Results 141-160 of 551 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Michael Ahern

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (11 Oct 2006)

Michael Ahern: The Internal Market Section is part of the Market Access Unit of my Department. Its staff complement is an Assistant Principal Officer, a Higher Executive Officer, an Executive Officer and a Clerical Officer. The cost of the Section is met from within the administrative budget of the Department. The role of the Section is to co-ordinate and negotiate Ireland's approach to certain aspects of...

Written Answers — International Trade: International Trade (11 Oct 2006)

Michael Ahern: Ireland opposed the proposal by the European Commission for a Council Regulation imposing definitive anti-dumping duties on footwear from China and Vietnam. Ireland was of the view that the imposition of measures was not in the Community interest. In particular Ireland expressed concerns that the action proposed would result in price increases in footwear, particularly in children's shoes....

Written Answers — International Trade: International Trade (11 Oct 2006)

Michael Ahern: I am aware that the Irish merchandise exports decreased by 12% in value terms in April of this year, relative to March. The decrease was mainly due to a fall in exports of goods, for example, chemicals, medical and pharmaceuticals, manufactured goods and computers, to some of our main trading partners such as Great Britain, Belgium, France, Germany, the US and Japan. While any decrease in...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (11 Oct 2006)

Michael Ahern: The Companies Consolidation and Reform Bill will introduce a greatly simplified legal framework for corporate activity. The twelve existing Companies Acts, from 1963 to 2005, will be consolidated into a single statute. The new Bill is also a modernizing Bill, in that it will give primacy to the 'private company limited by shares' as the preferred corporate entity in the State, representing as...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (12 Oct 2006)

Michael Ahern: Assistance is not available from the Agencies of my Department to establish restaurants at home or abroad. On the matter of promoting Irish food, the restaurant promoter might wish to contact Bord Bia, with a view to seeing if they can be of assistance.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (15 Nov 2006)

Michael Ahern: The Government approved the General Scheme of the Control of Exports Bill on 19 July. The Bill is currently with the Parliamentary Counsel's Office for drafting and I expect it to be published by the end of this year. I hope to bring the new legislation before the Houses of the Oireachtas in the first half of 2007. The proposed legislation will update the existing Control of Exports Act,...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (15 Nov 2006)

Michael Ahern: I have no plans to introduce additional reporting requirements relating to gender or other demographic information concerning directors of registered companies. Responsibility for gender equality matters generally is the responsibility of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Further to the debate in the House on Parliamentary Question No. 14 of 11 October 2006, the Companies...

Written Answers — Export Markets: Export Markets (15 Nov 2006)

Michael Ahern: I would refer the Deputy to the reply I made to similar Questions put by him on 7th February, 2006. The ability of Irish companies to successfully market and sell overseas is critical for the success of the Irish economy, particularly in the rapidly evolving international marketplace. In this connection, there has been a very creditable performance recently on the part of Irish exporters in a...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (15 Nov 2006)

Michael Ahern: The consultancies in question are being undertaken by the Business Regulation Forum as part of their examination of how regulations impact on the business sector. The cost to the State of the six case-studies of individual firms, on attitudes to regulations affecting them, will be €14,520, inclusive of VAT. The case studies involved single interviews with representatives of the companies...

Written Answers — Import Licences: Import Licences (15 Nov 2006)

Michael Ahern: The decision to impose a licensing requirement for imports is taken under the European Union Common Commercial Policy. EU Council Regulation (EC) No. 2200/2004 introduced a system of prior surveillance import licensing on imports of certain textiles and clothing originating in the Peoples Republic of China. This Regulation took effect on 1 January 2005 and ran until 31 December 2005. On 1...

Written Answers — International Trade: International Trade (15 Nov 2006)

Michael Ahern: The table provides details of the ten countries from whence most Irish imports have come in each of the past five years (i.e. between the years 2001 and 2005.) From the table, it can be seen that during the period 2001-2005, with the exception of Singapore which has dropped out of the list and the significant rise of China, the list of the top ten import markets has largely remained the...

Written Answers — International Trade: International Trade (15 Nov 2006)

Michael Ahern: The table provides details of the 10 main export markets for each of the past five years (i.e. between the years 2001 and 2005.) From the table, it can be seen that the 10 countries listed have consistently been our most reliable markets for exports over the past five years. Although there has been some slight shifting in the ranking order, the 10 largest export markets have remained the...

Written Answers — Child Labour: Child Labour (22 Nov 2006)

Michael Ahern: Irish trade is regulated in accordance with the Common Commercial Policy rules of the European Union. The EU has a long-standing commitment to the promotion of core labour standards and social development; the charter of fundamental rights of the EU confirms the aim to fully integrate these standards in all its policies and actions. Cooperation agreements between the EU and other countries,...

Written Answers — Fair Trade Network: Fair Trade Network (22 Nov 2006)

Michael Ahern: Irish Aid provides financial assistance to the Irish Fair Trade Network to support its activities in Ireland. This will amount to a total of €410,000 over the period 2005 to 2007. Irish Aid also plays an important role in supporting capacity building for fair trade producers. Thus, for example, small coffee producers in Central America were provided with funding of €567,000 for the...

Written Answers — EU Negotiations: EU Negotiations (29 Nov 2006)

Michael Ahern: The European Union (EU) has not submitted formal requests to any ACP country, in the context of EPA services negotiations, seeking market access commitments in relation to infrastructure services. Thus, there is no request in relation to water infrastructure. More recently, the EU has reiterated, in the context of the on-going EPA services negotiations, that it would not submit written...

Written Answers — Intellectual Property Rights: Intellectual Property Rights (31 Jan 2007)

Michael Ahern: Ireland has been party to the European Patent Convention since 1992 and our law reflects its Article 52 criteria on the patentability of inventions. The Convention makes it clear that computer programs "as such" cannot be patented but it is important to note that this does not extend to so-called 'computer implemented inventions'. These may be patentable under certain conditions and many...

Written Answers — Export Levels: Export Levels (31 Jan 2007)

Michael Ahern: The most recent full year trade figures published by the Central Statistics Office show that the value of Irish merchandise exports for 2005 increased by 5% compared to 2004 and this followed a 3% rise the previous year. This increase of 5% in 2005 continues the upward trend in the value of exports, which, with the exception of the global economic slowdown which occurred around 2002, has...

Written Answers — Arms Industry: Arms Industry (31 Jan 2007)

Michael Ahern: I would like to thank the Deputy for this opportunity to put on record in the House a more accurate presentation on Ireland's export control system than that which has been portrayed in recent media articles. My Department operates an export control system dedicated to preventing the export of goods that could be used in nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, that could be used to...

Written Answers — Intellectual Property Rights: Intellectual Property Rights (31 Jan 2007)

Michael Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 148 and 174 together. The EU and its member states have played an influential and active central role in various initiatives in this field over recent years such as the adoption of the WTO General Council Decision in August 2003 which waived WTO members' obligations under the TRIPs Agreement. That waiver allowed WTO member countries to grant compulsory...

Written Answers — Corporate Enforcement: Corporate Enforcement (31 Jan 2007)

Michael Ahern: I am working towards assigning additional staff to the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) during 2007, having regard to the restrictions on staff numbers arising from the Government's Public Service staffing reduction programme.