Results 621-640 of 1,279 for speaker:Michael Ahern

Decentralisation Programme. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: The Department is required to move 250 posts to Carlow under the Government's decentralisation programme. In addition, four of the agencies under the aegis of the Department are due to decentralise as follows: FÁS is to move 383 posts to Birr, County Offaly, Enterprise Ireland is to move 292 posts to Shannon, the Health and Safety Authority is to move 110 posts to Thomastown and the National...

Decentralisation Programme. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: The FÁS head office relocation, involving approximately 400 staff, to Birr, County Offaly, has a target date of Easter 2009. The negotiations for the purchase of a site in Birr are at an advanced stage. In addition to the 67 or so first preference CAF applications from across the civil and public service, to date 71 FÁS staff have signalled their agreement to transfer to Birr. However, as...

Decentralisation Programme. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: I have good news for Deputy Hogan. In the case of Thomastown, as he will be aware, there are 110 posts moving to Thomastown. To date, 62 people have expressed an interest in transferring to Thomastown. The authority has been advised by OPW that as the site procurement is in the final stages, the current time-line for availability for occupancy is mid 2008. Between now and then, the authority...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (21 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: At present, annual returns for companies can be filed wholly electronically in the Companies Registration Office. However, it is necessary to use a software package to avail of that facility. A recent development is that companies have been able to appoint electronic filing agents since 1 December 2005. The further development of the on-line annual return facility is at an advanced stage and...

Written Answers — Patents Office: Patents Office (21 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: The Patents Office has provided on-line searchable access to the Patents Office Journal via its website at www.patentsoffice.ie since November 2002. Since December 2002, it has also been possible for the public to access and search on-line the office's patent, trademark and design registers and databases free of charge, via the office's website. On 15 December 2004, the office implemented its...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (21 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: Maintaining Ireland's attractiveness as a competitive and profitable European location from which to do business is a key priority for the Government, and the Department's enterprise support policies clearly reflect that commitment. Our economy is undergoing fundamental change, and while we are no longer a location of choice for basic, low-value-added manufacturing investment, we have...

Leaders' Questions. (7 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: Hear, hear.

Company Closures. (1 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: I thank Deputy Devins for raising this matter. I was very concerned to hear that Saehan Media Ireland Limited, Sligo, has announced that it will close with the loss of 70 permanent and 22 temporary jobs at the end of April 2006. The decision was communicated to the employees on the 17 February last, at which time the company requested employee representatives to enter into consultations on...

Company Closures. (1 Mar 2006)

Michael Ahern: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I was very disappointed to hear that NEC Semiconductors Ireland Limited based in Ballivor, County Meath, had announced on 21 February that it was closing, with the loss of 350 jobs. The decision to cease production at Ballivor was taken by NEC's parent company in Japan. On 22 February, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment met...

Decentralisation Programme. (28 Feb 2006)

Michael Ahern: I am sure he will be more exact than the Deputy was in his remark about exports last week.

Job Losses. (22 Feb 2006)

Michael Ahern: I am glad to hear the Fine Gael Deputy is supportive of the decentralisation process.

Job Losses. (22 Feb 2006)

Michael Ahern: It is happening. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter on the Adjournment. It has also been brought to our attention by the Minister, Deputy Coughlan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Gallagher. There is a united front in Donegal South-West on this matter. I learnt with grave disappointment of the recent decision by Magee Clothing Limited to cease manufacturing at its Donegal facility...

Road Safety. (22 Feb 2006)

Michael Ahern: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I am speaking on behalf of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, who is unable to attend. I assure the Deputy that the Minister and I are conscious of the continuing distress that this tragic incident is causing the family of Ms McDaid. The Minister has received representations from the family and has corresponded with them recently....

Labour Affairs: Motion (Resumed). (22 Feb 2006)

Michael Ahern: He started in Fianna Fáil.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Feb 2006)

Michael Ahern: The Deputy has a PhD in that.

Finance Bill 2006: Second Stage (Resumed). (8 Feb 2006)

Michael Ahern: Money-laundering and such.

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (7 Feb 2006)

Michael Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 140, 327 and 334 together. Ireland's economic growth and development is built, to a significant degree, upon the export activities of Irish based companies. The global economy, which Ireland has fully embraced for the betterment of all export orientated firms and their employees, offers immense opportunities for Irish companies with a small domestic market....

Written Answers — Anti-Competitive Practices: Anti-Competitive Practices (7 Feb 2006)

Michael Ahern: While I am aware of recent media reports of allegations of anti-competitive practices in the cement industry, I have had no formal communications in the matter nor has my Department had any communication with the EU Commission. The Competition Authority is an independent statutory body responsible for the enforcement of competition law in the State and I have no day to day involvement in the...

Written Answers — Trade Liberalisation: Trade Liberalisation (7 Feb 2006)

Michael Ahern: The agreement reached in Hong Kong provides for a continuation of negotiations across the full spectrum of areas within the Doha Development Agenda, with a recommendation of a deadline of concluding the negotiations successfully in 2006. The Hong Kong ministerial meeting progressed important objectives including that of agreeing a package of measures of benefit, in particular, to least...

Written Answers — Trade Liberalisation: Trade Liberalisation (7 Feb 2006)

Michael Ahern: Since adoption of the WTO July 2004 Framework Agreement, WTO members have focused their attention on non-tariff barriers, NTBs, in recognition of the fact that they are an integral and important part of the non-agricultural market access, NAMA, negotiations under the Doha Development Agenda. The recent Sixth World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference, in Hong Kong, noted that the WTO...