Results 34,481-34,500 of 34,833 for speaker:Seán Fleming

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (5 Nov 2008)

Seán Fleming: Question 323: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if a citizen from Switzerland who is living here for some time is eligible to be considered for social housing; if there are specific rules or regulations to prevent this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38623/08]

Education Cuts: Motion (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Fleming: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate.

Education Cuts: Motion (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Fleming: It is somewhat unreal to participate in this debate, particularly in light of recent comments in the media by people involved with the teachers' unions and by members of the public. Everyone is aware that there will be a shortfall in tax revenues this year. Nevertheless, the Government has provided €9.6 billion in the Estimates for 2009. It may be a surprise for some to discover that this...

Education Cuts: Motion (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Fleming: At present, there are approximately 60,000 teachers and 20,000 individuals working with children with special needs. This represents an increase of 60% in the number of staff in our classrooms in ten years, which is an outstanding achievement. People are aware of the figures relating to special needs but some do not like hearing them. There are some 19,000 adults in our schools who work...

Education Cuts: Motion (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Fleming: The reason for this is straightforward. One need only walk through one's constituency to realise that the numbers of people coming to Ireland from elsewhere is decreasing.

Education Cuts: Motion (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Fleming: Not only are the numbers decreasing but many people, particularly those from eastern European countries, are returning home.

Education Cuts: Motion (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Fleming: As a result, fewer children require language support services than was the case two years ago. I am of the view that such services should be temporary in nature and should be aimed at ensuring children have adequate English to allow them to fully integrate with their peers.

Education Cuts: Motion (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Fleming: Language support services should not be available on a permanent basis. The idea that children need special education in the English language over a five or six-year period would be an indictment of the teachers who provide the service.

Education Cuts: Motion (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Fleming: The children in question only require assistance for a year or two before they can become fully integrated. There will still be 1,400 teaching staff involved in the provision of language support and the needs of individual schools will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. The capitation grant, which incorporates matters such as changes to the book grant, has been increased. We are...

Education Cuts: Motion (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Fleming: People should not be scaremongering on this issue in respect of what will be the position in 2009. It should be remembered that classes will be no bigger than was the case two years ago. Comment has been lacking in this debate on the most important aspect of a child's education, namely, the quality of the teacher who provides it. The debate has focused solely on the quantity of teachers.

Education Cuts: Motion (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Fleming: The Government is committed to working with its partners in education to improve the educational outcomes for all students. It comes down to the quality of the education on offer as opposed to the quantity of people in classrooms. People have been complaining about the schools building programme but it is proceeding apace.

Education Cuts: Motion (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Fleming: The summer works scheme will return next year and the devolved grants scheme is also due to proceed. We will produce a county-by-county list in the near future if Deputies so desire.

Education Cuts: Motion (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Fleming: There is a great deal of activity in this area. I commend the Government amendment to the House and I look forward to progress being made with teachers, parents and students in 2009.

Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) (Resumed) (23 Oct 2008)

Seán Fleming: In the past year, my locality experienced two tragedies when pedestrians were killed by trucks on the main streets of Mountrath and Abbeyleix, respectively. One of the victims was a young child while the other was an elderly lady. It should no longer be necessary to drive trucks through small towns. Motorways are needed to bypass these towns and improve safety for their residents as they...

Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) (Resumed) (23 Oct 2008)

Seán Fleming: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. I understand I will share time with Deputy Timmy Dooley. I look forward, at this late stage in the discussion, to making a few observations on the budget and overall financial position, specifically the Estimates which were published as part of a booklet circulated in the House during the Budget Statement. The debate on Estimates...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (21 Oct 2008)

Seán Fleming: Question 220: To ask the Minister for Finance when the deposit interest retention tax refund claim will be approved and awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Laois. [35489/08]

Approval of Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Scheme 2008: Motion (17 Oct 2008)

Seán Fleming: I propose to share time with Deputy Thomas Byrne.

Approval of Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Scheme 2008: Motion (17 Oct 2008)

Seán Fleming: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Scheme 2008. The approach taken by the Government has been absolutely ingenious. They have provided a safety net for the banking and financial system without, thus far, having to write a cheque for a single euro. This is something that has not been achieved in other countries, where...

Approval of Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Scheme 2008: Motion (17 Oct 2008)

Seán Fleming: I accept that. It is not possible to do so because nobody has been in this situation before. Ten different actuarial valuations would yield 20 answers.

Approval of Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Scheme 2008: Motion (17 Oct 2008)

Seán Fleming: The situation is unprecedented. The only effective acid test is the increase in the cost of Government borrowing. It is the one definitive figure we have to work with. That figure must be recouped so that the banks do not derive a profit from this. All this is done on a growing concern basis. In other words, the scheme is predicated on the understanding that the financial institutions...