Results 47,741-47,760 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Economic Competitiveness. (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: I respectfully suggest that website is not the most robust source or reference I check for figures of that kind. The National Competitiveness Council in its report produced the data and the assessment on the cost competitiveness of Irish cities; I did not do it. I clearly excluded Dublin in my reply. I referred to Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford and these are important.

Economic Competitiveness. (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: Given our regionalisation policy, when an analysis is done independently of Government and of everybody else in this House, it is important to put on record——

Economic Competitiveness. (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: ——that, compared to other developed cities across Europe, some of our cities are significantly better in this respect. That is all I was doing and it is important to record that. I agree and have articulated for a long time that we need to become more competitive in our domestic economy. When we took a decision in the retail sector to do that in terms of the removal of the groceries...

Economic Competitiveness. (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: The track record of the Deputy's party is that people talk a good talk but when it comes to taking on some sheltered sectors of the economy, which is the key to making our domestic sector more competitive, its members pull back and revert to the old electoral political game.

Economic Competitiveness. (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: Fine Gael does not have much credibility in terms of resolving some of the pressures in the domestic economy that have given rise to some of the cost issues, which we need to move to address. There is no question that costs are a fundamental issue in any developed economy. We are conscious of that and it is the reason the Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, took a clear premeditated...

Economic Competitiveness. (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: In terms of the anti-inflation position, as part of the social partnership process, we are establishing an anti-inflation group to deal with inflationary pressures on the economy, but the broad macro statistics for Ireland are strong. We had a very high economic growth rate in 2006 and that is also predicted for 2007. In terms of a quality of life index and the UN human development index,...

Economic Competitiveness. (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: It flies in the face of reality. We will continue to focus on making sure we can take steps to maintain our cost competitiveness. It is a challenge——

Economic Competitiveness. (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: ——in an economy that is no longer at the stage it was ten years ago. It is much more advanced and developed. We will never have an economy like China or India, therefore, we must play to our strengths and work on certain sectors.

Decentralisation Programme. (31 Jan 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, County Offaly; Enterprise Ireland is to move 292 posts to Shannon; the Health and Safety Authority is to move 110 posts to Thomastown, County Kilkenny, and the National Standards Authority of Ireland is to move 132 posts to Arklow, County Wicklow. My Department...

Decentralisation Programme. (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: I have laid out in detail for the House the number of staff that each agency plans to decentralise.

Decentralisation Programme. (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: It is an open secret that the agency side of the equation has not been as rapid as the normal decentralisation programmes with civil servants. For example, my Department has been well subscribed in terms of its move to Carlow and it is going well.

Decentralisation Programme. (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: We are making progress on the agencies in terms of the issues identified. Under the timelines of 2008 and 2009, FÁS will have a significant presence in Offaly, Enterprise Ireland will have a significant presence in Shannon and likewise with the Health and Safety Authority in Thomastown. There have been some difficulties with specialist posts in the NSAI that require further resolution....

Decentralisation Programme. (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: We have experienced this with earlier decentralisation programmes.

Decentralisation Programme. (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: I can recall when the Central Statistics Office was transferred to Cork and the big issue was the one the Deputy has just raised.

Decentralisation Programme. (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: The decentralisation eventually took place, there was no loss of institutional memory or expertise and people grew and developed. We can sometimes overstate that problem. In the context of FÁS and the referral to the Labour Court, we have clarified the industrial relations context in which people will move.

Decentralisation Programme. (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: We are working with the agencies to facilitate voluntary moves to the various regions.

Job Creation. (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 149 together. Since Hospira made its announcement in respect of its Donegal plant, IDA Ireland had been working closely with the company to secure a replacement for the facility. In March 2006, Abbott, one of the world's largest health care companies, announced that it was acquiring the facility from Hospira and that it planned to make a €36 million...

Job Creation. (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: A significant investment package was announced for the North in the national development plan, which will be of direct benefit to Donegal. I am not sure 14% is an accurate figure for unemployment in the county.

Job Creation. (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: There have been job losses in traditional industries in Donegal, such as textiles, creating considerable difficulties for those affected. However, the number of people on the live register has been reduced from 9,900 in 2002 to 8,774 in December 2006, although we would like there to be a more rapid decline. Significant companies supported by the IDA such as PacifiCare, Pramerica Systems,...

Job Creation. (31 Jan 2007)

Micheál Martin: Yes.