Results 6,641-6,660 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Departmental Grants: Departmental Grants (25 Nov 2008)

Mary Coughlan: There are no specific grants available from my Department in relation to sustainable energy. Financial and non-financial assistance may be available through Country Enterprise Boards (CEB) to projects meeting the standard requirements, though such assistance is more generally provided to projects in the manufacturing or internationally traded service sectors. However, any viable business...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (25 Nov 2008)

Mary Coughlan: FÁS currently offers three courses specifically aimed at redundant craft workers who have lost their jobs as a result of the downturn in the construction sector. These courses are all related to training in the field of sustainable energy and are at present available at FÁS centres in Dublin and Cork. Each course is for one week's duration and is designed to accommodate 12 students at a...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (25 Nov 2008)

Mary Coughlan: My Department's two main training providers with responsibility for the provision of training courses to upskill those in the work force are FÁS and Skillnets. FÁS training centres offer a wide range of evening class programmes for employed persons that allow them to enhance their skills and prepare for progression to higher level roles and occupations. A full list of course titles is...

Written Answers — Polasaí Fiontair: Polasaí Fiontair (25 Nov 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Tá sí mar aidhm ag Straitéis Fiontair an Rialtais forbairt gheilleagair eolas-bhunaithe a chur chun cinn ionas gur féidir leis an tír dul in iomaíocht go náisiúnta agus go hidirnáisiúnta araon d'infheistíocht dhíreach iasachta agus d'fhorbairt comhlachtaí áitiúla. Tá sé mar chroílár na straitéise seo infheistiú inár ndaoine agus a chinntiú go bhfuil na scileanna acu...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (25 Nov 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The information requested by the Deputy in so far as my Department is concerned is set out in the table. My Department operates to detailed guidelines when commissioning outside expertise from our consultancy or research budgets. In that regard, the figures provided relate to consultancies as defined in the Department of Finance December 2006 "Guidelines for the Engagement of Consultants...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (25 Nov 2008)

Mary Coughlan: It is not possible, from my Department's computerised travel records, to provide details of mileage allowances in the categories specified by the Deputy. Moreover, two different sets of mileage allowances applied in the course of 2007 — one set of allowances applied from 1 January 2007 to 30 June 2007, and a second set applied from 1 July 2007 to 31 December 2007. However, details are...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (25 Nov 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Concerns in relation to the differential in the prices charged for some goods in this jurisdiction as against the prices charged in Northern Ireland and the UK have been expressed by a number of commentators, not least the National Consumer Agency. These concerns have focused on the recent significant increase in value by the Euro against sterling and the belief that the benefits of this...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (25 Nov 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The Forfás Annual Employment Survey reports on job gains and losses in companies that are clients of the industrial development agencies. Information is aggregated on an annualized basis at county level. The information is provided by companies on a confidential basis for statistical purposes only. It is not possible to provide information for individual locations throughout the country....

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (25 Nov 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The following tables show the number of staff employed in my private office and constituency offices. The tables also show: (a) the total of the annual salaries payable to the staff in question, based on their current salary points; (b) the amounts paid in travel and subsistence costs since I took up office as Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment on 7 May 2008; (c)...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (25 Nov 2008)

Mary Coughlan: My Department uses off site rental storage facilities for storing Department documents in a number of designated document storage centres. The cost to date in 2008 (up to the end of October) amounts to €229,007 and this includes the costs associated with collection, coding and retrieval services as well as storage costs. The current cost per "banker box" varies from a rate of €0.36 per...

Written Answers — Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection (20 Nov 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The Consumer Protection Act 2007, which commenced in May last year, empowers the National Consumer Agency to prepare and publish Guidelines to traders in relation to matters of consumer welfare and protection and matters related to commercial practices. The Act also empowers the Agency to review or approve Codes of Practice submitted to it by traders or their trade associations where the...

Written Answers — Prompt Payment System: Prompt Payment System (20 Nov 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Payment terms in commercial transactions are determined by the parties concerned and the responsibility for the collection of those payments and general credit control rests with the selling enterprise. As the Deputy has mentioned, the issue of late payments in commercial transactions is addressed by the European Communities (Late Payment in Commercial Transactions) Regulations 2002 (S.I....

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (20 Nov 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Enterprise Ireland I appointed Mr Hugh Cooney as Chairperson of the Board of Enterprise Ireland with effect from 1 November 2008. Shannon Development Two appointments were made to the Board of Shannon Development in May 2008. Dr Roger Downer was reappointed and Dr Richard Sadlier was appointed on 7 May 2008. Science Foundation Ireland Three appointments were made to the Board of Science...

Written Answers — Grocery Industry: Grocery Industry (20 Nov 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Grocery prices and their impact on household budgets have been the subject of much debate and concern for some time not just in this country but throughout the world. Whereas food inflation in Ireland remained relatively low throughout most of this decade, prices for a wide range of staple food items began to increase significantly from the early part of 2007. Annual food inflation continued...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (20 Nov 2008)

Mary Coughlan: The tables following outline the number of staff by grade in my private and constituency office and in those of each Minister of State within my Department. The cost for 2007 of each such office in terms of salary, overtime and expenses are included together with the costs for 2008 to date. It should be noted that the Office of the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation was created...

Written Answers — Foreign Direct Investment: Foreign Direct Investment (20 Nov 2008)

Mary Coughlan: My Department and I are always mindful of potential international developments that could adversely effect foreign direct investment here. In that respect there is continuous liaison with the business community, through domestic and overseas channels, to monitor any potential changes. I am not aware of any concrete proposals to make changes to US tax legislation. While there has been some...

Written Answers — Economic Competitiveness: Economic Competitiveness (20 Nov 2008)

Mary Coughlan: Maintaining the competitiveness of the enterprise sector in Ireland is a priority issue for my Department and our development agencies. In order to sustain and grow the manufacturing sector, Irish based manufacturing enterprises will be encouraged and assisted to continue the progression to high value added sectors and activities, and continue to increase productivity through investments in...

Written Answers — Fuel Prices: Fuel Prices (20 Nov 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 30 together. I am aware of the concerns expressed by a number of commentators in relation to the retail price of fuel products, such as petrol and diesel, and particularly that prices have not fallen commensurate with reductions in the wholesale price of oil. I am also aware of the findings of the Consumer Petroleum Price Products Survey published by...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (20 Nov 2008)

Mary Coughlan: As part of an ongoing review of the 2002 Competition Act, submissions received on foot of a public consultation from a variety of interested parties are currently being considered by my officials. These submissions cover a range of issues, many of a technical nature. The Deputy will also be aware that the Government recently indicated its intention to amend section 4 of the Act subject to...

Written Answers — Prompt Payments System: Prompt Payments System (20 Nov 2008)

Mary Coughlan: I have met with the Irish Small And Medium Enterprises Association (ISME) and also the Small Firms Association (SFA) as recently as last night to discuss their concerns on a range of issues impacting on small businesses as result of the current economic situation. I am very much aware of the difficulties facing small firms in relation to access to credit finance and the impact of late...