Results 50,461-50,480 of 51,089 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (15 Feb 2005)

Micheál Martin: I am informed by FÁS that the information being sought by the Deputy is complex and requires a considerable amount of time to collate. At present FÁS is in the process of examining its records to establish the circumstance where statutory redundancy has been paid to participants on community employment, CE, schemes. There is a high throughput each year on CE schemes of between 7,000 and...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (15 Feb 2005)

Micheál Martin: Data on job creation are compiled from an annual employment survey carried out by Forfás. The table below indicates the number of jobs created by the client companies of Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland in the period 2000-03. Definitive results for 2004 will not be available until mid-2005. Preliminary figures for 2004 indicate that client companies of Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (15 Feb 2005)

Micheál Martin: IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for attracting foreign direct investment, FDI, to Ireland, its regions and areas, while Enterprise Ireland has primary responsibility for supporting indigenous industry. My Department will provide funding of €149.073 million to IDA Ireland for 2005. This figure includes an amount of €2.5 million from the national training fund. My...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (15 Feb 2005)

Micheál Martin: The centre in question runs a community employment project, CE, which is funded by FÁS. I am informed by FÁS that it will assist the centre to find alternative affordable premises. It is the practice of FÁS to provide a standard payment to sponsors of CE projects. This is based on the number of participants and supervisors. In addition, a contribution is given towards the costs of...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (10 Feb 2005)

Micheál Martin: The work permit section of my Department took a decision to refuse this application on the basis that it is not a highly paid or highly skilled job. Since the accession of the ten new member states, employers should look to the wider EU to source their future labour needs. The employer has been informed of this in writing and also notified of his right to appeal. To date no such appeal has...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (10 Feb 2005)

Micheál Martin: The work permit section of my Department recently wrote to the above named employer seeking additional information in order that these permits can be processed. To date this information has not been received.

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (10 Feb 2005)

Micheál Martin: The information the Deputy requires is contained in Table 1 and Table 2. In the aftermath of EU enlargement, it is Government policy that employers should be able to source nearly all of their workforce needs from within the EU. Accordingly, only in cases where exceptional levels of skill and qualifications are needed for the job, and the employer has made meaningful attempts to find EEA...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (10 Feb 2005)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 174 and 175 together. A work permit is granted to an employer in respect of a specified employee and job vacancy, where the employer can demonstrate that the vacancy cannot be filled from within the wider European Economic Area, EEA. The EEA comprises the 25 member states of the EU, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Apart from the renewal of...

Written Answers — Industrial Development: Industrial Development (10 Feb 2005)

Micheál Martin: The 35 city and county enterprise boards, which were established nationally in 1993, provide a source of support for small businesses with ten employees or fewer. The function of the boards is to develop indigenous enterprise potential and to stimulate economic activity at local level. The boards provide a single point of contact at local level for new and established small businesses....

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (9 Feb 2005)

Micheál Martin: The allocation of grants under the community enterprise centre, CEC, scheme is the responsibility of Enterprise Ireland, the agency charged with administering the scheme, and not a matter in which I have a direct role. I am informed by Enterprise Ireland that no grants were approved under the CEC scheme in 2004. The most recent CEC scheme was the community enterprise centre 2002 scheme under...

Written Answers — Price Inflation: Price Inflation (9 Feb 2005)

Micheál Martin: The Government recognises the importance of this issue as reflected in the anti-inflation provisions in the Sustaining Progress partnership agreement which are being followed up and monitored by a group, chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, on which my Department is represented. Empowered consumers seeking the best value possible when making purchasing decisions are a vital part of...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (9 Feb 2005)

Micheál Martin: A work permit is granted to an employer in respect of a specified employee and job vacancy, where the employer can demonstrate that the vacancy cannot be filled from within the wider European Economic Area, EEA. The EEA comprises the 25 member states of the EU, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Apart from the renewal of existing permits, which now constitute the bulk of...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (9 Feb 2005)

Micheál Martin: The person referred to made an application for a work authorisation on 27 January to the Consulate General of Ireland in San Francisco. Her application was incomplete, thus it was returned to her by express post on 31 January for completion.

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (8 Feb 2005)

Micheál Martin: My Department has been making good progress in implementing its decentralisation programme and has been selected for inclusion among the organisations listed as the potential "early movers" of the decentralisation programme. Under the decentralisation programme, approximately 300 core staff from my Department will be relocated to Carlow. As required by the third report of the decentralisation...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (8 Feb 2005)

Micheál Martin: Programmes to promote innovation and industrial employment have been operating for many years, notably the programmes of the industrial development agencies, but also broader measures to promote competitiveness, entrepreneurship and productivity and a business-friendly environment in general. They have been instrumental in achieving the strong employment growth of recent years. This includes...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (8 Feb 2005)

Micheál Martin: IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment, FDI, to Ireland and its regions. While I may give general policy directives to IDA Ireland, I am precluded under the Industrial Development Acts from giving directives regarding individual undertakings or giving preference to one area over others. Data on job creation are compiled from an...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (8 Feb 2005)

Micheál Martin: The announcement by the company that it is to close its Donegal Parian facility is disappointing and particularly devastating for the workers and families directly affected. The role of FÁS, the State training agency, will be particularly important in assisting those who are to lose their jobs. FÁS will make its full range of services available to the workforce, including advice and...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (8 Feb 2005)

Micheál Martin: The issue of job creation is a day-to-day operational matter for the industrial development agencies and relevant county enterprise boards and not one in which I have a direct role. IDA Ireland informs me that it is actively marketing north Cork as a potential location for new foreign direct investment, FDI, through its network of local and overseas offices to secure new investment and...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (8 Feb 2005)

Micheál Martin: IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment, FDI, to Ireland and its regions. While I may give general policy directives to the agency, I am precluded under the Acts from giving directives regarding individual undertakings or from giving preference to one area over others. I understand the agency is actively marketing Youghal,...

Written Answers — Regional Development: Regional Development (8 Feb 2005)

Micheál Martin: There have been a number of developments that will impact on the mid-west region and the roles of the respective State agencies operating there, the most significant of which are: the proposed relocation of the headquarters of Enterprise Ireland, involving 300 of the agency's Dublin based staff to Shannon, as part of the Government decentralisation programme; the establishment of an...