Results 48,461-48,480 of 51,063 for speaker:Micheál Martin

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...

Oil Prices. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: That is overly simplistic. There is absolutely no guarantee that any move on that front would find its way back to the consumer.

Oil Prices. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: It could not be enforced, and the Deputy should not try to pretend it could.

Oil Prices. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: With the bulk of our excise rates we compare very favourably with the UK. The ultimate sustainable position for the country with regard to competitiveness, in terms of responding to the global scenario, is to change behaviour and significantly shift policy. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, made very significant tax reliefs available in the last budget with regard to alternative motor...

Oil Prices. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: That is an example of the creative fiscal measures that ultimately add much more to the competitiveness of the economy.

Oil Prices. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: It is a more sophisticated response——

Oil Prices. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: ——to the issue of global difficulties in terms of oil supply and refining than a measure suggested by the Deputy, which has no guarantee with regard to follow through or downstream impact.

Oil Prices. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: On the surface it sounds popular and simple, but in reality the Deputy knows it is very different.

Oil Prices. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy is a former Minister——

Oil Prices. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: I will speak of a simple item, the price of a pint.

Oil Prices. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: For a decade, year after year——

Oil Prices. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy should hear me out. Year after year there was no increase in the price of a pint in the budget, going back to when the Taoiseach was Minister for Finance. Did that stop the price of a pint going up? It did not. The Deputies know this.

Oil Prices. (17 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: Before an election, for three or four months, there was a maximum prices order.