Results 49,061-49,080 of 51,072 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (25 Jan 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 cost per job sustained in IDA supported companies is calculated by taking into account all IDA Ireland expenditure to all firms in the period of calculation and is calculated using data collated for the Forfás annual employment survey. Only jobs...

Written Answers — County Enterprise Boards: County Enterprise Boards (25 Jan 2006)

Micheál Martin: County and city enterprise boards, CEBs, assist enterprises in the micro-enterprise sector, that is, enterprises with no more than ten employees. The primary role of the CEBs is to develop indigenous enterprise potential by stimulating economic activity and promoting the establishment of micro-enterprises at local level. The average cost per job created by the CEBs in 2004 stands at €4,463...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (25 Jan 2006)

Micheál Martin: The issue of job creation by companies supported by the enterprise development agencies is a day-to-day matter for the relevant agencies, and not one in which I am directly involved. Average cost per job is calculated by taking into account all direct agency expenditure on Enterprise Ireland client companies. Only jobs created during, and sustained at the end of, each seven-year period are...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (25 Jan 2006)

Micheál Martin: I am aware from media reports that a certain scheme or schemes, involving people "gifting" sums of money to other people in the expectation that they would receive multiples of the original sum involved, has been operating in the Cork and Kerry area. I understand the Garda Síochána in County Cork is investigating this scheme under the Pyramid Selling Act 1980. This legislation prohibits...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (25 Jan 2006)

Micheál Martin: The total amount collected by my Department by way of contributions from employees to superannuation schemes for civil servants for each of the years 2003, 2004 and 2005 is set out in the first table below. The figures include payments by established and non-established civil servants to contributory pension schemes and to spouses' and children's pension schemes. Additional voluntary...

Written Answers — Bullying in the Workplace: Bullying in the Workplace (25 Jan 2006)

Micheál Martin: The revised Civil Service policy on harassment, sexual harassment and bullying in the workplace, A Positive Working Environment, which came into effect on 1 September 2005, is the basis for dealing with bullying issues in my Department. This policy, which was launched in October 2005, was circulated to all employees in November 2005. There have been no law cases dealt with or settled in my...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (25 Jan 2006)

Micheál Martin: Performance related awards totalling €141,375 were paid in the year ended 31 December 2005 to 13 individuals who held posts at assistant secretary and deputy secretary level in my Department and some bodies under the aegis of my Department. The awards were made on the basis of a scheme of performance related awards that operates for these grades across the Civil Service and is overseen by...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (25 Jan 2006)

Micheál Martin: It is my Department's policy to consider favourably applications from employers for the renewal of existing work permits, in all sectors, where the employment and immigration conditions pertaining to the issue of the original permit continue to be met by employers.

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (25 Jan 2006)

Micheál Martin: This Government is committed to addressing the needs of those with disabilities and, in particular, to removing the obstacles which make it difficult for people with disabilities to participate in the labour market. Community employment is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons, including those with a...

Written Answers — Public Procurement Policy: Public Procurement Policy (25 Jan 2006)

Micheál Martin: Following publication of the national public procurement policy framework by the Department of Finance in May 2005, which included a proposal that Departments should produce corporate procurement plans, it is the intention of my Department to prepare such a plan during the course of 2006.

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (25 Jan 2006)

Micheál Martin: I am awaiting annual reports for 2004 from two county enterprise boards, the Registrar of Friendly Societies and the NSAI. In regard to the annual reports received from the other bodies under the aegis of my Department, the report submitted by the Employment Appeals Tribunal has not yet been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. However, I understand that this will be done shortly.

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (25 Jan 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 within certain sectors. The sectors for which work permits may not be applied are on the Department website at www.entemp.ie. The working visa and work authorisation scheme was introduced by my Department for designated sectors of the employment market where...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (25 Jan 2006)

Micheál Martin: Employment data in respect of enterprise agency supported firms is collated by Forfás on a calendar year basis, January to December, and accordingly no data is available in respect of 2006. During 2005, 609 full-time jobs were created in enterprise agency assisted firms while 474 were lost, giving a net gain of 135 jobs for the year. Permanent employment in agency assisted companies in...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (25 Jan 2006)

Micheál Martin: The interdepartmental group on Donegal, chaired by the Secretary General of my Department, has met on three occasions. The terms of reference of the group are to: identify the various local issues representing barriers to the establishment and operation of enterprises; take stock of relevant projects and actions already under way or planned; and identify measures that could be taken by the...

Written Answers — Company Closures: Company Closures (25 Jan 2006)

Micheál Martin: The determination of any payments due to creditors of IFI is a matter solely for the liquidator. The position of unsecured creditors can only be determined by the liquidator when all the assets of the company have been realised and all liabilities established. In this regard, I understand the liquidator has made considerable progress in realising the assets of the company and establishing the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (25 Jan 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 773 and 774 together. Executives of IDA Ireland met parent company representatives on 12 January 2006 to discuss the restructuring which is taking place within the company in question. The meeting confirmed the company's commitment to its operations in Arklow and Cherrywood, County Dublin, and to developing sales in the European market. I understand Arklow...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (25 Jan 2006)

Micheál Martin: A range of financial supports and non-financial supports are provided to clients annually by the enterprise development agencies in support of various objectives such as improving competitiveness, improving client export capability, improving research and development and innovation, and improving employee skill levels, all of which combined result in stronger and healthier companies capable...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (25 Jan 2006)

Micheál Martin: The following bodies under the remit of my Department are subject to the full remit of the freedom of information legislation: the Competition Authority, the Office of the Director of Consumer Affairs, the Companies Registration Office, the Office of the Registrar of Friendly Societies, the Patents Office, Forfás, Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Nítrigin Éireann Teoranta, in liquidation,...

EU Services Directive: Motion. (25 Jan 2006)

Micheál Martin: I propose to share time with the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Ahern.

EU Services Directive: Motion. (25 Jan 2006)

Micheál Martin: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Eireann" and substitute the following: "notes: —the importance of services as a component of GDP and employment in the European Union; —that Ireland is now the 14th largest per capita exporter of services in the world, that our total share of world services has increased markedly from 0.38% in 1993 to 2.2% in 2004; and that both our...