Results 48,401-48,420 of 51,015 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The NDP's Employment and Human Resources Development Operational Programme (EHRDOP) is a €15 billion plan that addresses Ireland's labour market and human capital development needs for the period 2000-2006. The budget comprises €892 million of assistance from the European Social Fund (ESF). The EHRDOP comprises 52 measures which are implemented by a variety of Government departments and...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 126 and 132 together. There are currently a total of twenty-nine Directives due to be transposed by this Department. Of these, as at end April 2006, 13 are overdue for transposition and are detailed in the table below. From May 2006 to December 2006 another six Directives require to be transposed. A further ten Directives require to be transposed in 2007 and...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The provision of grant assistance for individual companies, and the related matter of companies refunding grants where appropriate, is a matter for Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland themselves, and not one in which I have a direct function. I have made enquiries with IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland regarding their latest available figures in respect of grant refunds. IDA Ireland report...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: Under the Government's decentralisation programme, FÁS is due to move its head office to Birr, County Offaly. FÁS is one of the seven State agencies identified as early movers by the decentralisation implementation group from among the 30 agencies covered by the programme. A "relocation clause" included in recruitment and promotion contracts has given rise to industrial action by SIPTU. The...

Written Answers — Grocery Industry: Grocery Industry (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: In view of concerns expressed by some contributors to the public consultation process on the Groceries Order last year, I asked the Competition Authority to monitor the sector following the repeal of the Order. The Authority is currently putting in place a monitoring mechanism to track data and trends over the coming months and years and it will keep my Department informed of developments.

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The European Commission's amended proposal was published on 4th April following the European Parliament's first vote on the proposal on the 16th February 2006. The amended proposal is currently being examined in the Council Working Group and COREPER. The Austrian Presidency hopes to have political agreement on the proposal for the Competitiveness Council on 29th and 30th May 2006, although it...

Written Answers — Personal Injuries Assessment Board: Personal Injuries Assessment Board (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: In all, 19,625 cases have been received by the Personal Injuries Assessment Board to date as follows. There are currently 4,886 cases with the PIAB in the 90-day "consent to process" period i.e. PIAB has received a claim and has issued formal notice to the responding party, and is awaiting consent to process from that party. There are a further 4,293 cases in the 9-month statutory assessment...

Written Answers — Company Law: Company Law (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The main company law provisions in Ireland dealing with companies which fail and whose owners re-engage in trading under a new name are addressed under the Companies Acts 1963 to 2005 and in particular under the provisions of the Company Law Enforcement Act 2001. Under the provisions of section 56 of the Company Law Enforcement Act 2001, liquidators of insolvent companies are required to...

Written Answers — Unemployment Levels: Unemployment Levels (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 200 together. The Deputies will be aware that there have been significant employment developments for Donegal recently. In March 2006, I announced the establishment of a new Enterprise Managed Service Centre by AssetCo in Buncrana. The project involves an investment of €5.2 million and will lead to the to the creation of 130 new jobs. Also, in March...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The establishment of a National Consumer Agency, which was the principal recommendation of the Consumer Strategy Group, was fully accepted by the Government. In this regard, I hope to publish the legislation establishing the new Agency later this year and to have the NCA up and running early in 2007. The Deputy will be aware that I appointed a Board to the NCA in June 2005 to act in an...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The following tabular statement provides a county-by-county breakdown of the numbers of participants employed on Community Employment (CE) Schemes by approximately 1,270 CE Sponsor organisations on 1st January 2006. County 1/1/2006 Carlow 328 Cavan 250 Clare 561 Cork 2,165 Donegal 1,115 Dublin 5,798 Galway 1,418 Kerry 932 Kildare 622 Kilkenny 404 Laois 331...

Written Answers — Departmental Investigations: Departmental Investigations (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: Allegations of non-compliance with labour legislation in respect of a major Construction Firm were raised in this House on 8 February, 2005 by Deputy Joe Higgins. Those allegations were that certain non-national construction workers were required to work excessive hours and that such workers were in receipt of pay of between €2.00 and €3.00 per-hour in contravention of the statutory...

Written Answers — Arms Trade: Arms Trade (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The European Security Research Programme is concerned exclusively with civil security. It aims to contribute to the improvement of European citizens' security and to reinforce European technological and industrial potential in this area within the 7th European Research Framework Programme which will commence in 2007. The focus of the Programme includes supporting proposals for protection...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (17 May 2006)

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 temporary, 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...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Forfás Annual Employment Survey records jobs gained and lost in companies supported by the industrial development agencies. Aggregated data is published annually on a county-by-county basis. Individual company data is complied on a confidential basis in this survey and thus details in respect of company job losses and gains cannot be released. The following table provides details of the...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Atlantic Way Group is a movement comprised representatives of key private and public sector bodies, which seeks to maximise the development potential of the West by supporting and promoting best practice in every aspect. Its principal aim is to bring coherence, coordination and a sense of urgency to infrastructural development, excellent technological services, quality employment,...

Written Answers — Grocery Industry: Grocery Industry (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 209 and 210 together. The Groceries Order was in place for many years and was abolished less than 2 months ago. I believe it is much too early at this stage to expect to see any significant impact on the grocery sector. However, I have asked the Competition Authority to monitor the sector and the Authority is currently putting in place a mechanism to track...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Work Permits Section of my Department informs me that there were 24,703 work permits granted, 1,077 work permit applications refused and 3,690 applications pending at the end of the twelve-month period up to 30 April 2006. A table outlining the number of work permit applications processed to a decision, per category, in the twelve-month period up to 30 April 2006 is submitted for the...

Written Answers — Skill Shortages: Skill Shortages (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The most recent FÁS/ESRI Employment and Vacancies Survey indicates that the percentage of firms reporting vacancies in April 2006 was 22%, the highest since 2002. The vacancy level in April 2005 was 7%. The increase was driven by the number of firms in the service, construction and industrial sectors reporting vacancies. The most difficult-to-fill vacancies for the various sectors were:...

Oil Prices. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: I recognise that escalating oil prices affect the cost structure of all sectors of the economy, including household budgets. At approximately $73 a barrel, the price of oil on international markets is now at historically high nominal levels. No oil user, whether industrial, commercial or personal, is immune from the impact of higher prices. Neither do we have any influence over international...