Results 28,481-28,500 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny

Order of Business (17 Feb 2015)

Enda Kenny: Clearance was given by the Government a few weeks ago for the heads of the Bill to be developed and that work now is ongoing. I assume it will go for pre-legislative discussions at the committee, but I will advise Deputy Frank Feighan of the current state of play.

Order of Business (17 Feb 2015)

Enda Kenny: I do not think that is accurate. There were some what I will call reflections on elements of the reports that had to be considered by some Departments. My understanding is that as these matters have been finalised, there should not be any restriction on naming a date for the discussions in this Chamber about the four outstanding reports. I acknowledge the Government missed the deadlines...

Order of Business (17 Feb 2015)

Enda Kenny: I will, but I cannot do so today. This involves two Departments, namely, the Departments of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Environment, Community and Local Government. I am aware that they are engaged with each other and I will advise Deputy Lawlor as to what is the current state of play. While there was a commitment to having these regulations published by now, it...

Order of Business (17 Feb 2015)

Enda Kenny: While I do not have a date for the health (miscellaneous provisions) Bill, I can inform the Deputy that approvals have been given for additional staff in Drogheda and Limerick, as well as for paramedics in various locations nationwide and where they are needed.

Order of Business (17 Feb 2015)

Enda Kenny: I cannot give the Deputy an accurate figure on Mullingar but it should be treated no differently from other hospitals. In respect of the EPSEN Act, it was necessary to conduct a considerable amount of research on those sections. There has been no cutback in resource teachers or special needs teachers and the opposite has been the case. I understand the reason for the delay in this...

Order of Business (17 Feb 2015)

Enda Kenny: I do not, but I will find out for the Deputy.

Order of Business (17 Feb 2015)

Enda Kenny: I met the Greek Prime Minister the other day and we had a discussion.

Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Bill 2015: First Stage (17 Feb 2015)

Enda Kenny: No.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Mental Health Awareness (17 Feb 2015)

Enda Kenny: The National Flag, the European Union flag and the flags of visiting delegations are the only flags that are flown over Government Buildings. It is not the intention of my Department to depart from this long established precedent.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Commissions of Investigation (17 Feb 2015)

Enda Kenny: Under its terms of reference, the Commission of Investigation had been due to report by the end of 2014, subject to section 6(6) of the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004, which provides for an extension of the timeframe for reporting at the Commission's request. Following a formal request from the Commission, I agreed to extend the timeframe for the Commission to report until 31 December...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Commissions of Inquiry (17 Feb 2015)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take Questions Nos. 164 to 167, inclusive, together. The Fennelly Commission of Investigation is the only Commission of Investigation established under the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004 for which I have administrative responsibility since I became Taoiseach. Neither my Department nor I received a request for a draft motion or draft terms of reference for the Fennelly...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (17 Feb 2015)

Enda Kenny: I was pleased to meet with the new Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras, on 12 February in Brussels at the Informal Meeting of EU Heads of State and Government and we had a short informal discussion in the margins of that meeting. I congratulated Mr. Tsipras on his election as Prime Minister of Greece. I indicated that I would be happy to welcome him to Ireland, and to have further...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: National Flag (17 Feb 2015)

Enda Kenny: My Department is currently reviewing the policy on arrangements for the half masting of the National Flag over Government Buildings.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: National Postcode System Expenditure (17 Feb 2015)

Enda Kenny: There are no projected costs to my Department to convert to using Eircode other than the cost of including the Eircode on departmental stationery. My Department has been managing its stock of headed stationery since the announcement of the move to Eircode. It is envisaged that my Department will be able to order its new stationery, including the Eircode, later in the year without bearing any...

Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2015)

Enda Kenny: I do not accept Deputy Martin's view of what the Government is doing in this area. The reason many people are in great difficulties is the extent of jobless households. What is involved here is a reduction of the disregard not in the rate of payment. The plan set out by the Government is to make work pay in all cases. We cannot allow an economy that is beginning to recover to bypass...

Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2015)

Enda Kenny: The focus in years to come will be to extend services that improve a person's ability to work. The purpose of the reforms introduced by the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection is to reduce long-term social welfare dependency by ending the expectation that lone parents will remain outside the workforce indefinitely. That is what this is about. These reforms aim to provide the...

Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2015)

Enda Kenny: As Deputy Martin is aware, a range of measures has been introduced to assist lone parents. They include the jobseeker's allowance transitional arrangement, the back-to-work family dividend-----

Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2015)

Enda Kenny: ----and the re-rating of the family income supplement. All of these measures are designed to assist rather than do down lone parents and give them an opportunity to get back to work. We have also provided enhanced access to the Intreo service and JobsPlus scheme and introduced elements of child care provision. The measure does not involve a reduction in the rate of payment lone parents receive.

Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2015)

Enda Kenny: It is a reduction in the offset that applies to what they can earn at the higher level. The reduction is not in the rate of payment lone parents receive.

Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2015)

Enda Kenny: All of the issues and incentives that have been introduced for lone parents are aimed at overcoming the expectation that lone parents will never be able to return to work on a full-time basis or have an opportunity to retrain, upskill or secure financial independence. They are also intended to deal with the expectation that joblessness in households will continue. This is where the real...