Results 24,321-24,340 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: World Economic Forum (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: I attended the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, (WEF), from 22 to 24 January. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan also attended the Forum. The theme of this year's meeting was “The reshaping of the World; consequences for society, politics and business”. In a busy schedule of meetings, panel discussions and workshops, my main focus was on the continued...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Oireachtas Reform (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Programme for Government outlined an ambitious agenda for Oireachtas Reform to be introduced in a phased process over the lifetime of this Government. The two phases of Dáil reform already introduced since the Government took office in March 2011 have significantly improved the working of the House. The first phase of Oireachtas reforms introduced in 2011 restructured the...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Referendum Campaigns (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Deputy will be aware that, arising from recommendations in reports of the Convention on the Constitution, the Government has already announced that it will bring forward proposals in 2015 for referendums on same-sex marriage, reducing the voting age to 16 and reducing the age of candidacy for Presidential elections to 21. In addition, the Government has referred to the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: World Economic Forum (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: I had no scheduled meeting with representatives of the US Chamber of Commerce at the recent World Economic Forum in Davos. However, I exchanged brief remarks with the President and CEO of the Chamber, Thomas Donoghue at one of the Forum events at which we were both present. We did not have a detailed discussion on any topic nor was the specific issue referenced in the question raised during...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Information and Communications Technology Issues (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: The National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) is the only agency under the aegis of my Department. Neither my Department nor NESDO has been involved in developing any Apps for smart phones and other multi-media devices in the past three years.

Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: We offer our congratulations on the brilliant reaction of so many communities, including voluntary groups and ordinary individuals, who worked together with the public services recently to deal with unprecedented heavy rainfall and floods due to a number of natural factors. These included high winds and tidal surges. We will have to revert to this issue on many occasions. Clearly, the...

Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Minister for Social Protection has a central role in dealing with the expenditure of €15 million in humanitarian funds, which, pending an assessment, is an initial amount. The Cork city flood response group met on 3 February to activate the Cork city inter-agency flood emergency response plan. These are well established plans which are led by the city council to bring about a...

Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: I am delighted to know that Cork was founded by St Finbar. I thank Deputy Martin for clearing up the matter as it was a source of discussion over the years as to who founded it. In the past four years, €250 million has been spent on capital works for flood defences in Mallow, Clonmel and Kilkenny. These defences have, by and large, worked successfully. The sum of €50 million...

Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, dealt with the issue of mandating insurance companies to provide insurance in areas where there has been repeated flooding over the years. It is not possible to do that. Applications are being received as we speak for assistance in regard to the consequences of flooding. One woman told me that the flood damage to her business is estimated at...

Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: With those comments, we would be in a deeper mess if the Deputy were in charge of this.

Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: Not even the postman in Donegal could have predicted that the tide would be 20 ft. higher than normal at the mouth of the Corrib, with due respect to his experience and analysis of what might be weather patterns.

Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Office of Public Works, with the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, is completing a mapping process for the country based on river catchment areas. The Deputy has mentioned a figure of 300 villages, towns and cities, according to newspaper reports, but there are many more that may suffer flooding in the time ahead. We must know what we want to do-----

Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: -----before making plans to deal with the issue.

Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: If the Deputy thinks he can deal with Waterford, Wexford, Cork, Limerick, Ennis, Galway and all the other places which have suffered severe flooding now - not to mention if the same weather patterns would present in Dublin as they did a number of years ago - he must be aware that the scale of the engineering works and capital costs involved will be very extensive. We must know what is to be...

Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: This is not a simple solution. Those Deputies who have been to see the many thousands of acres flooded around the Shannon on an annual or biannual basis know what I am talking about. When water comes into homes and business, it wreaks devastation. In working to prevent this there may be capital defences which may or may not work. In Limerick, as the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes,...

Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: Let us hope the weather is a little kinder than it has been in the past few days.

Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Deputy is wrong. The change in the way we do politics here allows Deputy Donnelly to bring in a Private Members' Bill, which is good-----

Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: -----as these issues must be discussed and commented upon. It is the Deputy's right. The Deputy had discussions with the Minister, Deputy Bruton, about the Bill and what the Government is doing with this. The Bill does not do what the Deputy says and it is legally unsound and potentially damaging to other creditors.

Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Government will not accept the Bill on that basis. The Government has already changed the rules to allow for small and medium enterprises to go to the Circuit Court-----

Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: -----and not have the costs of the High Court to deal with. The Government has extended the remit of the Cabinet committee dealing with small and medium enterprises to cover this area also. With regard to the targets and objectives set by the Government for the banks, the evidence now shows that, by the end of this year, the vast majority of small and medium enterprises that have been...