Results 47,781-47,800 of 51,015 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (23 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: Support for job creation and investment in individual counties and towns is a day-to-day operational matter for the development agencies as part of their responsibility under the Industrial Development Acts. While I may give general policy directives to the agencies I am precluded under the Industrial Developments Acts from giving directives regarding individual undertakings or from giving...

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (23 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: I have no role in the grant decision making process employed by Mayo County Enterprise Board (CEB) in relation to grant approvals or refusals. Decisions on applications for assistance from Mayo CEB are made independently by the Board on the advice of it's Evaluation Committee. In making recommendations to the Board the Evaluation Committee is required to have regard to the quality, local...

Written Answers — Competition Law: Competition Law (23 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Competition Authority is an independent statutory agency responsible for the enforcement of competition law across all sectors of the economy. I have no direct responsibility for the day to day work of the Authority. Its mandate and functions are contained in the Competition Act, 2002, as amended. Section 34 of the Act provides for co-operation agreements between the Authority and other...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (23 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The two Arthur Andersen reports referred to were commissioned by the Department of Finance in 1997 to review the financial management and control systems within the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Cohesion Fund. As the 2000 Report dealt with the Cohesion Fund, it had no relevance to programmes being managed by my Department. The 1998 Report, which covered all Departments...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (23 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: As a consequence of an EU Commission Decision in the year 2000, which was subsequently confirmed by a Judgement of the European Court of Justice in 2005, €15.6 million of European Social Fund monies have been withheld from Ireland. This reduction applied to the Human Resources, Tourism and Industry Operational Programmes for the programming period 1994-1999. The amount withheld represents...

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (23 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: Enterprise Ireland occupies four separate offices in Dublin. Discussions on bringing all Enterprise Ireland Dublin based staff together in one location have been going on since the Agency was established in 1998. One of the options considered was that of developing the Agency's Glasnevin site to provide accommodation for all Dublin staff. However, when the Government's decentralisation...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (22 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: Mayo County Enterprise Board (CEB) was established in 1993 to provide support to small businesses with 10 employees or fewer. The Board's function is to develop indigenous enterprise potential and to stimulate economic activity at local level. Mayo CEB supports individuals, firms, community groups, provided that the projects have the capacity to achieve commercial viability. Priority must...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (22 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Work Permits Section of my Department informs me that the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform is currently investigating this employer in relation to alleged breaches of Immigration Law. Work permit applications cannot be dealt with pending the outcome of that investigation.

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (22 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: In accordance with the new mandate for Shannon Development, the functions in relation to indigenous enterprises hitherto carried by the Company under delegated authority from Enterprise Ireland will revert to Enterprise Ireland on 1 January 2007. This will involve the transfer of a number of staff from Shannon Development to Enterprise Ireland. The purpose of the Industrial Development Bill,...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (22 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 329, 330, 332 and 334 together. IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI) to Ireland. The Agency is committed to achieving the best possible regional balance in investments. In tandem with the National Spatial Strategy (NSS), the Agency is actively encouraging FDI into all regions through the...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (22 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 331 and 333 together. IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI) to Ireland. The Agency is committed to achieving the best possible regional balance in investments. In tandem with the National Spatial Strategy (NSS), the Agency is actively encouraging FDI into all regions, including Wexford,...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (22 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The zoning of land is a matter for the planning authorities and policy in relation to tax incentives is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Finance. IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to Ireland. The marketing of individual areas, including, available property solutions, for new or expansion FDI investments and jobs...

Written Answers — Radon Gas Levels: Radon Gas Levels (22 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: During 2005 my Department carried out tests on the radon levels in the eight buildings occupied by the Department in co-operation with the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland. The test results were analysed by the Institute which confirmed that radon levels in all of my Department buildings were well below the National Reference Levels for radon in workplaces.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (22 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: In 2005 my Department used 971,000 Kilowatts of electricity at a cost of €158,000. The electricity suppliers were ESB and Energia. In the same period a total of 443,828KW of gas was supplied by Bord Gáis Éireann costing €18,977.81. The Department's office in Kildare Street shares heating costs with Leinster House and the apportioned costs for my Department in 2005 came to €30,862....

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (22 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: In 2005 my Department purchased 444 × 19 litre bottles of water at a cost of €8,238.34. The suppliers of the bottled water were Tipperary Natural Mineral Water, Aquaid and Glen Patrick Natural Mineral Water. In the same period, water charges from Dublin City Council were €9,069.27 representing 6,819 cubic metres of tap water.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (22 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The provisions governing transfers and sick leave within the Civil Service are prescribed by the Department of Finance. Transfers are subject to an assessment of the sick leave and performance records of staff. Sick leave is assessed on the basis of a limit of no more than 56 days sick leave and no more than 25 sick absences in the previous 4 years. The only exception to this is in respect...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (22 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Work Permit Section of my Department has informed me that the work permit has issued recently in this case.

Written Answers — Groceries Order: Groceries Order (21 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Groceries Order was abolished primarily because it allowed wholesalers and suppliers to determine minimum retail prices charged to consumers, thereby seriously constraining price competition in the grocery trade. During the time the Groceries Order was in force more than 2,000 small independent retailers went out of business resulting in the grocery trade in Ireland becoming more...

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (21 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: I am aware that New Zealand's Commerce Commission has issued civil proceedings against two credit card companies and a number of financial institutions for alleged price-fixing in relation to retailer's fees. In Ireland, charges imposed by credit institutions are notifiable under section 149 of the Consumer Credit Act, 1995 (as amended) to the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority...

Written Answers — Competition Authority: Competition Authority (21 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy's question concerns investigations which are part of the day to day work of the Competition Authority. The Competition Authority is an independent statutory agency responsible for the enforcement of competition law across all sectors of the Irish economy. I have no direct responsibility for the day to day work of the Authority. In any case, investigations by their very nature...