Results 50,401-50,420 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Economic Competitiveness. (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: I will not suggest I can solve global energy issues.

Economic Competitiveness. (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: My reach does not extend that far. I accept the strategic points raised by the Deputy. We can support alternative energy sources by the provision of investment across Departments. Other Departments have greater responsibility on this issue. I am interested in supporting research into energy conservation and the development of products and services, in the workplace and elsewhere, that would...

Consumer Strategy Group. (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: The consumer strategy group presented its final report to me on 2 March 2005. The report contains more than 30 recommendations involving a variety of Departments and agencies. I am currently considering the report and its recommendations in conjunction with my colleagues in Government. I expect to publish the report and to announce my plans to progress the recommendations in the coming weeks.

Consumer Strategy Group. (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: When a report comes to Government it should be seriously considered and there are significant recommendations in the report that require a collective Government response. I want to be in a position when the report is published to indicate the Government's position on a number of headline issues. There are around 30 recommendations, some of which can be progressed over time. The report...

Consumer Strategy Group. (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: It has been presented to Cabinet and is being deliberated on at Cabinet level. It is still on the Cabinet agenda. That is normal; we cannot expect Cabinet to endorse reports on the nod. People want to interrogate the proposals and will have perspectives on them. It is being seriously considered. Only last week, the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Ahern, introduced the Investment Funds,...

Consumer Strategy Group. (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: Some public commentators tried to make that point recently but they were being disingenuous. This Bill covers a broad tranche of consumer legislation at the behest of the Director of Consumer Affairs. All of the Acts I listed are affected by the increase in penalties and fines. In no way, however, can that be interpreted as an indication of the Government's position on retaining or abolishing...

Consumer Strategy Group. (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: We increased the fines across a raft of consumer legislation. That is standard practice for any existing legislation. It does not indicate anything. The Attorney General has advised that in the event of repealing the Groceries Order, primary legislation would be required. That option will be considered once the Government deals with the Groceries Order.

Consumer Strategy Group. (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: It is common practice.

Job Losses. (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: I was disappointed to hear of the recent decision by the company in question to cease production at its Ennis-based manufacturing facility. The company employs 44 permanent and 87 temporary staff in its manufacturing operation and I understand the positions will be phased out over a 12 to 18 month period. The European sales and marketing team of 15 staff, which is also based in Ennis, is not...

Job Losses. (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy has correctly identified that Ennis is a growth town, which it would not be if it were not a vibrant and attractive location.

Job Losses. (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: It continues to grow as a genuine location for investment. Considerable restructuring is ongoing in the economy in the profiles of jobs and the sectors in which employment is growing and declining. The services sector is an obvious one in which there has been continued growth in employment. While there have been job losses in certain traditional areas, there have been job increases across the...

Job Losses. (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: A considerable programme of investment in Ennis has been implemented across a range of Departments.

Job Losses. (20 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: Investment in fixed infrastructure leads ultimately to the attraction of jobs to an area and economic growth. The Deputy mentioned the information age park, which is a very significant investment for Ennis which, the Deputy will agree, will constitute a significant factor in the attraction of overseas and indigenous investment to the town. The Government's investment strategy includes the...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (19 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: On foot of a review of FÁS employment schemes, which included detailed consultations with the social partners, I decided that with effect from 10 November 2004, the three year cap would be removed for community employment, CE, participants aged 55 or over. This category of participants is now eligible to participate on CE for a maximum of six years. The extension of the participation period...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (19 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: The FÁS safe pass programme is self-financing. In addition to the existing staff administrative costs of managing the scheme, FÁS has this year allocated a further €400,000 to produce approximately 80,000 safe pass cards for construction workers and €100,000 to update the safe pass programme.

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (19 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: The National Employment Service, NES, consists of two strands, the FÁS employment service and the local employment service, LES. The objective of the LES is to focus on the provision of services to the most disadvantaged. The allocation of funding to specific schemes and services is a matter for the board of FÁS. As part of the overall allocation of €50.8 million for staff and overheads...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (19 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: As part of the Government's decentralisation programme, 132 staff of the National Standards Authority of Ireland, NSAI, are to relocate from Glasnevin, Dublin to Arklow, County Wicklow. While the NSAI was not identified as an "early mover" in the most recent report of the decentralisation implementation group published on 19 November, 2004, the authority has, in accordance with the...

Written Answers — Discovery Orders: Discovery Orders (19 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: I did not ignore the High Court Order in question. The terms of the discovery order were fulfilled by my Department in the time frame set out. The preparation of the affidavit is a matter for the Chief State Solicitor's office. The affidavit has been drafted by that office and was sworn by my Department yesterday. The affidavit is now in the process of being filed.

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (19 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: The following tabular statement shows the number of first time visits made to the north west region by IDA Ireland client companies in the years 2003 and 2004. On 31 March 2005, it was announced that 423 jobs were to be created in the north west region in IDA supported companies, 300 in Toucan, the consumer telecoms business of IDT Corporation, at its new customer service centre in Sligo and...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (19 Apr 2005)

Micheál Martin: The statutory mandates of the enterprise agencies under my remit are targeted on manufacturing and internationally traded services, and not on product development. Job creation in the tourism and tourism-related service sectors is, in the first instance, a matter for my colleague the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism and the agencies under his remit. Therefore, there are currently no plans...