Aideen Hayden (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have no difficulty in asking the Minister to attend the House to discuss the Priory Hall situation. It would be far more appropriate for him to do so after the Supreme Court rules on Friday and, therefore, I do not support the Senator's call.

I welcome the news today that 12 of the Pamela Scott stores have successfully exited examinership which has resulted in saving 137 jobs in the retail sector. Key to the success has been the fact that negotiations with landlords have resulted in a 40% reduction in the company's overheads. The most significant reduction has been in the crippling rents paid on the premises rented by the company.

It is a sad fact that many commercial landlords here have still not woken up to the truth that they are bringing Irish businesses down by not being prepared to renegotiate leases that have upward-only rent reviews. The Pamela Scott negotiations only succeeded because of the examinership process. We could have processes to review upward-only rents without having to go to the expense of going to court. We saw a similar outcome in the B&Q case where rents were renegotiated and reviewed as part of the examinership process and 640 jobs were saved. Unfortunately, not all of the jobs were saved because we know that the jobs in Waterford were not.

I ask the Leader to invite the Minister fir Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton to again discuss the matter of upward-only rent reviews. I do not believe the commercial landlords here realise the role that they must play in order to get Irish retailers back on their feet. They need to get real about their rents. It is not appropriate that companies must go through a very expensive examinership process in order to achieve this kind of outcome.

I also ask the Leader to arrange for the Minister for Education and Skills to come into the Chamber to discuss his Department's findings and the report, School Completers - What's Next? In particular, I refer to the finding that children who attend fee-paying schools are far more likely to get into third level education. The good news is more than 50% of all those who exit the secondary school system go on to third level education and a further 28% go on to colleges of further education and training. In other words, Ireland has a success rate of 75% in respect of its children leaving second level education and going on to higher or further education, as well as to colleges of further education. However, a highly worrying report was also published today by the Ombudsman for Children, Ms Emily Logan. She has outlined the difficulties children in care experience with the educational system. Were the Minister for Education and Skills to be invited into this House, he should also address the educational outcomes for children in care. This is because, as Members are aware, two out of every three children who leave the care of the State, the latter having acted in loco parentisfor them, end up experiencing homelessness within two years.

Finally, Focus Ireland launched its annual report today and I commend it on its work in the areas of preventing homelessness and dealing with those who unfortunately are homeless. It is a sad fact that the number of people now presenting as homeless in the greater Dublin area has more than doubled within the past 12 months.