Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

I am coming to my question, which will be appropriate. The Government has created and pandered to the leaders who are now calling for the national general strike. The Government must intervene now and it is time we examined the reconstruction of a social partnership that can serve the country at this time. Like everybody here, I call for the general strike to be called off. However, as I did last week, I also call for a debate with the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Taoiseach on social partnership and how it can serve our needs.

I also want to discuss the value to this country of the English language teaching sector. We are losing billions of euro because of a non-friendly visa system. The English language teaching sector earns €500 million in revenue for this country. In the UK it earns €12 billion, in Australia it earns €6 billion and in New Zealand it earns €4 billion. Our visa system does not allow English language schools to attract the business here. It is time we debated with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the issue of creating a friendly visa system which would attract these billions of euro. We have a perfect and competent teacher workforce. We have clear diction, good English teaching capacity and a welcoming country.