Results 1,661-1,680 of 4,869 for speaker:Seán Haughey

Student Support Schemes (4 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 20 together. The post leaving certificate, PLC, provides an integrated general education, vocational training and work experience programme for young people who have completed their leaving certificate and adults returning to education. Its purpose is to enhance their prospects of gaining employment or progressing to further or higher education....

Student Support Schemes (4 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: I accept the PLC programme is a very important one, in particular in the current context and having regard to our economic situation. As a result of that, we were able to increase the number of PLC places by 1,500 last year. As I said, the work of the PLC colleges and the additional enrolments are very much appreciated by my Department. I am not in a position to say what the position will...

Student Support Schemes (4 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: Some 1,000 PLC places cost €8 million. That is taking into account maintenance grants and so on.

Student Support Schemes (4 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: We had a very good exchange of views at the Aontas lobby for learning seminar last Friday on this issue of the payment of the back to education allowance and the maintenance grant. This must be seen as a duplication of income support payments. It must also be seen in the context of the reduction in the rates of social welfare introduced in budget 2010 last December. I undertook to clarify...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (4 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: The majority of schools include among their pupils, children with disadvantaged backgrounds. In general most schools address the individual needs of these children without recourse to additional targeted resources. Evidence has shown that disadvantage associated with poverty and social exclusion assumes a multiplier effect where the levels are highly concentrated in schools. DEIS (Delivering...

Land and Conveyancing Law Reform (Review of Rent in Certain Cases) (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: In opposing the Bill, the Government is very conscious of the fact that many in the retail sector have welcomed it and have approached Deputies on all sides of the House seeking their support for its content. It has been presented as an emergency solution to a very pressing problem. However, the solution proposed will not work in practice and is not legally tenable. Reference has been made...

Land and Conveyancing Law Reform (Review of Rent in Certain Cases) (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: I can keep going until 8.15 p.m., if he wants. Normally, at what time would the time slot finish?

Land and Conveyancing Law Reform (Review of Rent in Certain Cases) (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: I wish to be helpful, given that the Labour Party has sponsored this piece of legislation.

Land and Conveyancing Law Reform (Review of Rent in Certain Cases) (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: In general terms, the Government is committed to doing all that it can to address the problems of the retail sector. However, Government can only act within the appropriate legal and constitutional parameters. Our opposition to the Labour Party's Bill is informed by that reality.

Land and Conveyancing Law Reform (Review of Rent in Certain Cases) (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: The Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern, spelled out clearly last night the legal and constitutional reasons this Bill cannot be supported by the Government side. He went into a deal of detail in that regard. It is not fair to say during the course of the debate here this evening that the legal and constitutional issues were not seriously debated by the Government side. The Minister put forward...

Report of Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children: Statements (Resumed). (11 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: I thank Members for their contributions to this constructive and well informed debate. It is a timely discussion given the many issues that have arisen in the past two weeks in respect of children and their care. I thank the Chairman of the Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children, Deputy Mary O'Rourke, and the other committee members for the hard work and expertise they...

Tourism Industry: Motion (23 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: They are in Áras an Uachtaráin, as far as I know.

Tourism Industry: Motion (23 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: I wish to share time with Deputies Cregan and Dooley. I will take 20 minutes.

Tourism Industry: Motion (23 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: I am pleased to have this opportunity to address the House this evening on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Finance, on the air travel tax and the wide range of issues raised by Deputies so far in the debate.

Tourism Industry: Motion (23 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: Yes, it relates to the tourism sector and the economy as a whole.

Tourism Industry: Motion (23 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "— notes the unprecedented reduction in international economic growth and disturbances in financial markets over the last two years and the impact this has on all sectors of the Irish economy; — commends the Government for its policies to return stability to the public finances, which is...

Tourism Industry: Motion (23 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: In that regard, the 2010 budget forecast the stabilisation of the deficit in 2010, notwithstanding declining economic activity. Many of these measures have been difficult and painful but we are committed to reducing the general Government deficit to under 3% of GDP by 2014. The strategy behind the Government's medium-term fiscal plan is based on two interrelated areas: inspiring confidence,...

Tourism Industry: Motion (23 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: The difficult trading period in the airline industry arises primarily from weak world economic activity. The present decline in air travel is an international phenomenon and as a result, aviation services are contracting on a global basis.

Tourism Industry: Motion (23 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: Passenger numbers through Irish airports have declined, as have those of our international counterparts, including those where there is no travel tax in place.

Tourism Industry: Motion (23 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: This downward trend is evident for periods prior to the introduction of the air travel tax. Furthermore, passenger numbers for other modes of transport have also experienced broadly similar declines. While this is not a desirable position, it is clear that the air travel tax is not the substantive cause for the decline in passenger numbers. Ireland is not unique in applying a tax on air...