Results 26,801-26,820 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Ministerial Responsibilities (14 Oct 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Minister for Health has responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy. This role includes chairing the Oversight Forum on Drugs, which is responsible for the high-level monitoring of progress being achieved under the Strategy. Any questions on progress with the Strategy and related issues are a matter for the Minister.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Investigations (14 Oct 2014)

Enda Kenny: On 21 February 2014, the Government appointed John Cooke, a retired judge of the High Court, to conduct an independent inquiry into reports of unlawful surveillance of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. The inquiry was completed on 4 June 2014. On 27 February 2014, the Government appointed Sean Guerin, Senior Counsel, to conduct an independent inquiry into allegations made...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Appointments to State Boards (14 Oct 2014)

Enda Kenny: The National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) is the body corporate for the National Economic and Social Council (NESC), the only State Agency under the aegis of my Department. The board of NESDO is currently comprised of the Chair and Deputy Chair of the NESC, both of whom are civil servants from my Department and serve in an ex-officio capacity. Section 18 of the Statistics...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff Rehiring (14 Oct 2014)

Enda Kenny: In 2013 I appointed a person who was in receipt of a public service pension, as Deputy Government Press Secretary and Head of the Government Information Service for 7 months, during which time his pension was abated in accordance with the Provisions of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and other Provisions) Act 2012. One person who previously retired from the public service, and...

Leaders' Questions (15 Oct 2014)

Enda Kenny: We signalled very clearly that the mandate given to Government was to fix our finances and get our country working. As far back as early summer, we indicated that the priority in respect of tax was to deal with the crushing burden of 52% imposed on workers through a combination of dealing with the tax band, the USC and PRSI. Deputy Martin asked me if it is fair. It is very fair to say that...

Leaders' Questions (15 Oct 2014)

Enda Kenny: I have already pointed for Deputy Micheál Martin to the plan we have set out to change the burden of 52% tax imposed on people. Deputy Micheál Martin is aware that this is the first step in this and the next two budgets to reduce the 52% level of tax. The increase in the threshold above which the universal service charge, USC, becomes payable, at €12,000, will remove a...

Leaders' Questions (15 Oct 2014)

Enda Kenny: Over 400,000 people will now have no liability for the USC. A further 33,000 will be removed from the higher rate of income tax as a result of the increase in the bands introduced yesterday. The 1% cut in the 52% tax rate will benefit 635,000 middle income earners. For earnings above €70,000 and €100,000, two new rates of USC have been introduced. While everyone benefits...

Leaders' Questions (15 Oct 2014)

Enda Kenny: The emphasis has been on lower paid workers and middle income workers from €70,000 down.

Leaders' Questions (15 Oct 2014)

Enda Kenny: That is where the priority is. For two middle income public servants, the saving will be about €100 per month.

Leaders' Questions (15 Oct 2014)

Enda Kenny: The billing process for Irish Water will commence from October. There will be a surge in applications to be registered before the end of October. Until we have the absolute numbers registered for the household charge, as a consequence, we cannot determine what the actual level of income will be from Irish Water until the bills are issued and paid.

Leaders' Questions (15 Oct 2014)

Enda Kenny: Yes.

Leaders' Questions (15 Oct 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Deputy has lost the measure of credibility. He has come into the Chamber time and again with his budgetary proposals which have a €550 million hole in them. Yesterday, he called for property tax and water charges to be abolished, but he had no proposition for how these services would be provided other than increasing corporation tax and introducing a 78% rate of income tax.

Leaders' Questions (15 Oct 2014)

Enda Kenny: He should not come in here to talk about credibility or being convincing. He presented his budget propositions with a massive black hole in the middle of them. He goes around the country saying, "Pay for nothing; all these services should be free of charge." In its budget proposals, the Government has set out how it will deal with the questions of poverty, unemployment and employment....

Leaders' Questions (15 Oct 2014)

Enda Kenny: This is the first year of three in which we intend to apply it. I believe that is fair.

Leaders' Questions (15 Oct 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Deputy asked if there was an election on the way. There is always an election on the way and the next one is due in spring 2016. At that stage, I hope the Government will have introduced its fifth and final budget of its term of office.

Leaders' Questions (15 Oct 2014)

Enda Kenny: I hope we will continue the progress made in securing the recovery for the future, getting our deficit below 3%, having more than 100,000 new jobs created, giving the opportunity for prosperity and confidence to our people and restoring us to where we should be. Deputy Adams asked me not to rubbish Sinn Féin and I will not do so. I will give him some facts. Yesterday's budget dealt...

Leaders' Questions (15 Oct 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Sinn Féin finance spokesman came in and made a claim and the Sinn Féin deputy leader ran out of words halfway through and had to evacuate the House because her script was not long enough. Anything for an excuse to get out of the place. In fairness, Sinn Féin said it was providing €300 million to reverse domestic water charges. What it did not do was recognise the...

Leaders' Questions (15 Oct 2014)

Enda Kenny: Sinn Féin wants to introduce a third rate of income tax, leaving the top rate at income tax at 59% with USC and PRSI. Sinn Féin wants to increase employer PRSI, which is a tax on new jobs, to 15.75%. The additional taxes proposed amount to a 12% increase in taxes on jobs.

Leaders' Questions (15 Oct 2014)

Enda Kenny: Deputy Pearse Doherty, who is an articulate young man, accepted that €6 billion worth of consolidation measures had been introduced over the past number of years but could not say which ones he accepted. Sinn Féin wants to tax the middle group through the back door. Where a son or daughter inherits a house worth €250,000, he or she would pay a further €15,250 in tax.

Leaders' Questions (15 Oct 2014)

Enda Kenny: Sinn Féin wants to abolish the marginal rate of tax relief on pension contributions. When Deputy Adams goes back to Louth, he should talk to the garda married to the nurse who are on a salary of €40,000. They would lose a further €800 according to the Sinn Féin proposition. I am not rubbishing Sinn Féin but giving back its figures with a little interest.