Results 1-19 of 19 for segment:1984578 in 'Dáil debates'
- Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)
Tommy Broughan: Question 64: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his views on the recent collapse of Media Lab Europe; his further views on whether this amounts to a serious setback in the area of research into new and digital technologies here; his plans for a new research facility for the digital hub project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3698/05]
- Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Question 65: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his attention was drawn to the crisis at Media Lab Europe in Dublin prior to its closure; if so, the date on which his attention was drawn to the crisis; the steps he took to avert the job losses and recoup the Government's investment in this company; the total spend by the Government since the conception of...
- Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)
Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 65 together. Media Lab Europe, MLE, was formed by an agreement between the State and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was in operation since early 2000. It was established to conduct non-directive research in the field of digital media. The Government invested â¬35.5 million in start-up capital for MLE. Property was also purchased for MLE...
- Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)
Tommy Broughan: I thank the Minister for his reply. It was regrettable that he was not taking questions on the first day of the session, on which I raised this issue. I hoped we might have had a full-scale debate. Does the Minister agree that the Committee of Public Accounts or the Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, or both, should investigate State expenditure at the location in...
- Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)
Noel Dempsey: On the last question, that four chief executive officers left over a period of five years is a clear indication of the correctness of the decision made and of the fact that MLE certainly had its difficulties. The company made its own decisions in this matter and it had nothing to do with the Department. The company was a stand-alone company and not a semi-State company and therefore the...
- Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)
Tommy Broughan: How much?
- Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)
Rory O'Hanlon: Allow the Minister to respond without interruption.
- Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)
Noel Dempsey: On the question of whether the committee shadowing my Department or the Committee of Public Accounts should investigate the matter, nobody has alleged that there was any wrongdoing in respect of this issue and therefore I would not use the word "investigate". My Department and I would certainly have no objection to co-operating if a committee wanted to seek the background details on the...
- Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)
Tommy Broughan: Does the Taoiseach have personal responsibility?
- Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)
Noel Dempsey: I am the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. The body was under my aegis since I took up that position. It is my responsibility.
- Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)
Tommy Broughan: The Minister did not set it up, however.
- Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)
Noel Dempsey: We made a collective decision in that regard. It was a Cabinet decision and not an individual decision by the Taoiseach. I recall the relevant memo coming to Government. It was an exciting project and it was unfortunate that the dip in the dot.com sector and the general recession occurred when they did because the company could have delivered had economic conditions remained favourable.
- Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh: What steps are being taken to ensure that the digital hub is successful and is not associated with the failure of Media Lab? Does the Minister not agree that the departure of four chief executive officers in such a short period should have rung alarm bells for the Government?
- Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)
Bernard Durkan: It should have set the red lights flashing.
- Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Exactly. The concerns and scepticism of many when the project was initiated should also have come to the Government's attention when the company failed to achieve self-funding status and was unlikely to do so by 2005. Has the Minister met the staff of 50 whom he mentioned, the innovators and researchers since the announcement of the closure? Was he aware of the work of the south-west inner...
- Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)
Noel Dempsey: I visited the site at least twice in the three months since I took office to see Media Lab and the digital hub. I am aware of the clubhouse and the work done there. We brought Mrs. Kofi Annan to visit it and she was impressed by the activity there. That continues as does the Government's commitment to it which will remain in place. In the files covering its five years of existence and the...
- Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)
Tommy Broughan: The Minister is covering for the Taoiseach. He has effectively thrown his body in front of him, which the Taoiseach did not do for the Minister in his previous office during the controversy about third level fees. The Minister's remarks are not true. I contributed to the debate on Committee Stage of the Bill on 6 March 2003, supported by Deputies Coveney and Eamon Ryan, both of whom expressed...
- Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Is there a timeframe for the work the Minister suggests of tying Media Lab to a university or some other third level institution?
- Company Closures. (8 Feb 2005)
Noel Dempsey: There is a timeframe for consultations, namely, the end of this month and early next month. I hope we will receive expressions of interest. The tender document has been released inviting these by the middle of this year when they will be assessed. In response to Deputy Broughan I wish to enter a caveat that we should not allow the failure of the experiment with Media Lab to overshadow the...