Results 21,981-22,000 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2013)

Enda Kenny: This has been, and is, a very difficult time for many people. As I said, we are now moving in the right direction, with significant numbers of people being offered restructured and, one hopes, sustainable exits from the distress in which they find themselves.

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2013)

Enda Kenny: The answer to the Deputy's questions is yes, there are tapes available in the other banks. The Minister for Finance will be writing to those banks tomorrow requesting that the tapes be preserved in the interest of their being available for a banking inquiry, the form of which will be considered following the passage of the relevant legislation through the Houses. The tapes referred to in...

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2013)

Enda Kenny: I remind Deputy Adams that the Government has set in place an entirely new system of regulation and monitoring in terms of the manner in which banks in this country operate. The Deputy will be aware that the dysfunctionality of our banking system in terms of the number of banks here has changed. Some banks were recapitalised, new conditions now apply and, in terms of mortgages, new targets...

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2013)

Enda Kenny: There is a legal requirement on the banks to retain those tapes for a set period. The Minister's letter is merely a reminder to the banks to live up to their responsibilities in terms of preservation of those tapes, which should be available for public information purposes and the banking inquiry to be established under the parliamentary system. It is a case of the banks having a legal...

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2013)

Enda Kenny: This is a serious matter which needs to be cleared up and the facts determined. I referred to the issue this morning in the European Parliament because of the decision taken at the G8 summit in County Fermanagh that formal negotiations on the EU-US trade negotiations and mandate would formally commence in Washington in July. The allegations that have been made of United States surveillance...

Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2013)

Enda Kenny: As I have not met Tony Cascarino's grandmother, I do not know if she was fictitious. According to Wikileaks this morning, Mr. Snowden has applied for asylum in 21 countries. I confirm he has written to the Irish embassy in Moscow. As I stated, the way this country operates is that refugee status determination is made in respect of persons who are resident in this State or in its...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (2 Jul 2013)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 14, inclusive, together. The Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013 was published on 6 June last. As Deputies will be aware, the Bill completed all Stages in the Dáil on 25 June and is now with the Seanad. While a date has not been set for the referendum, the Government intends that it will be...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (2 Jul 2013)

Enda Kenny: The Government will not run an information campaign. Clearly, we need to abide by the Supreme Court rulings in respect of a previous referendum and the Government will comply with that fully and completely. However, the parties of Government will run a campaign in respect of information for the public about the abolition of the Seanad. The referendum commission is now working on the basis...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (2 Jul 2013)

Enda Kenny: In respect of the information available in the Department, what we are talking about here is a clear commitment of both parties, Fine Gael and the Labour Party, to put a referendum to the people to abolish the Seanad. When I was in the Seanad last week talking about the Bill, Members asked me why this was not referred to the Constitutional Convention. The Constitutional Convention is a very...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (2 Jul 2013)

Enda Kenny: The position was that the assessment carried out by the Department and by the officials was on the basis of what needed to be done in order to put a question to the people to abolish the Seanad. In other words, it was necessary to prepare the heads of the referendum Bill and that meant examining the Constitution and focusing on every article that either directly or indirectly had a...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (2 Jul 2013)

Enda Kenny: Yes. There is nothing secretive about that. I can give Deputy Martin that information. It is the assessment of the articles in the Constitution that need to be dealt with, removed, amended or altered, as the case may be. Deputy Martin said the Constitutional Convention was examining the electoral system and that it would make recommendations on that.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (2 Jul 2013)

Enda Kenny: I hear the former Deputy and Minister, Mary O'Rourke, talking these days. She came up with proposals for Seanad reform in 2003.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (2 Jul 2013)

Enda Kenny: I am talking about her.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (2 Jul 2013)

Enda Kenny: When Deputy Martin says-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (2 Jul 2013)

Enda Kenny: He never listens.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (2 Jul 2013)

Enda Kenny: One of the hallmarks of those in an arrogant Government is that they never listen.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (2 Jul 2013)

Enda Kenny: The position in so far as the Dáil being accountable is one that we are obviously interested in. Deputy Martin has done a good deal of shouting. The former Deputy, Mary O'Rourke, brought in her proposals for Seanad reform in 2003. All of that could have been implemented by Fianna Fáil and the former Progressive Democrats Party with the former Minister for Justice, but there was...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (2 Jul 2013)

Enda Kenny: Deputy Martin referred to €20 million. The total running costs of the Seanad have been estimated by the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission to be in the region of €20 million per annum. This is based on the 2012 outturn and includes all direct and apportioned or indirect costs. Direct costs related to Seanad Members' salaries, expenses and staff costs amount to €8.8...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (2 Jul 2013)

Enda Kenny: As I said, this was a clear commitment of both parties, and, therefore, the Government, to hold a referendum with regard to abolishing the Seanad. From that point of view there were no meetings about minutes and memoranda on an ongoing basis. This was a clear Government decision that was communicated to the Departments. The work they have done relates to what is necessary in order to be...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (2 Jul 2013)

Enda Kenny: I am sorry to hear that.