Results 50,341-50,360 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: The Government would welcome a debate about the proposed directive, on which discussions are continuing in the Council working group and in the European Parliament. My Department gave a presentation on the draft directive to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business on 5 March, but the views of all Deputies on this important proposal would be particularly welcome. My...

Written Answers — Unemployment Levels: Unemployment Levels (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: Support for job creation and investment on a regional or local basis comes within the remit of the industrial development agency IDA Ireland, which is actively marketing individual areas as a location for additional foreign direct investment, and Enterprise Ireland, which is concentrating on the development of indigenous industries, with the 35 city and county enterprise boards, or CEBs,...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: The following tabular statement sets out details regarding my private office: Name Title Function Full-time/ part-time Terms of Contract Remuneration (Per annum) â'¬ Deirdre Gillane Policy Adviser To provide advice and assistance to Minister. Full-time The appointment is strictly temporary and will terminate not later than the date on which I cease to hold office. 81,431...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: Details sought by the Deputy in respect of persons in the specified categories who were in the employment of the offices of Ministers and Ministers of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment during the calendar year 2004 are as follows:

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: The small and medium sized enterprise sector is supported and encouraged by the Government's active and constant pursuit and promotion of an economic environment that is supportive of entrepreneurial activity, combined with a wide range of targeted interventions by various State enterprise development agencies. The strong focus of many of the interventions, particularly those involving...

Written Answers — Job Protection: Job Protection (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: I reiterate that the decision to provide support to a particular company is an administrative matter for the agency concerned and not one in which I have a direct function. The 140 Enterprise Ireland supported companies mentioned in my previous reply are located in east Cork. As the Forfás employment survey for 2004 has now become available, I can provide the most recent data. In 2004, there...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: IDA Ireland has statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to all regions and areas of Ireland. While I may give general policy directives to IDA Ireland, I am precluded under legislation from giving directives about individual undertakings or giving preference to one area over others. As I stated in my reply of 16 December last, I understand from IDA Ireland...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: Some 200 people, including 20 participants from Youghal and Cobh, participated in training programmes organised by the south Cork county enterprise board in 2003 and 2004. The board operates clinics every month in Youghal and Cobh. The training and other soft supports provided to micro-enterprises by the county enterprise boards are designed to assist new and existing enterprises in improving...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 226 and 230 together. IDA Ireland has statutory responsibility for attracting foreign direct investment to all regions and areas of Ireland. Under the Industrial Development Acts, I may give general policy directives to the agency but I am precluded from giving directives about individual undertakings or giving preference to one area over others. One of the...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 227 and 228 together. IDA Ireland has statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to all regions and areas of Ireland. While I may give general policy directives to IDA Ireland, I am precluded under legislation from giving directives about individual undertakings or giving preference to one area over others. The table that follows...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: The management of IDA Ireland's industrial property portfolio is a day-to-day operational matter for the agency. I do not have a direct function in that regard. From inquiries I have made of the agency, I understand that IDA Ireland's lands at Castledermot — approximately 1.39 hectares, Monasterevin — approximately 2.5 hectares and Kildare town — approximately 4.6 hectares, were...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: Employment data is not provided in a format that differentiates between types of employment or salary levels. In the past few years, conditions in the global economy have been difficult, and Irish firms have had to win business against a backdrop of difficult external demand conditions, pricing pressures and an increasingly competitive international environment. These factors have affected...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: A total of 13,928 valid work permit applications were received from 1 October 2004 to 31 March 2005. In that period, 14,967 applications were granted and 869 were refused. These figures include applications which were received prior to 1 October 2004. There are currently 1,252 applications being processed.

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 and 237 together. The National Competitiveness Council in its annual competitiveness report 2004 mentioned the issue of insurance costs in Ireland. The NCC's commentary was based on data published by Swiss Re sigma. This information, based on 2003 figures, depicts insurance premiums per capita for non-life insurance for 16 countries and includes both motor...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: The following tabular statement sets out the number of new jobs created in IDA supported companies in each of the years 1998 to 2004. Total employment in the IDA portfolio is now just short of 129,000. There was a slight increase in employment in 2004 reversing the downward trend of the previous three years. Significantly, employment in 2004 is over 9% higher than at the end of 1998. It is...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: Ireland's economy is undergoing fundamental change, which is affecting all sectors of our economy. Ireland can no longer be seen as a low cost location for investment as our strengths and competitive advantages have inexorably changed. High output and productivity together with high returns to labour in the form of wages, salaries and better living standards now typify Ireland's economy....

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: The work permit section of my Department has indicated that the permits in question have been refused. The employer was informed in writing of the decision and of his right to appeal the decision. An appeal has been received and is currently under consideration. It is anticipated that a decision from the work permits section will be posted to the employer within seven days.

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment, FDI, to Ireland, including its regions and areas. I understand the Deputy's question relates to an advance factory. I have been informed by IDA Ireland that it does not have an advance factory at the location indicated by the Deputy. However, IDA did construct a building at Woodstock...

Work Permits. (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: Most of our labour force requirements can be met from within the European economic area, which comprises the 25 member states, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. A work permit is granted to an employer in respect of a specified employee and job vacancy where the employer can demonstrate that a vacancy cannot be filled from within the EEA. Apart from the renewal of existing...

Work Permits. (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy is making reasonable points. The key issue in the legislation that is now pending is how we accommodate the Deputy's concerns in terms of enhancing the empowerment of the employee in the relationship between employer and employee in the context of a work permit. Traceability is an important factor in terms of the protection of an employee. This is something we will probably discuss...