Results 49,081-49,100 of 51,063 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (14 Dec 2005)

Micheál Martin: I dealt with this at some length on Second Stage yesterday. Following the Competition Act 2002, the law on predatory pricing is much broader and stronger than the words in the text. The Act is designed to be analogous to Articles 81 and 82 of the European Union treaty. European case law supports the analogous provisions to prohibit and punish instances of predatory pricing. I do not want to...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (14 Dec 2005)

Micheál Martin: No. I was referring to the issue the Senator raised in the context of the report.

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (14 Dec 2005)

Micheál Martin: I thank Senators Leyden and Coghlan. I have been very consistent since the public announcement of the abolition of the groceries order and at no stage did I say I would be introducing legislation on predatory pricing. Almost from the date of that announcement we have been saying that there is already express prohibition in existing case law with regard to predatory pricing. Senator Coghlan...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (14 Dec 2005)

Micheál Martin: We dealt with this issue on Second Stage. The language used in section 15B(5), as drafted, is consistent with and replicates language used in section 4 of the Competition Act 2000. If this was amended, as suggested by the Senator, in respect of the new provisions, it would introduce inconsistency into the Competition Act. It is considered that it would also, at a minimum, introduce confusion...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (14 Dec 2005)

Micheál Martin: I think the Senator dealt with amendment No. 7 and not amendment No. 8. Amendment No. 8 reads: "Section 6(1) of the Competition Act 2002 is amended by substituting 'prohibited under section 4(1), section 15B or Article 81 of the Treaty shall be guilty of an offence.'." For clarification purposes, I will deal with amendments Nos. 6 and 8 which seek to criminalise the misdemeanours or the...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (14 Dec 2005)

Micheál Martin: We have definitively come to the view that it would be wrong to go down the criminal route in terms of the range of offences for which we are providing. We looked at this in advance and took advice from the Attorney General, the Parliamentary Counsel and so on and the policy view is that in terms of "hello money" transgressions, advertising transgressions or resale price maintenance, the...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (14 Dec 2005)

Micheál Martin: I discussed this amendment before I came into the House and sought further legal advice. The Bill provides that the Circuit Court and the High Court are the appropriate courts through which people should seek redress. The threshold for damages in the District Court is very low so I cannot see the advantage of going to that court to seek damages or remedies in the event of someone breaking the...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (14 Dec 2005)

Micheál Martin: I appreciate that.

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (14 Dec 2005)

Micheál Martin: That is correct.

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (14 Dec 2005)

Micheál Martin: I stand to be corrected but in the District Court there is an upper limit on damages of €7,000, which is a low threshold given the nature of complaints that could be made in this context. Of course I will reflect on the issues Senator Coghlan raised in the context of the amendments. The Bill will not come before the Dáil until February so there will be an opportunity for reflection. Some...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (14 Dec 2005)

Micheál Martin: I thank Senators for their contributions to the debate on this Bill. Yesterday's Second Stage debate was wide ranging in the classic Seanad manner. There was even an exotic intervention with regard to concerns on the demise of bakers in rural France, a matter which we may investigate some day. This legislation is about bringing greater competition to the domestic economy which, according to...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (13 Dec 2005)

Micheál Martin: The factual position in respect of the former workers of the company mentioned is that 154 of them had been made redundant long before the new rates of redundancy came into effect as and from 25 May 2003. As I understand it, they received substantially more than the then statutory rate in settlement with the company. Thirteen workers, who were made redundant by the liquidator of the company...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (13 Dec 2005)

Micheál Martin: The main purpose of the community employment programme operated by FÁS is to provide work experience and training for the long-term unemployed and disadvantaged groups and thereby enable participants to advance successfully to employment in the open labour market. Following a review of FÁS employment schemes, that is, community employment, job initiative and social economy programmes, on 10...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (13 Dec 2005)

Micheál Martin: The main purpose of the community employment programme operated by FÁS is to provide work experience and training for the long-term unemployed and disadvantaged groups and thereby enable participants to advance successfully to employment in the open labour market. Initially when the community employment programme was introduced in 1994, participation could extend from one year to a maximum...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (13 Dec 2005)

Micheál Martin: The breakdown of the staffing complement of those currently employed in the two Ministers of State offices at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is outlined in the following table. Office of the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for Labour Affairs, Deputy Killeen. Office Staff Departmental Office 1...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (13 Dec 2005)

Micheál Martin: Over the past five years, IDA Ireland has actively encouraged new investment in Donegal in knowledge-based industries. This is part of a focussed strategy to replace the traditional clothing and textile industries that have been declining in the north west in recent years. As Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, my objective is to ensure that Donegal remains a globally competitive,...

Written Answers — Company Closures: Company Closures (13 Dec 2005)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 285 and 286 together. The company in question has received a total of €2.6 million in grant aid since 1983. There is no outstanding grant liability. The company, which was forecasting to grow its business and introduce some research and development activities to its plant, was in discussions with IDA Ireland on supports available for future research and...

Written Answers — Job Initiative: Job Initiative (13 Dec 2005)

Micheál Martin: Details of the funding and its sources received by Ballymun jobs centre in the period 2000 to 2005 are contained in the following table. Local employment service funding. Year Amount â'¬ 2000 278,293 2001 435,050 2002 1,018,240 2003 816,634 2004 870,694 2005 756,238 (ytd) Total funding 4,175,149 Job initiative programme funding at the jobs club. Year Amount ...

Written Answers — Public-Private Partnerships: Public-Private Partnerships (13 Dec 2005)

Micheál Martin: This subject matter does not fall under my Department remit and is more appropriate for my colleague the Minister for Finance. My Department has not entered into any PPP contracts.

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (13 Dec 2005)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Senators for the comprehensive debate on the Bill. They have made a number of points with which I will try to deal separately. It is important that we focus clearly on the subject matter of the Bill, which is about the removal of the groceries order and issues such as "hello money", resale price maintenance, unfair practices and so on. Some Senators, including Senator Leyden,...