Results 24,161-24,180 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny

Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2014)

Enda Kenny: It has adhered to that remit over the years. The Minister for Justice and Equality cannot just refer a complaint by a garda against a colleague to the Garda Ombudsman Commission. It is because of the changing allegations that have been made that, in the public interest-----

Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2014)

Enda Kenny: -----the Minister is required to ensure that integrity, confidence and trust in the system will be retained. That is why the matter has been referred to the Garda Ombudsman Commission. I support him in that regard because it is exactly the right thing to do. What the Committee of Public Accounts does in the context of its discussions is a matter for its members. I cannot interfere with...

Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2014)

Enda Kenny: I do not believe it is good practice for information provided during a private session of a meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts to be bandied about in the national media or for comments that could in any way be construed as straying outside of the remit of that committee to be made. The committee is doing its job but it is important that it should stay within its remit. As already...

Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2014)

Enda Kenny: Irish businesses are not being locked out of the sector, nor is another monster being created. What we are doing is addressing the challenges relating to the future. Perhaps Deputy Donnelly, who spent some time working with McKinsey and Co., wants to propose that we should sack 2,000 workers. Is that what he is saying?

Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2014)

Enda Kenny: If the Deputy comes from the commercial side of the business sector, then I suggest he needs to get his facts right. The fact is the Irish water system is, in many cases, entirely deficient. It has suffered as a result of a lack of infrastructural investment for many years. That is why, as a result of their being 34 different local authorities, there are gross inconsistencies in standards....

Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2014)

Enda Kenny: I accept your ruling, Ceann Comhairle. It might be helpful to everybody if the clock at the back of the Chamber was actually switched on for these replies-----

Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2014)

Enda Kenny: -----so we would know these things. In reply to Deputy Donnelly, I expect him to go to Wicklow County Council tomorrow, call the staff who are dealing with water services in any shape or form and tell them he wants-----

Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2014)

Enda Kenny: -----half of them sacked. Is that what he wants?

Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2014)

Enda Kenny: It is not a case of the HSE all over again. In fact, I agree with Deputy Donnelly that unnecessary waste in the Irish system must be done away with. Should we not first deal with the 40% of water which is leaking away every day? Does he agree that we should deal with the problems of 18,000 households who have had to boil water for the past six months? Does he agree it is right to deal...

Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Deputy should go down to Wicklow tomorrow and call the staff together and say, "Donnelly is on the warpath, he wants you sacked."

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Northern Ireland Issues (28 Jan 2014)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 31, inclusive, together. As Deputies are aware, the recent political talks in Northern Ireland on parades, flags and contending with the past under the chairmanship of Dr. Richard Haass and the vice-chairmanship of Dr. Meghan O’Sullivan concluded without agreement in the early hours of New Year’s Eve. I am disappointed that the talks...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Northern Ireland Issues (28 Jan 2014)

Enda Kenny: As I indicated in my reply, Dr. Haass and Dr. O'Sullivan were not invited by the Irish Government or the British Government but by the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland. As I pointed out, it was not a case of the governments being in charge of these discussions. This initiative was taken by the Executive, the First Minister and Deputy First Minster. I...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Northern Ireland Issues (28 Jan 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Deputy has made a number of valid points. I do not object to having reasonably regular discussions on Northern Ireland, but it is really a matter for the Whips. I agree that such discussions tend to take place when an incident happens or an issue arises and it is raised here by means of Priority Question. It would be preferable if we were to have regular debates on Northern Ireland...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Northern Ireland Issues (28 Jan 2014)

Enda Kenny: My point is that we would like to have debates here in which all there is to talk about are normal, routine issues that we would discuss in any event. We have North-South structures: the North-South Inter-Parliamentary Association, chaired by the Ceann Comhairle and the Speaker and the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. I am not sure how often it...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Northern Ireland Issues (28 Jan 2014)

Enda Kenny: Exactly. The issue would be "inadmissibility" for statements. They came here, consulted widely, made a very determined effort, got the parties together and met intensively on many occasions in a short period and came back after Christmas. It may not have worked but I commend them on the efforts they made and I commend the parties on their engagement. It is unfulfilled and incomplete. If...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Northern Ireland Issues (28 Jan 2014)

Enda Kenny: It is supportive of the process and the engagement.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Northern Ireland Issues (28 Jan 2014)

Enda Kenny: I think we can do that. When I was speaking to Prime Minister Cameron, his Government was very supportive of the initiative taken by the First Minister, Mr. Robinson, and the Deputy First Minister, Mr. McGuinness. We can argue about the fact that it was inconclusive and about what we support do not support. I share the Deputy's view in this regard. As I said when we had the Presidency,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Northern Ireland Issues (28 Jan 2014)

Enda Kenny: There is always a point where one could say that we need to take another step here. If one recalls the journey the people of Northern Ireland came through and all the difficulties over very many years, one can see that at the end of the day it required people to sit down to discuss, negotiate and get help and co-operation in putting a structure together under which the people of Northern...

Order of Business (28 Jan 2014)

Enda Kenny: It is proposed to take No. 13, motion re: Standing Orders 90, 97A, 97B, 97C, 99, 107A, 107B, 107C, 107D, 107E, 107F, 107G and 107H; and No. 1, European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2013 Seanad - Second Stage. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. tonight and shall adjourn on the adjournment of Private members'...

Order of Business (28 Jan 2014)

Enda Kenny: Yes.