Results 20,141-20,160 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny

Official Engagements (28 Feb 2012)

Enda Kenny: The record is stuck.

Official Engagements (28 Feb 2012)

Enda Kenny: That cuts no ice here. Some of these international audiences are not aware of the history of the historic party of Fianna Fáil. It was important to explain the context in which this property collapse took place. If the Deputy reads his English, he will notice I did not say "all of the people" were responsible. In fact in my state of the nation address I said that the people were not...

Official Engagements (28 Feb 2012)

Enda Kenny: Perhaps he should travel out from his lair in Dún Laoghaire and go to meet the people.

Official Engagements (28 Feb 2012)

Enda Kenny: He would find that the pragmatism of the people is very clear.

Official Engagements (28 Feb 2012)

Enda Kenny: They know how these problems were caused and know what it takes to sort them out and are prepared to do that. If Deputy Boyd Barrett were speaking to any of those serious businesspeople considering investing in our country, I wonder what he would say to them. Would he say "Take up your bed and walk"? That seems to be what he seems to say here consistently. I cannot recall him making one...

Official Engagements (28 Feb 2012)

Enda Kenny: He should be very careful of that.

Official Engagements (28 Feb 2012)

Enda Kenny: I was not able to attend many of those discussions which took place in break-out rooms. I participated in a panel discussion about the European issue with the Prime Minister of Finland and a representative of the Polish Presidency. I attended a lunch where people were allocated indiscriminate tables where there was a discussion on the issues of the Middle East, including north Africa, Iran...

Departmental Expenditure (28 Feb 2012)

Enda Kenny: The cost for the communications unit in 2011 was €221,340 with €98,579 being a direct cost to my Department and the balance being paid by three other Departments. The cost for 2011 represents a reduction of 9% on the 2010 cost, a reduction of 16% on the 2009 cost and a reduction of 36% on the 2008 cost. This has been achieved through greater efficiency in the operation of the unit and...

Departmental Expenditure (28 Feb 2012)

Enda Kenny: The editor of www.MerrionStreet.ie is an assistant principal officer in the Department of the Taoiseach. Two editorial assistants work on the site as well. One is an executive officer recently recruited following an interdepartmental competition. The second is a journalism graduate currently employed on a contract basis. My Department recently advertised this post through the Public...

Departmental Expenditure (28 Feb 2012)

Enda Kenny: I believe I have given that to the Deputy. If that is not it, I will provide an update for the Deputy. The editor is an assistant principal officer. Two editorial assistants work on the site as well. One is an executive officer and the second is a journalism graduate. That position has been advertised on www.publicjobs.ie. It will be filled at executive officer level with a starting...

Departmental Expenditure (28 Feb 2012)

Enda Kenny: I spent a few years at that, I must admit.

Departmental Expenditure (28 Feb 2012)

Enda Kenny: It is about quality information, not propaganda.

Interdepartmental Committees (28 Feb 2012)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 to 12, inclusive, together. The economic management council has met eight times so far this year, most recently on Tuesday, 14 February. Since the economic management council has the status of a Cabinet committee, the confidentiality of discussions at the management council are protected by the Constitution. In line with long-standing practice, it is not...

Interdepartmental Committees (28 Feb 2012)

Enda Kenny: It is important to distinguish between a meeting of the economic management council, EMC, and a meeting between the council and a group or organisation. The EMC is a sub-committee of the Cabinet. Essentially, its purpose is to deal with issues that will, if approved at the EMC, go on to be raised at Cabinet and dealt with in the same way as other issues brought to a Cabinet meeting. The...

Interdepartmental Committees (28 Feb 2012)

Enda Kenny: Of course we raised the question of distressed mortgages with each of the three banks. They have set out their strategies, which are parallel to the decisions taken by Government but these strategies will have to be discussed individually because the circumstances of each case are always different. I pointed out to them that as part of the measures taken in budget 2012, mortgage interest...

Interdepartmental Committees (28 Feb 2012)

Enda Kenny: The Deputy is absolutely upfront here. Umpteen cases of people who cannot access credit - they have been turned down by their banks - have been brought to my attention. When they are asked about making an appeal to the Credit Review Office, some of them say they do not want to get into a bad situation with the local bank manager with whom they are dealing. When one talks to the banks, one...

Interdepartmental Committees (28 Feb 2012)

Enda Kenny: There was a meeting today, actually.

Interdepartmental Committees (28 Feb 2012)

Enda Kenny: As the Deputy is aware, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government is directly responsible for the issue of climate change. The Minister announced last November, in conjunction with the publication of a review of national climate change policy, that an independent study would be carried out by the secretariat to the National Economic and Social Council. The study will...

Interdepartmental Committees (28 Feb 2012)

Enda Kenny: Deputy Higgins is actually putting forward a proposition which is unusual for him.

Interdepartmental Committees (28 Feb 2012)

Enda Kenny: I thank him. As regards the mortgages situation, I have responded to questions from Deputy Martin and Deputy Adams. I refer to the range of issues in the Keane report, the consequences of the passage of the personal insolvency Bill through the parliamentary process and the fact that the banks have been recapitalised and, in a number of cases, they have the opportunity to write down...