Results 47,901-47,920 of 51,015 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Skill Shortages. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: We have regular meetings with the American Chamber of Commerce. We will discuss this issue at future meetings. I meet individual companies overseas and here. In the overall context, through the extraordinary inward migration to Ireland and the expanded third level system, we make every possible effort to facilitate low and high skill availability. The decision in May 2004 regarding the...

Skill Shortages. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The green card we will introduce as part of the work permits system will facilitate high-skilled labour and will better streamline it. I accept the procedures must be streamlined to facilitate inter-company transfer, which will be statutorily facilitated in the Act. We will introduce regulations to commence it in the new year. The green card and work permit systems will focus on higher...

EU Directives. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: Directive 98/6/EC on the requirement to indicate product prices was transposed into Irish law in Statutory Instrument No. 639 of 2002 and came into force on 1 March 2003. The directive obliges retailers to display the selling price and the unit price per kilo or litre for products. As the Deputy is aware, I will introduce major consumer legislation later this year to establish the new...

EU Directives. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: Yes.

EU Directives. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: I will certainly take up that issue with the Office of the Director of Consumer Affairs which is operating as it always has, despite the change of personnel. There may have been a blip on that particular day but the office is up and running, as it always has been and there has been no particular change there. In fact, I recently launched the National Consumer Agency's new website, which is...

EU Directives. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: It is available for the public to access in terms of rights data and so on. I hope to have the legislation ready for publication before the end of the year. It is the number one priority and is well advanced in the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. The passage of that legislation will enable us to put the agency on a statutory footing.

Company Liquidations. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 82, 112 and 137 together. As indicated in replies to previous questions, matters relating to the liquidation of the company concerned are currently the subject of attention by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement and the Employment Appeals Tribunal. Each of these bodies is independent in the performance of its functions and it would not be...

Company Liquidations. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: I share the sentiments expressed by the Deputy. I wish to put on the record the main company law provisions in Ireland dealing with such companies. Companies that fail and re-engage in trading under a new name are addressed under the Companies Acts 1963-2005 and, in particular, under the provisions of Part 5 of the Company Law Enforcement Act 2001. Under section 56 of the latter Act, a new...

Industrial Development. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The National Competitiveness Council, NCC, recently published its Statement on the Costs of Doing Business in Ireland. The publication outlines the key findings of research looking at the cost of doing business at four locations in Ireland — Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick — and comparing these to international centres such as Bangalore, Boston and Copenhagen. The data is for one...

Industrial Development. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: I answered the question by giving a balanced perspective on the issue. Deputy Hogan is overly concentrating on the negative.

Industrial Development. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: We are aware of the energy issue. That is why the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, produced a Green Paper on energy and has brought in a number of initiatives in that area. Our main energy problem is our high dependence on fossil fuels. I am on a Cabinet sub-committee on the issue. We are concerned on an ongoing basis about energy prices and...

Industrial Development. (15 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: It can be explained when one considers our dependence on fossil fuels. That is where the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, moved in last year's budget in terms of incentivising indigenous renewables and alternatives to our fossil fuel dependency. That is ultimately the way forward, as well as the...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (14 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Work Permits section of my Department has informed me that this application was refused and the employer was notified of this decision in writing and of their right of appeal. To-date no such appeal has been received in the Work Permit section. In the aftermath of EU Enlargement, it is Government policy that employers should be able to source nearly all of their workforce needs from...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (14 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: In the context of Health and Safety and Security requirements, it would not be feasible for Enterprise Ireland (EI) to engage in the management of a sub letting, lease, or rent arrangement, in relation to that section of Enterprise Ireland's Glasnevin site. Security, and Health and Safety concerns include the fact that the area concerned is an integral part of the site in Glasnevin and is not...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (14 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The marketing of individual areas, including Waterford, for new or expansion FDI investments and jobs is a day-to-day operational matter for IDA Ireland. I have been informed by the Agency that there have been 8 site visits to Waterford City and none to the County in the past twelve months. In Waterford City, IDA Ireland continues to market its new Business and Technology Park on circa 28...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (14 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The following table sets out the position in relation to the number of full time job gains and job losses in firms assisted by the enterprise development agencies under the aegis of my Department (Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland) in each of the years between 2001 and 2005 (agency data does not distinguish between Waterford city and county). Over the 5 year period there has been a net...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (14 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: I was aware for some time that the company in question was carrying out a strategic review of its operation in Coolock. During the course of the review, the Chairman of the company and the Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Ireland together with senior management from both organisations were in discussions. I understand that the company was concerned about the high level of operating...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (14 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Work Permits Section of my Department have set out a chart indicating the number of new applications filed and the number approved for each month since 1st May 2004. Information on appeals since May 2004 is not readily available, however, the number of appeals received to date in 2006 is 1,000 approximately, of which it is estimated that about 50% have been upheld and 50% rejected. ...

Written Answers — Energy Costs: Energy Costs (14 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: Under the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 (as amended) the Commission for Energy Regulation is the responsible authority for regulating energy prices including the price of electricity and gas. I do not have any function in this area. I would advise the Deputy, however, that it is intended that the forthcoming Bill establishing the new National Consumer Agency (NCA) will include a specific...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (14 Nov 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 369 and 372 together. Of the four Directives overdue for transposition by the official EU Commission deadlines, it is expected that three will be implemented by 31 December 2006 as follows: 1. Council Directive 2001/86/EC supplementing the Statute for a European Company with regard to the involvement of employees Transposition Deadline: 8 October 2004 2....