Results 48,481-48,500 of 51,015 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Consumer Strategy Report: Consumer Strategy Report (16 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: As I advised the House previously the Consumer Strategy Group Report "Make Consumers Count" was published in May 2005, and to date considerable progress has been made in progressing the Report's recommendations. The Report's core recommendation that a new National Consumer Agency, incorporating the existing Office of the Director of Consumer Affairs, be established was fully accepted by the...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (16 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The tabular statement shows employment figures recorded by the Central Statistics Office from the beginning of 2002 to the end of 2005, which is the latest period for which figures are available. The figures show seasonal fluctuations but overall evince steady growth in employment during the period. Because of seasonal fluctuation, it is not appropriate to compare quarter to quarter. While...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (16 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 279 and 280 together. Shannon Development's 30-acre Information Age Park in Ennis (IAPE), opened on 9th June 2005, is in the very early stages of a long-term development that will provide a High Potential Start Up base for Ennis and County Clare, and which can also accommodate appropriate Foreign Direct Investment companies brought to Ireland by IDA Ireland....

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (16 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: I am informed that FÁS has appointed an additional Employment Services Officer in Co. Clare to offer a dedicated service to the long-term unemployed and other target groups. This service is currently in operation and offering a service throughout the county.

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (16 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The thirty-five County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) were established in 1993 to provide support to small businesses with 10 employees or fewer. Their function is to develop indigenous enterprise potential and to stimulate economic activity at local level. The CEBs support individuals, firms, community groups, provided that the projects have the capacity to achieve commercial viability....

Written Answers — Consumer Strategy Report: Consumer Strategy Report (16 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The report of the Consumer Strategy Group was published in May 2005. The most important recommendation was that a new National Consumer Agency be established. However there were other recommendations which affected consumers' interests. One of these recommendations urged an increase in the number of casual trading licences issued to traders under the Casual Trading Act, 1995. Related to this...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (16 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: I appointed six staff in my Department following my appointment as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in September 2004. These staff members remain in place with the exception of one Personal Assistant who was replaced in September 2005. At present the staff members are as follows: 1 Special Advisor (Mr. Christopher Mannion); 1 Policy Advisor (Ms Deirdre Gillane); 1 Press Advisor...

Written Answers — Casual Trading: Casual Trading (16 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: Selling goods at a place, including a public road, to which the public have access as of right is governed by the Casual Trading Act 1995. Casual trading is regulated by way of by-laws issued under section 6 of the Act by local authorities. There are exemptions to casual trading under Section 2 (2) of the Act. The following activities are exempted from regulation under the Act, (i) selling by...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (11 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: The management of IDA Ireland's industrial property portfolio, including the purchase and disposal of property, is a day-to-day operational matter for the Agency as part of the statutory responsibility assigned to it by the Oireachtas and not a matter in which I have any function. I understand that IDA Ireland is currently at the final stages of negotiations with the owners of the factory...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (11 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: It is Government policy that employers should be able to source their workforce needs from within the European Economic Area, except in cases where high levels of skills and qualifications are required for the job and such skills are not available within this area. An application for a work permit in respect of the individual concerned was received on 3rd April 2006. A decision was made to...

Seanad: Migration Report: Statements. (11 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: It is appropriate that we discuss the report of the Joint Committee on European Affairs on migration today, in the same week in which Europe Day falls. Ireland has been a full and enthusiastic participant in the development of the European Union from the start. We actively contributed to all of the major developments of the Union from economic and monetary union and the euro, to the opening...

Order of Business. (11 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: Better regulation is less regulation.

Order of Business. (11 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Mitchell must be coming back.

Report of the Joint Committee on European Affairs on Migration: Statements. (10 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: I concur with Deputy Ó Snodaigh that challenges exist in the area of social and economic integration which need to be urgently addressed, although we have already made significant progress in that area. While the legislation on work permits pertains to economic migration, it dovetails with the immigration and residence Bill which the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform plans to...

Report of the Joint Committee on European Affairs on Migration: Statements. (10 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: He mentioned Turkey and Bosnia.

Report of the Joint Committee on European Affairs on Migration: Statements. (10 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: Signing and ratifying it brings significant obligations to a country and we would have to examine it in detail. That it has not been ratified since 1999 by EU countries and our own probably tells its own story. It may not be an adequate instrument and may need to be re-examined. The slow take-up and the decision by so many not to ratify may tell a story or open insights on issues to do with...

Report of the Joint Committee on European Affairs on Migration: Statements. (10 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: Deputy Quinn raised the point about pressures on the indigenous markets and asked if we would look at the community employment schemes. We reformed those last year to try to facilitate the continuation of people on community employment programmes. I transferred the social economy scheme to the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs with a view to seeing that as a social support...

Report of the Joint Committee on European Affairs on Migration: Statements. (10 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: County Donegal has a live register of 7% and it is not the only county with high unemployment statistics. Across rural Ireland people ask that we keep the participants on the schemes longer because they cannot get new people to fill them. We are revisiting the CE scheme with FÁS. My one worry is for unskilled workers who may be vulnerable to globalisation and the shift of low-cost...

Report of the Joint Committee on European Affairs on Migration: Statements. (10 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: We must always be careful of the language we use, particularly on migration. Before the last general election the main political parties worked together to keep the lid on that situation. Deputy Quinn would have been involved in that. Life goes on and we must all work together despite temptation. Deputy Andrews asked two "haymakers" and I do not have time to deal with them in terms of my...

Report of the Joint Committee on European Affairs on Migration: Statements. (10 May 2006)

Micheál Martin: I join with Deputies Deasy and Andrews in saying it is timely to be discussing the report of the Joint Committee on European Affairs on migration in the same week in which Europe Day falls. I look forward to the question and answer session as regards some of the issues that have been raised in the context of the report. We in Ireland have been full and enthusiastic participants in the...