Results 601-620 of 1,279 for speaker:Michael Ahern

Written Answers — Trade Links with Cuba: Trade Links with Cuba (6 Apr 2006)

Michael Ahern: Irish trade with Cuba is marginal and tends to fluctuate considerably. Exports to Cuba in 2005 amounted to €678,000. The principal exports were cork and wood products, and beverages. Imports from Cuba in 2004 amounted to €308,000. The principal imports were fruit and vegetables, tobacco, coffee, tea and cocoa. The table below shows the value of exports and imports between Ireland and Cuba...

Written Answers — Trade Negotiations: Trade Negotiations (5 Apr 2006)

Michael Ahern: Any trade missions led by myself or the Minister, Deputy Martin, are generally organised by Enterprise Ireland. In such cases, that agency contacts its client companies in selected sectors to invite attendance, the type of companies being determined by the focus of the event in question. Enterprise Ireland then arranges a schedule of events for those companies who have decided to participate....

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (4 Apr 2006)

Michael Ahern: Most of the specific measures required to implement Directive 2004/48/EC on the enforcement of intellectual property rights already exist in Irish law but a small number require primary legislation. The proposed Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, which is intended to transpose several EU directives, will include the further provisions needed to complete legal transposition...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (4 Apr 2006)

Michael Ahern: Due to the novelty of an artists' resale right in Irish law and the directive containing various options on how several key provisions are implemented by individual member states, the transposition of EU Directive 2001/84/EC into Irish law requires primary legislation. The proposed Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, which is intended to transpose several EU directives,...

Written Answers — Company Law: Company Law (4 Apr 2006)

Michael Ahern: Under section 381 (1) of the Companies Act 1963, as substituted by section 98 of the Company Law Enforcement Act 2001, it is an offence for any person or persons to trade or carry on business under a name or title which includes the word "limited" or "teoranta" as the last word of the name unless incorporated with limited liability. Such person or persons shall be guilty of an offence under...

Leaders' Questions. (29 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: Why do we not talk about Deputy Stagg's actions?

Leaders' Questions. (29 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: He could blame the Labour Party Members.

Written Answers — Direct Selling Agencies: Direct Selling Agencies (28 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 257 and 258 together. There is already legislation in the area of self-employed commercial agents. In 1986 the European Community adopted Council Directive 86/653 EEC of 18/12/86 obliging member states to give legal protection to self-employed commercial agents. This directive was transposed into Irish law by two statutory instruments, SI No. 33 of 1994 and SI...

Written Answers — National Reform Programme: National Reform Programme (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: The Irish national reform programme brings together a broad range of policies and initiatives to sustain Ireland's strong economic growth and employment performance as part its contribution to the relaunched EU Lisbon Agenda over the period to 2008. It was agreed that Ireland's social partnership process would serve as the Irish national reform partnership under the Lisbon Agenda. The...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: The Law Reform Commission, in its report published in October 2005, recommended that as the current law of corporate liability for manslaughter does not provide a clear basis for constructing liability, a new basis, in legislative form, is necessary. To this end the commission included the draft of a short Bill in its report. The commission also recommended that there should be individual...

Written Answers — Statutory Audits: Statutory Audits (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 47 together. Exemption from statutory audit removes the need for companies to engage an independent external auditor. Following a proposal and recommendation from the task force on small business, audit exemption was first introduced in Ireland under the Companies (Amendment)(No. 2) Act 1999 and came into effect on 21 February 2000 for certain small...

Written Answers — Intellectual Property Rights: Intellectual Property Rights (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: Improved access to medicines is a matter which has been considered and discussed by World Trade Organisation, WTO, members in Geneva in the context of the agreement on trade related aspects of intellectual property rights, known as the TRIPs agreement. Multilateral trade policy, in the context of the formulation and development of the common commercial policy of the European Union, is a...

Written Answers — Intellectual Property Rights: Intellectual Property Rights (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: The current body of Irish legislation in the intellectual property field provides a comprehensive legal framework for the protection and exploitation of such property. However, the field of intellectual property is constantly evolving in response to advances in technology and other developments internationally. My Department is therefore fully alert to the need to keep the present legislation...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 133 together. I would refer the Deputy to the reply I made to similar questions put by him on 7 February 2006. As a small open market economy, exporting over 90% of its GDP, Ireland is hugely dependent on the ability of its exporters to succeed in world markets and has, as a result, fully embraced the global economy. Figures released this week by the...

Written Answers — Export Licensing: Export Licensing (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: My Department is fully seized of the need for oversight and public transparency in the area of export licensing of military and dual use goods. This issue was addressed in the 2004 Forfás review of Ireland's export controls, which recommended that an annual report be laid before the Oireachtas on the licensing and export of military and dual use goods. The new export control legislation...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: Work on drafting the heads of the export control Bill has been completed and consultations with other relevant Departments and agencies are under way. I expect this process to be completed within the next few weeks at which point I will bring it to Government for approval. Allowing for the formalities of drafting the legal texts, I hope to bring the legislation before the House in the autumn.

Job Creation. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: During the period from January 2000 to December 2005, 160 announcements relating to the intended creation of 30,442 new jobs in companies supported by IDA Ireland were made. I am arranging for a statement setting out the names of the companies involved, details of the activity engaged in, location and the number of new jobs announced to be forwarded to the Deputy. During the relevant period,...

Job Creation. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: In 2000, 14,000 extra jobs were created. In 2001 and 2002, there was a fall-off of approximately 4,600. In 2003, the reduction stood at 3,630. In 2004 there was an increase of 197 and of approximately 4,300 in 2005. Multinational companies made regional locations their preference. Out of the total of 71 investments, 46 were located outside of Dublin. Some 50 research and development...

Consumer Protection. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: I am aware of reports of schemes operating in the Cork area whereby people are apparently prepared to hand over amounts of money in the expectation of receiving multiples of that amount in return. The Pyramid Selling Act 1980 prohibits people from inducing other people to participate in pyramid schemes. As the Act only applies to goods and services, there is a legal doubt as to whether the...

Consumer Protection. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: The Minister has acknowledged the necessity for new legislation in the area. The directive is to be introduced in 2007, but the Minister is intent on having legislation in place prior to that date. Media reports of gifting schemes emerged in January 2006. We are aware of a particular scheme taking place in the west Cork region which has expanded to the Cork North Central constituency. The...