Results 49,781-49,800 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Consumer Prices. (28 Sep 2005)

Micheál Martin: The Government does not and will not set prices or act as a price-controlling agency, which is a fundamental principle to which we adhere. However, we can empower the consumer to an extent that has not been done historically. It is somewhat difficult to take the Deputy sincerely having read the deliberations of the Oireachtas joint committee on an issue such as the retail sector. When a...

Consumer Prices. (28 Sep 2005)

Micheál Martin: I certainly did.

Consumer Prices. (28 Sep 2005)

Micheál Martin: In many ways it highlighted a degree of hypocrisy. While the Deputy rails loudly and strongly articulates the issues, when it comes to concrete actions as to how we should address the issues, he comes up very short. The mechanisms we have put in place and the resources we will allocate will address the matter. The Competition Act introduced by my predecessor, the Tánaiste, is quite...

Consumer Prices. (28 Sep 2005)

Micheál Martin: We are not pretending we have a low tax economy. As I said in reply to a previous question, Ireland comes first out of 15 countries, and does well in any international comparison, in terms of low income tax.

Consumer Prices. (28 Sep 2005)

Micheál Martin: With all due respect, the Deputy said I should stop pretending we have a low tax economy.

Consumer Prices. (28 Sep 2005)

Micheál Martin: We have a low tax economy. That is so in respect of any international assessment of Ireland's tax position, be it with regard to corporation tax, which we reduced from 36% to 12.5% since this Government came to power, or with regard to income tax.

Consumer Prices. (28 Sep 2005)

Micheál Martin: We brought in a regulation which deals with issues related to electricity, gas and so on. Setting the market price for any of the utilities does not fall within the ambit of a particular Minister.

Consumer Prices. (28 Sep 2005)

Micheál Martin: Equally, we cannot in some instances compare our position on energy prices with those of our counterparts, given our historic reliance on fossil fuels, 90% of which we import to meet our energy needs.

Unemployment Levels. (28 Sep 2005)

Micheál Martin: Support for job creation and investment is a matter for the industrial development agencies. Under the industrial development Acts I may give general policy directives to IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland but I am precluded from giving directives regarding individual undertakings or from giving preference to one area over others. As the Deputy is aware, I met a delegation from...

Unemployment Levels. (28 Sep 2005)

Micheál Martin: At the meeting in July, which the Deputy as well as Deputies Davern and Hayes and the councillors attended the overriding consideration was the training agenda. It was accepted that up-skilling and a proper skills foundation in the town was the key to future employment capacity and to securing jobs created in the region. It is unacceptable to do what the Deputy has done, which is to put a...

Unemployment Levels. (28 Sep 2005)

Micheál Martin: That is the sensible way forward for the town and for south Tipperary. We must maximise the strengths the area can offer and then market them. That will have a ripple effect in towns such as Carrick-on-Suir and other towns in Clonmel's hinterland. That is what we are doing. It is a sensible strategy. If improvements can be made on the skills front, it will be possible to make inroads into...

Unemployment Levels. (28 Sep 2005)

Micheál Martin: There is a county development board already in place on which——

Unemployment Levels. (28 Sep 2005)

Micheál Martin: ——the industrial agencies are represented. There is no point re-inventing the wheel just for the optics and creating another task force. We do not propose to do so.

Grocery Industry. (28 Sep 2005)

Micheál Martin: The public consultation process which I initiated following the consumer strategy group's recommendation that the groceries order should be revoked generated in excess of 550 submissions. These were received from a wide range of parties, including trade groups, producers, retailers as well as a significant number from the public. All the submissions have been considered and a comprehensive...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (30 Jun 2005)

Micheál Martin: The Forfás employment survey is the authoritative source measuring employment in companies supported by the enterprise development agencies. The employment survey is undertaken on an annual basis and as such, 2004 is the latest and most definitive information available. Enterprise Ireland, EI, and IDA Ireland report the following new jobs being created in County Wexford over the period 1992...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (30 Jun 2005)

Micheál Martin: In my reply to the Deputy's question relating to the number, name, cost, publication date and preparation time for reports published in my Department since 1997, I informed the Deputy that I would forward the requested information to him as soon as it was compiled by officials of my Department. There is a significant amount of work involved in compiling this information, which covers an...

Written Answers — Research Funding: Research Funding (30 Jun 2005)

Micheál Martin: My Department has not commissioned or evaluated such research and has no plans to do so.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (30 Jun 2005)

Micheál Martin: The net Estimate for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment for 2004 was €1,124,471,000. The amount surrendered to Department of Finance at year's end was €55,029,000. Some €34,237,000 of unspent capital expenditure was carried over into 2005 under the terms of the capital investment framework agreement which exists between both Departments.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (30 Jun 2005)

Micheál Martin: To date in 2005, it has been calculated that my Department has spent a sum of €20,783 on the implementation of the provisions of the Official Languages Act 2003. It is estimated that €56,000 will be spent on the Act in 2005.

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (30 Jun 2005)

Micheál Martin: The sectors of the economy in which work permits were issued for each of the past five years are appended for the Deputy's information. Statistics by skill level are not at present compiled.