Results 461-480 of 3,895 for speaker:John Halligan

Leaders' Questions (10 Oct 2012)

John Halligan: The total is €4.5 million. Did Deputy Kehoe vouch all of it?

Leaders' Questions (10 Oct 2012)

John Halligan: Deputy Kehoe is staying quiet now.

Leaders' Questions (10 Oct 2012)

John Halligan: Deputy Kehoe should tell us about the €4.5 million. He should tell us what he does with it.

Fiscal Responsibility Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Oct 2012)

John Halligan: I am sharing time with Deputy Mattie McGrath. Given the €3.8 billion in budget cuts announced last year, one would expect legislation aimed at achieving a fiscal balance to be superfluous. The Government has already made it clear that it will not stray from the path laid down by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. Many leading economists share my view that the...

Fiscal Responsibility Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Oct 2012)

John Halligan: That is also a problem. Small businesses employ the vast majority of the workforce. While a small number of large companies employ 800 or 1,000 people, many tens of thousands of small businesses each employ five, six or ten people. The owners of these businesses will tell us that people no longer have any spending power. They are unable to survive because of overheads, high rates and so...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Issues (10 Oct 2012)

John Halligan: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to maintain frontline services in view of his plans for targeted voluntary redundancies in the public sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43500/12]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Radio Broadcasting Issues (11 Oct 2012)

John Halligan: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will consider favourably the request by the independent broadcasters of Ireland for funding to support public service broadcasting on independent commercial radio in view of the fact that EU law on State aid would not apply in such a situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44073/12]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Radio Broadcasting Issues (11 Oct 2012)

John Halligan: I thank the Minister for his frank reply. Approximately 2.5 million people tune in to independent radio stations across the country every day. Having served as a local representative for many years, as Deputy Rabbitte did in Dublin, I am keenly aware of the contribution that independent local radio stations make in serving the needs of communities and in enhancing local dialogue. That...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Radio Broadcasting Issues (11 Oct 2012)

John Halligan: Given the considerable cross-section of local news, sport, current affairs and drama programmes it broadcasts, it would be a contradiction in terms to say that it is primarily run for commercial purposes. My question is if two thirds of my constituents are listening to a local radio, and the same would equally apply across the country if 2.5 million are listening, surely there is a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Radio Broadcasting Issues (11 Oct 2012)

John Halligan: If I could ask a brief supplementary, I would appreciate it.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Radio Broadcasting Issues (11 Oct 2012)

John Halligan: I cannot dispute the Minister's advice but I will not go into that. When local radio stations were set up it was not envisaged that they would have such a significant listenership. If the Minister's advice is at odds with the advice of the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland, would he consider meeting the IBI again to marry up both his and its advice to see exactly what advice the IBI got...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Exploration Licences (11 Oct 2012)

John Halligan: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources with regard to the exploratory licence recently granted to a company (details supplied), when the drilling in Dublin bay is due to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43742/12]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Petroleum and Gas Exploration (11 Oct 2012)

John Halligan: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if, in view of a possible oil find in Dublin Bay, if his attention has been drawn to the pamphlet, produced by Dublin Shell to Sea Campaign, Liquid assets: Ireland's oil and gas resources and how they can be managed for the people's benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43746/12]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Illness Benefit Costs (16 Oct 2012)

John Halligan: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position in relation to transferring the responsibility for the provision of sick pay from the State to employers for the first two to four weeks of illness; if she intends bringing forward accompanying legislation to require employers to pay full sick leave to employees; if she has had any consultations with employers groups IBEC or ISME...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Illness Benefit Costs (16 Oct 2012)

John Halligan: I apologise.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Illness Benefit Costs (16 Oct 2012)

John Halligan: I am hoping the Minister will give me a detailed reply to it.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Illness Benefit Costs (16 Oct 2012)

John Halligan: I thank the Minister for her reply. While her desire to address the level of absenteeism in the public and private sector is commendable - I do not have a problem with it - like many other people I believe these proposals will have a terrible impact on jobs, in particular in the small and medium business sector. There is much made of the crucial role which multinationals play in the Irish...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Illness Benefit Costs (16 Oct 2012)

John Halligan: My question is straightforward. I understand there has been little or no dialogue on the proposal with business communities. On many occasions the Chamber of Commerce in Waterford sought a meeting with the Minister. I know she is very busy but at the very least she should have met it. Will the Minister agree to establish an interdepartmental working group with the Department of Jobs,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Illness Benefit Costs (16 Oct 2012)

John Halligan: Everyone agrees that expenditure needs to be reduced, but a statutory sick pay scheme cannot be introduced in isolation and cuts that have the least effect on unemployment need to be made. I have an interesting statistic. According to ISME, the typical number of days lost per annum due to absenteeism in small firms is three compared to the massively inefficient figure of over 12 days in the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Gender Proofing of Policies (16 Oct 2012)

John Halligan: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will gender-proof Budget 2013 before publication to ensure that women will not be disproportionately affected by cuts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44579/12]