Results 20,101-20,120 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny

Leaders' Questions (29 Jan 2013)

Enda Kenny: In 2011, planning permission was in place for both locations and both projects had reached the detailed design stage. As it happens, in 2011, the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, made it crystal clear that his initial priority was to reduce the number of patients on trolleys, as set out in his policy on transforming the structure of health services delivery. As Deputies are aware, the...

Leaders' Questions (29 Jan 2013)

Enda Kenny: Deputy Mac Lochlainn may think that is acceptable. However, I am sure he was very happy to see the scale of investment in the accident and emergency unit at Letterkenny General Hospital, which the people up there were perfectly entitled to.

Leaders' Questions (29 Jan 2013)

Enda Kenny: Instead of persisting in the witch hunt of the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, and other Ministers - I understand the politics of that-----

Leaders' Questions (29 Jan 2013)

Enda Kenny: I am much more interested in the outcome, in terms of bricks and mortar, facilities, equipment and professional staff to give patients in Kilkenny and Wexford the very best level of attention.

Leaders' Questions (29 Jan 2013)

Enda Kenny: A number of major hospital projects in the south were delivered under budget in 2011, and efficiencies were achieved. That enabled the Kilkenny project to be accelerated, while additional funding of €12 million was made available for the facilities in Wexford.

Leaders' Questions (29 Jan 2013)

Enda Kenny: I supported that in Opposition and I support it now.

Leaders' Questions (29 Jan 2013)

Enda Kenny: No other projects have been delayed, omitted or withheld from the capital programme to accommodate these projects. Let us have a discussion about Roscommon some day if Deputies wish. I will tell the House about the increased activities that have taken place at that hospital.

Leaders' Questions (29 Jan 2013)

Enda Kenny: The changes delivered have made Roscommon County Hospital a much busier place than it has been for very many years. What we need is to get on with these projects to provide facilities not only in Wexford and Kilkenny but in many other locations around the country.

Leaders' Questions (29 Jan 2013)

Enda Kenny: That would be a good speech from the back of a trailer outside Clonmel. I am glad to see the foremost member of the investigative troika in full flight. Compliments to him on his tie. My visit to Davos was not a sojourn, rathe, it was a working visit that involved meeting international business leaders and politicians. The dividends will speak for themselves in due course. The Deputy...

Leaders' Questions (29 Jan 2013)

Enda Kenny: In respect of the difference of opinion between the Deputy and me regarding the meaning of NewERA, in June 2012, the Minister for Health appointed Professor John Higgins to chair a strategic group on the establishment of hospital groups. That board has representatives with both national and international experience in health service delivery, governance and linkages with academic...

Leaders' Questions (29 Jan 2013)

Enda Kenny: The rationale behind the restructuring of the health system is to establish hospital groups to allow for increased operational autonomy within those groups and to have accountability for hospital services that will drive the service reforms and give the best possible outcome for patients. This is all part of the process of leading to a system where money follows the patient and where we...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Law Reform Commission (29 Jan 2013)

Enda Kenny: The Law Reform Commission has initiated a comprehensive consultation process in order to develop proposals for its fourth programme of law reform. Following this consultation the commission intends to bring its proposals for the fourth programme to the Attorney General for her views early this year. I will then submit a draft programme to the Government for approval, as required by the Law...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Law Reform Commission (29 Jan 2013)

Enda Kenny: The consultation process for the fourth programme began in October 2012. The commission posted a general notice on its website and invited submissions for consideration from various groups. The president of the commission sent out letters in October to a wide range of public bodies and non-governmental organisations inviting submissions on the fourth programme and it also wrote to the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Law Reform Commission (29 Jan 2013)

Enda Kenny: I have been examining the way in which legislation is produced for the Oireachtas. For many years Governments have published lists of legislation which they hoped to publish during Oireachtas sessions. Over the last couple of years these lists have come under pressure from troika requirements because the country happens to be in a programme. This has put additional pressure both on the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Law Reform Commission (29 Jan 2013)

Enda Kenny: It is not my place to comment on any individual case that has been determined by a court. The clarification given by the judge involved in the case mentioned by the Deputy was very welcome. I had intended to meet the victim in the case, Mrs. Doyle. I have great admiration for her courage, which sends out the message that people who go through that horrific process should not be afraid to...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Law Reform Commission (29 Jan 2013)

Enda Kenny: Not only must justice be done in these cases, but it must be seen to be done. We can reflect on the Deputy's suggestion for a sentencing council. Currently there is an appeal process from one court to the next. It is not a question of putting in place something that may cause even further backlogs in the judicial system. The growth of delays in the court process is part of what the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Freedom of Information Requests (29 Jan 2013)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 3 together. My Department received 153 FOI requests in 2012. Of the 153 requests received, 97 were granted or part-granted, 14 were refused, in 15 cases no records existed, 18 requests were withdrawn and there are nine requests ongoing. The Department applied €3,918.96 in charges to FOI requests made in 2012. Of this, €1,750.57 related...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Freedom of Information Requests (29 Jan 2013)

Enda Kenny: Perhaps the issue the Deputy is raising relates more to the accuracy or succinctness of the questions tabled for parliamentary reply in the first place. In the vast majority of questions Ministers are asked to make statements on individual issues. As a general rule, Ministers are anxious to supply information that should be public knowledge. The changes made in 2003 increased the exemption...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Freedom of Information Requests (29 Jan 2013)

Enda Kenny: I thank the Deputy for that. Let me assure him there is no attempt to deny the people the truth as to how the situation evolves. Let us practise what we preach here. The Deputy put a very accurate and straightforward question: "To ask the Taoiseach the number of freedom of information requests received in his Department in 2012; the number refused and the number granted; and if he will...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Freedom of Information Requests (29 Jan 2013)

Enda Kenny: Politics is about people, essentially, and government is about making decisions. Far from my going on a rant about Sinn Féin, Deputy McDonald was beside Deputy Adams, making peculiar facial expressions about Wexford and Kilkenny, and obviously could not resist the temptation to comment on that. The point is that it is about moving things along in the interests of people. The projects...