Results 48,681-48,700 of 51,063 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (25 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: In 2006, my Department allocated a total of €417.796 million for training and development purposes through a number of its agencies. The allocation for the FÁS training and integration supports programme, which includes training for the employed and unemployed, amounts to €382.796 million. There was also a training element of €11 million included in the allocation for the FÁS...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (25 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: No task forces have been set up in recent years arising from job losses in particular areas. The practice of establishing task forces has changed since the establishment of the county development boards. Rather than establishing a further layer by creating task forces, the relevant CDB is now seen as the body that is best placed to oversee any additional response that is required over and...

Written Answers — National Spatial Strategy: National Spatial Strategy (25 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 434 and 435 together. Overall responsibility for leading on the implementation of the national spatial strategy, NSS, rests with my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche. In so far as enterprise development is concerned, the designation of Cavan and Monaghan as hub towns should have a positive impact on their...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (25 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: The administration of the community enterprise centre, CEC, scheme is a day-to-day matter for Enterprise Ireland and not one in which I am directly involved. Enterprise Ireland advertised the 2006 CEC scheme in a public call for proposals in the national press on 19 and 20 January 2006. The closing date for receipt of applications is 27 April 2006. As this is a competitive scheme, there is no...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (25 Apr 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 — Legal Services: Legal Services (25 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: The information sought by the Deputy relating to my Department and its offices is set out in the tables. 2004 Name of Legal Adviser Purpose of Advice Total Cost for Year â'¬ Amárach Consulting Research conducted into the Legal Framework as a barrier to online trading 42,350 Una Tighe Barrister Technical legal advice provided in the drafting of secondary...

Written Answers — Legal Services: Legal Services (25 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: The recruitment of staff, including legal advisers and other qualified legal personnel, by the State bodies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for the bodies concerned. While I retain responsibility for policy issues, I am not responsible for the day-to-day operational activities of these bodies, which are statutorily independent. However, I am informed by the bodies...

Written Answers — Legal Services: Legal Services (25 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: The following is the position with regard to the number of legal advisers employed by the Department and the offices of the Department. It is not the practice of my Department to disclose the names of civil servants. The legal adviser employed by the Department in the company law area was recruited following a recommendation made in the report of the working group on company law compliance...

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (6 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: I am informed by FÁS that a total of €75,210 in respect of redundancy payments was provided to Clare local employment service in 2005.

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (6 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: My Department is carrying out a survey to ascertain the number of staff who would be able to provide services through Irish, and also to identify the level of written and spoken Irish language proficiencies within the Department. Therefore, I am unable to provide the Deputy with an exact figure at this juncture. While the survey is being carried out in advance of my Department being notified...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (5 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 199 to 206, inclusive, together. IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to Ireland and its regions. The marketing of individual areas for new or expansion FDI investments and jobs is a day-to-day operational matter for the agency. While I may give general policy directives to the agency, I am...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (5 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: As I have indicated in response to previous Dáil questions, following detailed consultations with the board of Shannon Development, other stakeholders and regional interests, on 28 July last I announced my decision on a future mandate for the company. Under the terms of the new mandate, Shannon Development is being given a more focused regional economic remit that will complement the roles...

Written Answers — Markets Regulation: Markets Regulation (5 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: I assume the Deputy is referring to the position of markets under the Casual Trading Act 1995. That Act regulates trading in public places and is operated by local authorities which use their powers to make by-laws under the Act to regulate such activity. Under the Act, a "market right" is defined as "a right conferred by franchise or statute to hold a fair or market, that is, a concourse of...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (4 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: Following a review of FÁS employment schemes — community employment, job initiative and social economy programmes — I announced on 10 November 2004 that the three year cap for participants on community employment was being raised to six years for those over 55 years, to ensure the maintenance of essential community services particularly in rural areas, where it had been found that...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: Responsibility for grant assistance to companies is an operational matter for the relevant development agencies; IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, the city and county enterprise boards, Intertrade Ireland and Shannon Development. As part of their due diligence concerning applications for grants, agencies seek to ensure that clients operate to best practice standards in all aspects of their...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (4 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: Directive 2004/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 on measuring instruments is due to be transposed by the 30 April 2006. The provisions of the directive will become operational on 30 October 2006, and I expect that this directive will be transposed into national legislation by that date.

Written Answers — Equal Opportunities Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (4 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: My Department currently exceeds the 3% target for the employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service, with 4.2% of staff recorded as having a disability. In addition, my Department is to participate in the willing able mentoring project this summer. This project, which is administered by the Association of Higher Education Access and Disability, aims to provide graduates with...

Written Answers — EU Conventions: EU Conventions (4 Apr 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions 323 and 324 together. Ireland has been party to the European Patent Convention since 1992 and our law reflects its Article 52 criteria on the patentability of inventions. The convention makes it clear that computer programmes, as such, cannot be patented but it is important to note that this does not extend to so-called "computer implemented inventions". These are...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (30 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: The work permits section of my Department will consider granting an employer a work permit for highly skilled and highly paid positions and applications in respect of farriers would have to meet that criteria. The section does not keep figures on the number of work permits issued in respect of specific employment positions at present. FÁS runs a foundation in farrier training local training...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (30 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos.167 and 168 together. Legislation transposing the unfair commercial practices directive must be adopted by 12 June 2007 and applied by 12 December 2007. I hope to introduce a Bill in the last quarter of the year that will transpose the directive, update and consolidate the domestic legislation within its domain and establish the national consumer agency. No...