Results 24,381-24,400 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny

Order of Business (5 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: Yes. I am sorry that I have not fulfilled a commitment given to Deputy O’Dea in good faith last year. The consumer protection and competition Bill is a serious piece of legislation. It is an extensive Bill but it is very well advanced and I expect it to be published early in this session. I hope we can honour that particular commitment to the Deputy.

Order of Business (5 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: No.

Order of Business (5 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: The heads of the Bill were cleared in December. The criminal law (sexual offences) Bill is due for publication later this year.

Order of Business (5 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: It is listed for next year.

Northern Ireland: Statements (5 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: I welcome the opportunity to open the debate on Northern Ireland. We all want to see a modern, forward-looking and prosperous Northern Ireland. In the times in which we live, however, whether it be north, south, east or west, we cannot be insular. We all must be aware of, and responsive to, external, international and global issues beyond our direct control. That is the reality of the...

Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: A Cheann Comhairle, you have been very clear on this. Deputy Martin has raised an important question about the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC. This is an essential and fundamental entity of our democratic system and it is very important the people have absolute confidence and faith in the integrity and the credibility of GSOC, no more than it is an important and...

Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: Because this is an issue-----

Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: This is an issue of real importance and an issue of the confidence of the people in two very important institutions, both GSOC, which was set up for the purpose of having oversight in respect of gardaí, and the Garda Síochána itself. I am anxious, and I understand Deputies are anxious, to have as much information as is possible about the concerns that arose.

Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: For that reason, the Government instructed the Chief Whip this morning that, after the Order of Business concludes, the Minister for Justice and Equality will make a statement to the House, with opportunities for Members to respond to that. I note GSOC will attend in public session at the Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions tomorrow. It is important that there be...

Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: I might say, for your information, a Cheann Comhairle, that the Government is not entitled to the report that was provided to GSOC by the company it chose. It is an independent body. However, the Minister for Justice and Equality has requested that the report would be supplied to him.

Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: I am of the view, which is shared by everybody else, that we require clarity in respect of the GSOC and the integrity of that office which has responsibility for oversight of An Garda Síochána. I am also well aware of the importance of citizens having confidence in the integrity of An Garda Síochána. This issue was at the forefront of much discussion last weekend arising...

Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: The GSOC is to attend the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Public Service, Oversight and Petitions tomorrow in public session. Deputy Martin is asking me today to have a public inquiry into this. Does he not think it appropriate that the GSOC should come before the committee and answer questions and provide clarification for Members of the House? Perhaps he does not want that. He is asking...

Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: Deputy Adams made the point about newspaper reports that the office of the GSOC was the subject of sophisticated surveillance. A report claiming that the GSOC had been the subject of unlawful surveillance of a sophisticated nature was published in a Sunday newspaper on 9 February 2014. The Minister received a briefing on this yesterday by the chairman of the GSOC. The chairman said...

Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: I respect absolutely GSOC and I think it is important that GSOC would have every opportunity to state for the record in public session and that the chairman and the members of the board of the commission are absolutely satisfied with the independence and integrity of the way that they are entitled to do their business. Now, I cannot direct them to do that. It is important that the...

Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: That is the statement from GSOC. The section that I referred to and that the Deputy quoted from means that GSOC is entitled of its own initiative to report-----

Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: -----under the law to the Minister for Justice and Equality of the day. In its statement yesterday, it said:We did not wish to point fingers unnecessarily and we did not believe that widespread reporting would be conducive to public confidence. We took the decision not to report in good faith. We regret that now and this was communicated to the Minister for Justice and Equality by Simon...

Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: That is the independent body with oversight responsibility for the Garda. That is its statement. It says that there was no evidence of its databases being compromised, that it made the decision not to report in good faith, that it regretted that decision and that it communicated that to the Minister for Justice and Equality.

Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: The balance between the Garda and GSOC is very important here. I do hope that the clarity that is necessary can be furnished at the open hearings of the Oireachtas committee tomorrow. From that point of view, the Minister for Justice and Equality will speak in some further detail after the Order of Business today.

Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Minister, Deputy Noonan, dealt with this in questions just some short time ago. The special liquidator has full responsibility for determining how the assets of IBRC are sold. In arriving at these decisions, it has considered the cases made from both borrowers and professional independent advice on each of the portfolios in the mortgage area. The decision to offer the residential...

Leaders' Questions (11 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Minister has already instructed the Department of Finance to examine this matter in consultation with the Central Bank. The Deputy will be aware that operating loans are being repaid at par value. The interest of acquirers of a portfolio of loans will be for loans that are not performing well. Every mortgage that is signed for has contractual obligations attached to it. Whoever will...