Results 22,381-22,400 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (24 Sep 2013)
Enda Kenny: I reject that. These figures were provided by the House of the Oireachtas Commission-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (24 Sep 2013)
Enda Kenny: They are not a claim made by a politician. They are the figures contained in the formal letter from the House of the Oireachtas Commission setting out the direct, indirect and pension costs accruing to the running of the Seanad. I do not accept what Deputy Martin has said in any circumstances. Clearly, when an entity is abolished, merged or changed, direct and indirect costs move on, just...
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (24 Sep 2013)
Enda Kenny: Did I not read the Deputy's words on the matter earlier today?
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (24 Sep 2013)
Enda Kenny: The Deputy stated that reducing the number of Ministers of State would result in savings for the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (24 Sep 2013)
Enda Kenny: Ministers of State are not appointed by the Taoiseach, they are appointed by the Government.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (24 Sep 2013)
Enda Kenny: The Deputy sat at the Cabinet table but he did not open his mouth - perhaps he did but, as far as I can ascertain, there is no record of him doing so - when the Government of which he was a member appointed 20 Ministers of State-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (24 Sep 2013)
Enda Kenny: -----and went on a spending spree in respect of appointing chairmen, vice chairmen and convenors of committees, etc. Deputy Martin also made a point regarding an over-concentration of power. This is absolute nonsense.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (24 Sep 2013)
Enda Kenny: The Economic Management Council, which I chair and on which the Tánaiste, Deputy Gilmore, and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, serve, is merely a vehicle-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (24 Sep 2013)
Enda Kenny: -----to streamline matters which must be brought before the Government for collective decision and are, therefore, the subject of collective responsibility. Many years ago, perhaps before the Deputy became a Member of the House, the late Deputies Jack Lynch, George Colley and Martin O'Donoghue and former Deputy Des O'Malley had their own quartet which dealt with all - or the vast majority of...
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (24 Sep 2013)
Enda Kenny: -----it is a genuine attempt to proceed in such a way so as to ensure that the people will be far more engaged and that this House, under Article 28.4 of the Constitution, will be seen to be able to live up to its responsibilities. In the period 1977 to 1979, the Lynch, Colley, O'Malley and O'Donoghue quartet ruled the roost in so far as the preparation and implementation of the budget was...
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (24 Sep 2013)
Enda Kenny: No, I was not a member of it. The Deputy sat at the Cabinet table-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (24 Sep 2013)
Enda Kenny: -----and allowed 20 Ministers of State to be appointed. It was a case of "Have one for yourself and have some responsibility assigned to you, whatever it might be".
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (24 Sep 2013)
Enda Kenny: I am engaging in a debate with the Deputy now.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (24 Sep 2013)
Enda Kenny: I take Deputy Adams' point. The role of the Opposition is to hold the Government of the day to account. That role is defined in Article 28.4 of Bunreacht na hÉireann which states that it is the constitutional duty of the Dáil to hold the Government - the Executive - to account.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (24 Sep 2013)
Enda Kenny: There have been examples during the past ten years whereby issues raised by the Opposition have seen the Government held to account. We want to enhance the position in this regard because, in the interests of the people and our democracy, all Governments need to be held to account. The second point I must make in respect of this matter is that Governments must make decisions. It is no...
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (24 Sep 2013)
Enda Kenny: If the Constitutional Convention were to consider the question of the Seanad and state that it should be retained-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (24 Sep 2013)
Enda Kenny: -----the Government would then say that it did not agree and that it was going to proceed to hold a referendum. In this instance the views of the parties in government were very clear prior to the general election and these were reflected in the programme for Government. The Government has also been clear in the decisions it has made in the context of asking the question. There was no need...
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (24 Sep 2013)
Enda Kenny: No, it was not. The Seanad was never a second House. It was, rather, a break on the proceedings of the Dáil. While it has the right to delay legislation, this mechanism has only been used in very rare circumstances.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (24 Sep 2013)
Enda Kenny: My problem with the Seanad is that the founding principles of engagement and representation of civic society on which it was based were never adhered to there. This is because the Upper House was hijacked by the political process, including my party.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (24 Sep 2013)
Enda Kenny: That is one of the reasons the majority of persons I, as Taoiseach, was able to appoint to the Seanad are completely and utterly independent of politics. Those individuals have not been asked by me to vote in favour or support the Government on particular issues since their appointment. That has not always been the case.