Results 47,861-47,880 of 51,015 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: My belief in the long-term sustainability of high wage or salary employment is based on the realities of recent economic growth and employment expansion. Ireland's success has been based not only on attracting highly skilled, high value-added and well-paid jobs and investment, but in retaining them. Currently we have both a competitive and comparative advantage in attracting foreign...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The following table sets out the position in relation to full-time job gains and job losses, in agency assisted firms in County Kildare over the period 2001-2005. It is not possible to provide details of the skill levels attached to either the job losses or gains. Over the past five years, IDA Ireland's focused strategy for Kildare has been to promote the county as part of an integrated east...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Work Permits Section of my Department has informed me that the following are the figures for permits approved and rejected for the past five years to date. Total Received Approved Rejected 2001 36,751 36,017 734 2002 40,923 39,853 1,070 2003 48,562 46,943 1,619 2004 34,491 33,206 1,285 2005 26,419 26,289 1,130 2006 to date 22,626 21,502 1,124

Written Answers — Skill Shortages: Skill Shortages (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs has been monitoring future skills requirements since 1997 and much has been done in the interim to ensure awareness of, and responses to, identified skills needs at all levels. To ensure that we have the skills to meet future demand in the medium to longer term, I have asked the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs to report on the most likely...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The budget for FÁS is agreed on the basis of detailed discussions between FÁS, my Department and the Department of Finance in the context of the annual Estimates process. My Department allocated a total of €985.175 million to FÁS in the 2006 Estimate. This is an increase of approximately 8% on the amount spent by FÁS in 2005. This budget is allocated by FÁS to the specific approved...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The latest data from the Central Statistics Office (QNHS) indicate that there were an additional 88,000 people in employment in Quarter 2 2006 compared to the same period in 2005. Data in respect of agency-assisted enterprises are compiled by Forfás on a once yearly basis and therefore the latest data available are for 2005. In that year 26,553 new full-time jobs were created in enterprise...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: Competitiveness is a remarkably broad policy area constantly under review and consideration both in my Department and across the Departments of my Government colleagues. Several activities are directed at identifying and improving our competitiveness. Recently the National Competitiveness Council (NCC) published its Annual Competitiveness Report (ACR) with its presentation of international...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 219 and 220 together. The National Competitiveness Council recently published a Statement on the Costs of Doing Business in Ireland. The Statement outlines the key findings of research assessing the cost of doing business at four locations in Ireland — Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick. These locations are compared with international centres in both...

Economic Competitiveness. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The data in the OECD report refers to foreign direct investment, FDI, inflows and outflows that cover a wide variety of transactions. The flows of FDI associated with companies for which IDA Ireland has responsibility would only form a component of the OECD data. It would be incorrect to take the OECD data in isolation and infer from it that Ireland has become uncompetitive, or is losing...

Economic Competitiveness. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: Like everything else in life, the projects built and the jobs created are the ultimate benchmarks or inputs to any database. I referred to the impact of the American Jobs Creation Act 2004. If the Deputy listened carefully to my reply, he will note it stated that a range of inflows and outflows are assessed. However, the bottom line is that 2005 was the best year since 2000 in respect of...

Economic Competitiveness. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: Yes. A total of 70 greenfield and expansion projects were sanctioned in 2004, and a further 71 in 2005. This year looks even better. The quality of this year's investments says a great deal about Ireland and its world class manufacturing capability in the field of pharmaceuticals and of bio-pharmaceuticals in particular. For example, the largest biotechnology company in the world, namely,...

Economic Competitiveness. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The financial services company Northern Trust will locate in Limerick. Today, Google, the Internet company that is the brand name in terms of Internet activity, decided to locate in Ireland. From my perspective, such high quality investments in what I would describe as the industries of tomorrow are reassuring. Such organisations have made hard decisions. When I visit such companies in...

Economic Competitiveness. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Opposition parties did not introduce it.

Economic Competitiveness. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: They opposed it. Deputy Rabbitte opposed it.

Economic Competitiveness. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: I welcome any constructive suggestions from Deputy Hogan regarding ongoing issues pertaining to foreign direct investment.

Economic Competitiveness. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: We are planning very effectively and comprehensively for the future. The research and development strategy is a plan for future industry, jobs and competitiveness. This is why we put so much effort into it. A total of eight Departments were involved in the process, which was chaired by my Department. I chaired a Cabinet sub-committee on science and technology. We see it as critical for...

Economic Competitiveness. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: Charlie McCreevy personified the tax cutting agenda in this country, which produced increased revenue flows in respect of corporation tax and capital gains tax.

Economic Competitiveness. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: I always remember how Deputy Rabbitte attacked Mr. McCreevy's policies on positive tax reform on that occasion and tried to score some political points off them.

Economic Competitiveness. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: It is important to always remember that the Deputies opposite opposed Mr. McCreevy's policies at that time. It is a very positive development that they now attempt to seek credit for them.

Economic Competitiveness. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: On the contrary, it is important that Mr. McCreevy——