Results 21,121-21,140 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny

Freedom of Information (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 13 together. The functions relating to the Freedom of Information Act are carried out in my Department by statutorily designated officials, as envisaged in the Act. These officials follow the guidelines set out in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's decision makers manual and there are no plans to change this process. As I have stated...

Freedom of Information (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: Deputy Martin submitted an FOI request relating to briefing material prepared in advance of the European Council meeting in March. That request was part-granted, as I understand it, by the freedom of information officer. On appeal by Deputy Martin, the request was considered by somebody of high rank in the Department, as provided for in the Freedom of Information Act. I understand that two...

Freedom of Information (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: As I said, Deputy Martin has appealed this to Information Commissioner and that office has completely independent authority in this regard. I have no function at all in regard to interfering in any way with the Freedom of Information Acts, as they are set down. There is a Government commitment to change the Act back to what it was prior to 2003, which would make it far more flexible and...

Freedom of Information (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: It is a commitment of Government to restore the Act to what it was prior to 2003 and to extend its remit further than it is at present. I understand from the Minister, Deputy Howlin, that he would expect to be able to bring a legislative measure to the House in the new year. Clearly, we have had discussions about the legislative programme from September until the end of this year, which was...

Programme for Government (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 to 16, inclusive, together. As Deputies will be aware, a new programme for Government office has been established in my Department. Two whole-time staff have been assigned to the office from within existing Department resources. This staff, comprising an assistant principal officer and a higher executive officer, has a total annual salary cost of...

Programme for Government (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: I did not say I would publish them.

Programme for Government (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: I have here a list of issues that have been dealt with under the programme for Government. It is too long to read out to Deputy Martin. I will send Deputy Martin a copy. There are 26 elements of the programme for Government covered under the most recent budget. They range from the highest transparency in respect of NAMA with the Minister for Finance to establish the advisory group to...

Programme for Government (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: The situation is not exactly as Deputy Martin describes it. Obviously, my party was not in government before the election and therefore did not have at its disposal the formal legal advice from the Attorney General. Deputy Martin did though, if he requested it.

Programme for Government (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: Obviously, he could have said what was the legal advice available. March next will be an appropriate time to have an annual review of the performance of Government in so far as the commitments in the programme for Government being fulfilled are concerned. It is quite sizeable, more sizeable than I had considered. As I stated, there are 26 clear commitments in the programme that are now...

Programme for Government (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: No doubt the Deputy will keep me focused on this. This morning I gave a briefing on the meeting at the weekend, yet the Deputy tells me I did not raise something I did.

Programme for Government (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: He writes down his own notes, which he is perfectly entitled to do and for which I am not responsible. I said to Deputy Martin that the budget dealt with 26 issues, ranging from NAMA to carbon taxation on diesel for the agricultural sector. In the labour market policy in regard to access to higher education for the unemployed and the 30,000 additional training places across education and...

European Council Meetings (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 to 41, inclusive, together. I attended the European Council in Brussels on 8 and 9 December. As I will be making a statement to the House tomorrow, I will confine myself to some brief remarks about the meetings. Discussions at the Council were dominated by the overall economic circumstances in Europe with a particular view to overcoming the crisis...

European Council Meetings (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: I agree.

European Council Meetings (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: Tomorrow.

European Council Meetings (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: It is sovereign debt.

European Council Meetings (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: At the meeting in Marseilles, the person sitting next to me was-----

European Council Meetings (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: -----the new Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, who is to take up office on 20 December. As I do not speak Spanish and he does not speak English we did not get an opportunity to discuss the fledgling peace process in the Basque country but I will be happy to raise the issue with him. When I next have an opportunity to meet him he will have been duly appointed as Spanish Prime Minister....

European Council Meetings (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: -----will continue to be central to the European Union and the Single Market, of which the Prime Minister is such an advocate. With regard to the question asked by Deputy Boyd Barrett, there was no discussion about Iceland, which is not in the European Union nor in the eurozone.

European Council Meetings (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: There was no discussion about it. It was not the treaty that caused the problem here. It was caused by reckless government and reckless banks, and until we achieve a situation in which that can never happen again and order is restored to our public finances, we are not going to have the engine of growth and development that we all want, whereby jobs can be created. It was a number of...

European Council Meetings (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: I would like to see pension funds and others invest here. We are told there are walls of money for investment, under proper conditions, in infrastructure and job opportunities in Ireland. That is why we have renegotiated with the troika elements of what we can do for investment. For example, in respect of the sale of State assets, the troika wanted all of that money to be used for debt...