Results 10,301-10,320 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Northern Ireland Issues (22 Feb 2012)

Joe McHugh: I welcome the Minister for Justice and Equality. I wish to commend the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims Remains on the work it has been doing. It has had a number of specific successes but a total of seven bodies have not been found. These are the bodies of people who were callously murdered by different paramilitary organisations. I wish to outline the reason why I raise...

Northern Ireland Issues (22 Feb 2012)

Joe McHugh: The Minister said everything that needs to be said. I echo his call that information be provided. We must send out a strong signal on the importance of this matter to the families. Unfortunately we may not have success for all seven families, but even a percentage increase would be significant. I echo the Minister's comments and concur with him on the efforts of everybody in the...

Inter-Country Adoption: Statements (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Joe McHugh: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. The issue of inter-country adoption was very much a focus of the previous Dáil, with Vietnam being the main concern. The narrative and debate at the time were not very positive, against the background of the many homes throughout the State in which Vietnamese children were happily living. It is important to be sensitive when...

Finance Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (16 Feb 2012)

Joe McHugh: There would be no money left under Sinn Féin's plan.

Finance Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (16 Feb 2012)

Joe McHugh: There is no alternative.

Finance Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (16 Feb 2012)

Joe McHugh: At least Fianna Fáil had money when they were spending it. Sinn Féin does not have any money.

Finance Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (16 Feb 2012)

Joe McHugh: That is gone.

Finance Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (16 Feb 2012)

Joe McHugh: I welcome aspects of the Finance Bill, especially the extension of mortgage interest relief, the reduction in stamp duty to try to stimulate commercial transactions and the capital gains tax holiday to attract foreign investment in Irish property. I want to speak about the third element. I have spoken to the Minister about it. On Committee Stage, I would like the Minister to consider the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (14 Feb 2012)

Joe McHugh: Question 239: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the context of section 9 of the Education Act on giving secondary school principals discretion about the employment of school counsellors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8032/12]

Written Answers — Financial Reviews: Financial Reviews (14 Feb 2012)

Joe McHugh: Question 344: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the status of current inquiries by FÁS with regard to scheme sponsors that are raising their own revenue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8030/12]

Written Answers — Financial Reviews: Financial Reviews (14 Feb 2012)

Joe McHugh: Question 345: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason FÁS offices require bank details of community employment projects, in view of the fact that the CE schemes are private companies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8031/12]

Teaching Council (7 Feb 2012)

Joe McHugh: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Ciarán Cannon. I have been contacted by numerous teachers who have been trying to get accreditation for a long period of time from the Teaching Council. In one instance, a teacher with 17 years experience has been waiting for more than two years, while another teacher with specific qualifications in applied mathematics has been waiting for more than a...

Teaching Council (7 Feb 2012)

Joe McHugh: I welcome the Minister of State's response and appreciate his offer to work with me in addressing my concerns. I look forward to working with him on the matter. On a broader level, the single biggest sickness in the country in the past 20 years has been the increase in bureaucracy and red tape. It will be difficult to grasp this nettle. We need to change to a culture in which efficiency...

Health Service Plan 2012: Statements (Resumed) (2 Feb 2012)

Joe McHugh: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I will be parochial in my contribution and I hope it will be of value. I refer to the Donegal model of community service, assessment and intervention, of which the Minister of State will be well aware. The model is worth pursuing at a national level. Having spoken to practitioners within the sector and to stakeholders we should consider the...

Telecommunications Services (25 Jan 2012)

Joe McHugh: I welcome the Minister. I am glad to have the opportunity to reiterate the sentiments I expressed and observations I made at the relevant committee in 2010. This debate provides an opportunity to appraise the position with regard to the level of mobile phone coverage available in Ireland and also to consider what has happened since 2010. In the period 2008 to 2010, there was a 30% increase...

Telecommunications Services (25 Jan 2012)

Joe McHugh: I appreciate the Minister's clarification and I appreciate the work in which he is involved. There are rural areas with no masts and where the dongle can be used on a laptop as well. That has all been acknowledged. The Minister is correct to say that these are private sector players and that he does not have a direct role in what they invest, but we have a role through ComReg. Consumers...

Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 Jan 2012)

Joe McHugh: I welcome the opportunity to speak to the Bill, about which I have spoken to the Minister on a one-to-one basis on several occasions. To be honest, there is anxiety about it and I do not think it is a fear of change on the part of the profession either in the Law Society or the Bar Council or among their representative members. It is not an anxiety we can dismiss or leave aside. From...

Jobs Initiative (12 Jan 2012)

Joe McHugh: Question 11: To ask the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport the impact of the jobs initiative on tourism, with particular reference to the reduced lower VAT rate and the British-Irish tourism visa waiver scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1528/12]

Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (12 Jan 2012)

Joe McHugh: Question 73: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the developments in outdoor tourism including off-road biking tourism; his views on the work that Fáilte Ireland is doing in this respect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1552/12]

Private Members' Business. Special Educational Needs: Motion (Resumed) (12 Jan 2012)

Joe McHugh: I welcome the fact that the Minister has given a commitment to review the position of DEIS band one and band one schools in the context of the recent budget changes. He has taken a proactive approach to this matter and just prior to Christmas he indicated that he would be prepared to consider the position of schools on a case-by-case basis. I welcome that development. Schools have engaged...