Results 47,121-47,140 of 50,917 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Departmental Travel. (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: There is more than that to the matter, including flexibility and how people want to travel. It is not all about mileage. My reference was to the system, which was changed some time ago. I have no difficulty with its being applied to civil servants through the normal channels.

Irish Language. (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: The cost to the end of 2006 of implementing the Official Languages Act 2003 in my Department and its offices was €156,667 for translation and website development. In 2006 the number of documents published by my Department and its offices was 26. Of those, 14 were published in one language only, English. The number of documents published in both Irish and English was 12, and in two of...

Literacy Levels. (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: In 1997 the OECD published the findings of its international adult survey. That survey, which was conducted in 1995, provided a profile of the literacy skills of adults in Ireland aged between 16 and 64. According to the survey, almost 25% of the Irish workforce lacked functional literacy skills. Since the publication of the OECD survey, the Government has committed substantial resources to...

Company Closures. (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: As I indicated in replies to previous questions, matters arising from the liquidation of the company concerned are currently receiving attention from two of the agencies that operate under the aegis of my Department, the Employment Appeals Tribunal and the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement. The latest position with regard to the involvement of the Employment Appeals Tribunal is...

Company Closures. (26 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy has said, that would depend on whether there has been malfeasance, but the answer is "Yes". We have asked the Company Law Review Group to examine the case and ascertain what lessons might be learned from it. I referred to that earlier regarding the more comprehensive legislation on the way.

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (25 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: The issue of wind turbines generally is a matter for Sustainable Energy Ireland which is under the aegis of the Department of Communications Marine and Natural Resources, and not one in which I am directly involved. However, Enterprise Ireland inform me that they can support the establishment of a business to make wind turbines subject to the normal commercial requirements of E.I. grant aid,...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (25 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Employment Permits Section of my Department has informed me that this application was received in the Section on the 3rd of April 2007 and it is currently being dealt with.

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (24 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: The table sets out details in respect of current staff appointed by me: Name Title Function Date of Appointment Salary (Per annum) Christopher Mannion Special Advisor Full-time To provide advice and assistance to the Minister. 29/09/04 PO Level Deirdre Gillane Policy Adviser Full-time To provide advice and assistance to the Minister on policy issues. 29/09/04 PO Level Jerry O'Connor...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (24 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: I am aware of the concerns raised in the correspondence referred to in the Deputy's question regarding particular provisions of the recently enacted Consumer Protection Act 2007. Essentially the correspondent is concerned that the provisions in the Act prohibiting traders from imposing additional charges on customers by reason of the customer choosing to make payment for goods or services by...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (24 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: My Department is required to move 250 posts to Carlow under the Government's Decentralisation Programme. The following business units/Offices of my Department have been selected as part of the Decentralisation Programme and will be relocated in the new decentralised office: Companies Registration Office/Registry of Friendly Societies National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) Work Permits...

Written Answers — Legal Metrology Service: Legal Metrology Service (24 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy will be aware of the background to this matter from replies on 28 September 2005, 25 January, 16 February, 20 June and 14 December 2006. Following identification of a number of serious health and safety risks, the testing of weighing equipment used for trade in meat processing plants was reviewed during the period 2002 to 2004. Full checks have not been undertaken since the...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (24 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 589, 590 and 603 together. 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 open labour market by breaking their experience...

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

Micheál Martin: As employment data in respect of companies supported by the Enterprise Agencies is collated by Forfás on an annual basis, the figure for jobs created in the last six months is not available. In 2006, 11,846 full-time jobs were created in IDA supported firms; the total number of permanent jobs in such firms at the end of 2006 was 135,487.

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (24 Apr 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 — Work Permits: Work Permits (24 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: Nationals of Bulgaria and Romania who wish to access the Irish labour market for the first time require an employment permit. Regarding the position of au pairs, the Employment Permits Section of my Department operates a List of Ineligible Job Categories covering occupations which are expected to be sourced from within the EU/EEA and for which therefore Work Permits are not available. This...

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

Micheál Martin: Grant agreements between Enterprise Ireland and companies are a matter for those parties and the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment does not have a direct function in this area. All funding provided by Enterprise Ireland is subject to a legal grant agreement between the company and Enterprise Ireland. Enterprise Ireland grant-aided companies must meet their obligations to...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (24 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: Currently there are over 6,000 people over 55 years of age on CE. This represents circa 29% of those on CE, a figure which has increased from 25% at year end 2005. To cater for older workers in particular, in November 2004 I revised the standard 3 year CE capping to allow those of 55 years of age and over to avail of a 6-year period on CE (based on participation since 3rd April 2000). This...

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

Micheál Martin: Provided is a list of the countries of origin of all persons who applied for a work permit between 2005 and 2007.

Written Answers — Research and Development: Research and Development (24 Apr 2007)

Micheál Martin: The Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation recognises the importance for Ireland in building its international collaborative networks in science and highlights the importance of making investments in a way that produces the greatest benefit to Ireland. Ireland is currently involved in various international programmes and initiatives including the European Seventh Framework Programme...

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

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 601 and 602 together. During 2006 there were twenty-seven jobs created in IDA supported companies in County Clare and forty-seven jobs lost. The Agency hosted seven site visits by potential investors to County Clare during 2006, of which one was to Ennis. Ennis is designated as a hub under the National Spatial Strategy (NSS) and is a priority location for IDA....