Results 761-780 of 1,279 for speaker:Michael Ahern

Report of Comptroller and Auditor General: Motion (Resumed). (5 Oct 2005)

Michael Ahern: The Deputy is getting very hot.

Order of Business. (5 Oct 2005)

Michael Ahern: The pressure is too much.

Leaders' Questions. (5 Oct 2005)

Michael Ahern: The Deputy voted for it.

Leaders' Questions. (5 Oct 2005)

Michael Ahern: Because he has no argument.

Written Answers — Foreign Trade: Foreign Trade (4 Oct 2005)

Michael Ahern: Irish trade with Cuba is marginal and tends to fluctuate considerably. In 2004, Cuba was Ireland's 127th largest trading partner, 145th largest export market and 112th largest import market. Exports to Cuba in 2004 amounted to €778,000. The principal exports were cork, wood manufactures and beverages. Imports from Cuba in 2004 amounted to €500,000. The principal imports were fruit and...

Written Answers — Property Management Companies: Property Management Companies (28 Sep 2005)

Michael Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 177, 660 and 681 together. Apartment complex management companies are generally constituted as companies limited by guarantee under the Companies Acts and are required to comply with the relevant provisions of company law. The operation of such companies under their relevant memorandum and articles of association, including choice of a management entity and of...

Written Answers — Business Associations: Business Associations (28 Sep 2005)

Michael Ahern: The policies and programmes administered by my Department and agencies recognise and make provision for all forms of business association including the co-operative form of association. This form of association is particularly relevant to the development of the social economy in addition to the contribution it has made over the years to the agricultural, fishing, credit union, public utility...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (28 Sep 2005)

Michael Ahern: My Department is currently engaged in the preparation of new export control legislation, in line with the recommendations of the 2004 Forfás report and I hope to have a Bill published toward the end of this year. The proposed legislation will update the existing Control of Exports Act, which dates from 1983 and will ensure that Ireland's export controls are in line with best international...

Written Answers — Export Markets: Export Markets (28 Sep 2005)

Michael Ahern: In 2004, export sales from Enterprise Ireland client companies increased, reaching €10.167 billion, a rise of 5.6% on 2003. The largest exports sector was food and the consumer retail sector, which totalled €6.8 billion, a growth of 4.1%. The largest growing sector was software, services and emerging sectors which increased 10.4% to €1.2 billion. Industrial and life sciences products...

Written Answers — Export Markets: Export Markets (28 Sep 2005)

Michael Ahern: Enterprise Ireland's 2004 annual business survey showed that, overall, Irish companies delivered a very good export performance last year, with new export sales increasing by 5.6% on 2003. Inevitably, the most long established markets are the most lucrative and, indeed, bearing in mind that CSO data indicate that Ireland already trades with almost 200 country locations, it is difficult to...

Order of Business. (1 Jul 2005)

Michael Ahern: The Deputy should not rise me.

Written Answers — Health and Safety Regulations: Health and Safety Regulations (28 Jun 2005)

Michael Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 405 to 410, inclusive, together. The Industrial Research and Standards (Fire Safety) (Domestic Furniture) Order, 1995, S.I. 316 of 1995, regulates the fire safety aspects of furniture which also includes bedding. The objective of the order is to ensure that domestic furniture is designed, manufactured and constructed to a particular standard so as not to...

Seanad: Investment Funds, Companies and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2005 [Seanad Bill amended by Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (28 Jun 2005)

Michael Ahern: The first group of amendments consists of amendments Nos. 2 and 10 to 27, inclusive. This group relates to Parts 4 and 5 of the Bill, which refer to the transposition of the EU directives on market abuse and prospectuses. Senator McDowell raised a number of points regarding these provisions on Committee Stage and, following further examination by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel and...

Seanad: Investment Funds, Companies and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2005 [Seanad Bill amended by Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (28 Jun 2005)

Michael Ahern: The second group consists of amendments Nos. 9 and 32. A new section 28 was inserted which added a new section 260A to the 1990 Companies Act, and the Schedule amending the UCITS regulations was amended by adding a new Regulation 79A. These amendments make provision for investment companies established under Part XIII of the Companies Act 1990 and investment companies established as UCITS to...

Seanad: Investment Funds, Companies and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2005 [Seanad Bill amended by Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (28 Jun 2005)

Michael Ahern: Amendment 28 adds a new paragraph (n) to section 56(1) — section 53(1) in the Seanad text — which amends section 60 of the 1963 Companies Act. Tax law provides that employee share ownership trustees must be incorporated as subsidiaries of the company in which the employee share option trust, on behalf of the employee share option plan, will acquire the shares. In addition, it is not...

Seanad: Investment Funds, Companies and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2005 [Seanad Bill amended by Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (28 Jun 2005)

Michael Ahern: Group 4 consists of amendments Nos. 1, 3 to 8, inclusive, and 30. The final group of amendments are drafting and technical amendments. Of those, amendment No. 4 was a Labour Party amendment which I accepted. In addition, amendments Nos. 6, 7 and 8 follow on amendments concerning the terms used in section 25 which were tabled by the Labour Party on Committee Stage. Following the advice of the...

Seanad: Investment Funds, Companies and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2005: Motion for Earlier Signature. (28 Jun 2005)

Michael Ahern: I thank the Senators for their contributions on the various Stages of the Bill. The points raised during debate were followed through and amendments made where necessary. In particular I thank Senators Coghlan, McDowell and Leyden for their participation in this debate and their welcome comments on the amendments. I thank the Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel and the Office of the...

Written Answers — Registration of Patents: Registration of Patents (23 Jun 2005)

Michael Ahern: In common with legislation in most other countries, Irish law in section 28 of the Patents Act 1992 provides that a pending patent application shall be published, that is, made open to public inspection and therefore disclosed, as soon as practicable after the expiry of a period of eighteen months from the filing date, or if the priority of an earlier application for the same invention is...

Written Answers — Metrology Service: Metrology Service (22 Jun 2005)

Michael Ahern: The National Metrology Laboratory, NML, is the national metrology institute for Ireland. It is responsible for the development, maintenance and dissemination of the national measurement standards for physical units to Irish users. The NML resided within the functionality of Forbairt until 1998. The Government decided, in the context of the Industrial Development (Enterprise Ireland) Act 1998,...

Written Answers — Intellectual Property Rights: Intellectual Property Rights (15 Jun 2005)

Michael Ahern: The Council of Ministers adopted a formal common position on the proposed EU Directive on Computer Implemented Inventions in March 2005. The proposal is now before the European Parliament for its second reading. Ireland will play an active role in Council in considering any amendments which the Parliament may propose. Ireland strongly supports the aims of this proposal and the Council's...