Results 681-700 of 7,404 for speaker:Mick Wallace

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Support Services (23 Oct 2012)

Mick Wallace: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to the recent report by the Irish Refugee Council entitled State Sanctioned Child Poverty and Exclusion: the case of children in accommodation for asylum seekers; his views on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40659/12]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Support Services (23 Oct 2012)

Mick Wallace: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on a report published by the Irish Refugee Council on 18 September 2012 which catalogues more than ten years of enforced child poverty, malnutrition and social exclusion caused by the system of direct provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40660/12]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Support Services (23 Oct 2012)

Mick Wallace: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to the recent report by the Irish Refugee Council entitled State Sanctioned Child Poverty and Exclusion: the case of children in accommodation for asylum seekers; his views on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40659/12]

European Council Meeting: Statements (24 Oct 2012)

Mick Wallace: I will take less than two minutes and will be quicker than everyone else. I commend the Government on strengthening our relationship with France. Various proposals have been made on eurozone bonds, banking unions, EU wide infrastructure spending and common programmes but all have been greeted with deep suspicion in Berlin. The Germans suspect that the bottom line on these ideas is a...

Statutory Sick Pay: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (24 Oct 2012)

Mick Wallace: The Minister of State, Deputy Sean Sherlock, will not be surprised to hear I believe it is not a good idea to impose these sick pay conditions on employers now. If it had been ten years ago, I would probably not have objected. However, in the current economic climate it is not a good idea. Conditions are already difficult for small and medium-sized businesses. While the Government is keen...

Statutory Sick Pay: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (24 Oct 2012)

Mick Wallace: I thank the Minister of State. Another cost factor is upward-only rent reviews, an issue which was also to be tackled. We know that rents were not touched because it would not have suited the banks, given that they take in the most rents on commercial property. To claim having a review would be unconstitutional is fine, but the Government should have tackled the issue, instead of caving...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Operations (24 Oct 2012)

Mick Wallace: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on a case in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Cavan, where, over a period of six years, summonses were repeatedly issued for charges all of which were subsequently dismissed due to lack of evidence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46509/12]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (24 Oct 2012)

Mick Wallace: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he has investigated allegations of complicity by members of An Garda Síochána in the writing off of unpaid motoring charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46510/12]

Prospects for Irish Economy: Statements (Resumed) (25 Oct 2012)

Mick Wallace: I have no doubt it is very difficult to run a country in difficult times. I do not take anything for granted and realise it is a massive challenge for the Government to make ends meet. It is unfortunate the austerity philosophy is being dictated from Europe and I believe that in a couple of years, if not sooner, there will be a U-turn on it and people will change tack. Sadly, the austerity...

Prospects for Irish Economy: Statements (Resumed) (25 Oct 2012)

Mick Wallace: -----and maximise what we receive under the 12.5% rate, which by any measure is light. Given that the rate of corporation tax in the United States is 35%, I do not think companies will run away from here if we ensure we receive our full 12.5% rate. When the Minister, Deputy Bruton, was on "Morning Ireland" this morning, he was at pains to point out that tax avoidance is legal. I agree...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Retail Guidelines (25 Oct 2012)

Mick Wallace: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of childen's wear retailers who have, to date, signed up to the Retail Ireland Children's Wear Guidelines; if she has been active in encouraging retailers outside of Retail Ireland membership to sign up to the guidelines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46751/12]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Retail Guidelines (25 Oct 2012)

Mick Wallace: I thank the Minister for her reply. Most of us are aware of the fact that the problems in this are have grown in recent years. The move on the part of the Minister and the retail sector is definitely in the right direction but I wonder if there is scope for guidelines such as these to be made compulsory and put on a statutory footing to ensure that childrens' wear retailers prioritise the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Retail Guidelines (25 Oct 2012)

Mick Wallace: On a different, but related issue, I recently read that an American child beauty contest will come to Ireland soon. I am not so sure that we should start going down this road. I would be very wary about such contests because they really amount to an inappropriate sexualisation of children and that is something we should discourage.

Other Questions: Youth Health Issues (25 Oct 2012)

Mick Wallace: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to implement the recommendations of How We See It, Report of a Survey on Young People's Body Image, such as the need for a national positive body image awareness campaign aimed at teenagers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46750/12]

Other Questions: Youth Health Issues (25 Oct 2012)

Mick Wallace: This issue is related to my previous question also. Significant health education is required in this regard, but the issue of education in general must also be examined. I would like to see the secondary education system, in particular, concentrate more on preparing kids for life, not just for taking up a job. I have been coaching under-age teenagers for the past 30 years and if I had to...

Other Questions: Youth Health Issues (25 Oct 2012)

Mick Wallace: Will the Minister remind the Minister for Education and Skills that the job of teaching children today is probably more difficult than it ever was? That is all the more reason we need to attract the best people to the job. Therefore, cutting the pay of first-time teachers, as is happening, will hardly help to promote teaching at a time when there are such massive challenges. It is vital...

Other Questions: Children's Rights Referendum (25 Oct 2012)

Mick Wallace: This issue has been covered already.

Other Questions: Transport Costs (6 Nov 2012)

Mick Wallace: I am sure the Minister is well aware that the problems of the haulage industry are directly related to pressures on the agricultural industry. I can tell the Minister for certain that for every lorry load of dry goods returning from Italy, a lorry load of meat went out in the first place, because most of the aforementioned dry goods usually are imported in refrigerated containers. At present-----

Other Questions: Transport Costs (6 Nov 2012)

Mick Wallace: I note that 35% of the fuel used by those hauliers was purchased outside of Ireland last year because of the lack of a rebate here. The Irish Road Haulage Association has done the maths on it and were the Government to introduce a system in which a rebate was in operation, it would make money from stopping the hauliers from buying so much diesel outside the country. There is money in it for...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fisheries Offences (6 Nov 2012)

Mick Wallace: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to replace the system of criminal sanctions for minor fisheries' offences with a system of administrative sanction to bring Ireland into line with other European jurisdictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47699/12]