Results 49,021-49,040 of 51,299 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (1 Mar 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 — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (1 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: I should point out that the allocation of grants under the community enterprise centre, CEC, scheme is the responsibility of Enterprise Ireland, the agency charged with administering the scheme, and is not a matter in which I have a direct role. I am informed by Enterprise Ireland that in 2000, the agency approved grant support for Bray Community Enterprise Limited towards the building of a...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (1 Mar 2006)

Micheál Martin: The company in question has not returned any grant aid to Enterprise Ireland. Discussions between the agency and the company concerning grant aid are ongoing. Progress is being made and I understand that a conclusion should be reached in the near future. The process involves the consideration of complex legal issues and a final decision will have to be made by the board of Enterprise Ireland....

Written Answers — Departmental Advertising: Departmental Advertising (28 Feb 2006)

Micheál Martin: From 2001 to 2005, my Department incurred expenditure totalling €836,364 on advertisements in national newspapers, broken down as follows: 2001, €219,692; 2002, €154,478; 2003, €103,096; 2004, €122,409; and 2005, €236,689. My Department advertises in the national newspapers, namely, The Irish Times, Irish Independent, Irish Examiner, Sunday Independent, The Sunday Business Post,...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (28 Feb 2006)

Micheál Martin: I was concerned to learn of the job losses at some companies in County Sligo. The priority of the State agencies, which will provide every support they can, will be to find alternative employment for those involved. The full range of services provided by FÁS, particularly retraining and upskilling, is available to the workers. I have been asked by a number of public representatives to meet a...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (28 Feb 2006)

Micheál Martin: I understand negotiations with a potential tenant about the advanced technology building in Enniscorthy are ongoing. I will inform the Deputy of the outcome of the negotiations in due course.

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (28 Feb 2006)

Micheál Martin: I am concerned that the company in question is closing with the loss of 350 jobs. The decision to cease production at Ballivor, which was taken by the parent company, was announced on 21 February 2006. I met representatives of Meath County Council and the State development agencies the following day to discuss the follow-up to the closure announcement. The priority of the State development...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (28 Feb 2006)

Micheál Martin: Eight members of staff who are on the payroll of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment are not currently working in the Department. A principal officer, a higher executive officer and a clerical officer are on secondment to the Ireland's permanent mission in Geneva, an assistant principal is on secondment to Forfás, an administrative officer is on a year-out work experience in...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (28 Feb 2006)

Micheál Martin: The issue of job creation is a matter for the development agencies in question. I have been informed that data on job creation are compiled from the annual employment survey that is carried out by Forfás. I will give figures which indicate the number of jobs created by the client companies of Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland between 2002 and 2005. It should be noted that as the Forfás...

Written Answers — Employment Procedures: Employment Procedures (28 Feb 2006)

Micheál Martin: InterTradeIreland is an all-island trade and business development body that is jointly funded by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Northern Ireland Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. The management of employment procedures at InterTradeIreland is a day-to-day operational matter for the body. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has not...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (22 Feb 2006)

Micheál Martin: The work permits section of my Department refused an application for a work permit in respect of the named non-EEA national on 7 February 2006, on the grounds that the proposed employee was here on a student visa. The employer was notified in writing of the decision. To date there has been no appeal or further correspondence from the employer on the issue. An individual in possession of a...

Written Answers — Training Programmes: Training Programmes (22 Feb 2006)

Micheál Martin: On 11 June 2001, the Further Education and Training Awards Council, FETAC, was set up as a statutory body by the Minister for Education and Science, under the Education and Training Act 1999. This Act is under the remit of the Department of Education and Science. FÁS, the training body under the aegis of my Department does deliver some FETAC accredited training courses. These are broken into...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (22 Feb 2006)

Micheál Martin: IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment, FDI, to Ireland and its regions. The Forfás annual employment survey records jobs gained and lost in companies supported by the industrial development agencies. Data are compiled on an annualised basis and there are no figures available in respect of 2006. The following table shows the...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (22 Feb 2006)

Micheál Martin: A breakdown of employment figures by area within the Dublin region in companies assisted by IDA and Enterprise Ireland is not available. Based on figures supplied to Forfás by IDA and Enterprise Ireland, the following table shows gross full-time jobs created in client companies of these agencies in County Dublin for the years 2002 to 2005. For county enterprise board assisted companies,...

Labour Affairs: Motion (Resumed). (22 Feb 2006)

Micheál Martin: I am delighted to participate in this debate, which is about several important issues that fall within my responsibility and that of my colleague, Deputy Killeen, Minister of State with responsibility for labour affairs. Deputy Killeen has given the House a detailed account of measures introduced by this Government to secure and improve employment standards and the quality of our work. I do...

Labour Affairs: Motion (Resumed). (22 Feb 2006)

Micheál Martin: The integrated response is a good one in terms of enterprise, trade and employment. These are inter-related issues. It is extraordinary that a motion of this type, particularly in terms of its incredible negativity, is such a distance from reality. Some 94,000 jobs were created in the economy last year and people want to break up the Department that is responsible for enterprise. I am not...

Labour Affairs: Motion (Resumed). (22 Feb 2006)

Micheál Martin: Does the State, through the Labour Relations Commission, the Labour Court, the Employment Appeals Tribunal, the Equality Tribunal and the civil courts, not seek to ensure compliance by employers and to provide effective means of redress in cases of non-compliance? In this area, as in other aspects of our provisions, the Irish framework reflects the provisions of the broader EU social...

Labour Affairs: Motion (Resumed). (22 Feb 2006)

Micheál Martin: I want to draw attention to Articles 6 and 7 of the UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights cited in the motion. Article 6 deals with the right to work freely and avail of vocational guidance and training. Article 7 deals with the right to paid work with fair and safe conditions and with special regard to equal pay for equal work. Article 8 deals with the right to...

Labour Affairs: Motion (Resumed). (22 Feb 2006)

Micheál Martin: I must invite the House to consider if we live in a society which does not uphold the principles and secure the rights set out in the preceding paragraphs. Is it really suggested that we live in a society which does not enjoy full employment, together with vocational guidance and access to training?

Labour Affairs: Motion (Resumed). (22 Feb 2006)

Micheál Martin: It is not true. The Deputy's position is wrong, and factually incorrect. Do we not inhabit a State in which workers enjoy free collective bargaining, social partnership arrangements, a very active and well funded Health and Safety Authority and a solid corpus of equality legislation supported by a dedicated Equality Authority and Equality Tribunal? With regard to trades unions, not only do...