4 Jul 2007)

Micheál Martin: Research and innovation, in both product and process development, are critical to success in the increasingly global marketplace. The Enterprise Development agencies under the aegis of my Department encourage the establishment of sustained levels of R&D activity through a variety of R&D schemes offered from Innovation Vouchers to Innovation Management training to project and large-scale R&D...

Written Answers — Flexible Work Practices: Flexible Work Practices (4 Jul 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Equality Acts 1998 and 2004, administered by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, among other things, protects against discrimination on the ground of age in relation to access to employment. However, they also permit an employer to decide on a retirement age in a particular employment to give flexibility to employers and employees, having due regard to the...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (4 Jul 2007)

Micheál Martin: 8,162 persons completed training (throughput) through FÁS Training Services courses to the end of May 2007, of whom 5,341 (65%) were unemployed persons on skills training; 2,060 (25%) were employed apprentices and 761 (9%) were other employed persons attending sponsored up-skilling courses. A further 9,779 were in training at the end of May, of whom 6,243 (64%) were unemployed and 3,225...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (4 Jul 2007)

Micheál Martin: Enterprise Ireland (EI) operates two direct financial support schemes that help Irish SMEs to increase awareness of and promote eco-efficiency in their operations. These are the Environmental Management System (EMS) Support Scheme and the Environmentally Superior Products (ESP) Support Scheme. The EMS Support Scheme has been in operation since late 1998 and since then 105 Irish SMEs have...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (4 Jul 2007)

Micheál Martin: A wide variety of different trade activities is undertaken by Enterprise Ireland on behalf of, and in conjunction with, my Department. This includes Outward Trade Missions, Inward Missions organised on behalf of buyers and business partners, participation in Trade Fairs and other marketing activities on behalf of its client companies. The latter make a financial contribution towards their...

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (4 Jul 2007)

Micheál Martin: At the end of May 2007 there were 6,081 cases with the PIAB in the 90-day "consent to process" period i.e. PIAB has received a claim and has issued formal notice to the responding party and is awaiting consent to process from that party. There were a further 5,403 cases in the nine-month statutory assessment process, where the responding party has indicated that liability is not contested...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (4 Jul 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Industrial Development agencies continue to promote the greater Cork area for industrial development. In terms of new foreign investment, pharmaceuticals, medical technologies, information and communications technology and internationally traded services are among the area's strongest performers in recent years. Last year, new projects were announced for the region which will result in...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (4 Jul 2007)

Micheál Martin: Four of the Agencies under the aegis of my Department are due to decentralise as follows: FÁS is to move 383 posts to Birr, Co. Offaly; Enterprise Ireland (EI) is to move 300 posts to Shannon; The Health and Safety Authority is to move 110 posts to Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny; and The National Standards Authority of Ireland is to move 132 posts to Arklow, Co. Wicklow My Department continues to...