Results 29,761-29,780 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny

Leaders' Questions (16 Jun 2015)

Enda Kenny: I recognise that it is an offence under law to make connection with NAMA but I again point out to the Deputy that I am sure that the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General is utterly independent in the way it does its business. The personnel from the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General serving on the board of NAMA are there for that purpose. NAMA operates under the aegis of...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (16 Jun 2015)

Enda Kenny: I proposed to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. In September 2014, the Government made a number of changes to Cabinet committees during the establishment of the Cabinet committee on Construction 2020, housing, planning and mortgage arrears. This committee has met six times to date on 29 September 2014, 8 October 2014, 11 November 2014, 19 January 2015, 30 March 2015 and 25...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (16 Jun 2015)

Enda Kenny: I am not supposed to provide details on meetings of Cabinet sub-committees at all but Deputy Martin has raised a number of issues-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (16 Jun 2015)

Enda Kenny: I have pointed out to Deputy Martin the number of times that the committee has actually met. In addition to that, every Monday morning the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Kelly, meets with a group in his Department and members of Dublin City Council to co-ordinate activities in this area. This is really a supply issue because supply ground to a halt...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (16 Jun 2015)

Enda Kenny: I know the Ceann Comhairle is drawing on all his years of experience here to define a very narrow line. It is a point of interest that Deputies want to ask questions and we can give them perhaps some facts that are distinct from a debate on Government policy on housing. Perhaps, a Cheann Comhairle, I can give Deputy Adams some of those figures. It is regrettable that anybody would lose a...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (16 Jun 2015)

Enda Kenny: I think the Deputy is unduly pessimistic about the capacity of the industry to respond, although it is admittedly slow to take off. In Dublin and everywhere else, we will not deal with the situation until houses are built. In so far as the State is concerned, the Government has made an allocation of €2.2 billion to deal with all of the cases on the housing list - over 90,000 - over...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (16 Jun 2015)

Enda Kenny: The Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, has done more about homelessness than has been done for very many years.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (16 Jun 2015)

Enda Kenny: Will Deputy Martin listen to me for a minute?

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (16 Jun 2015)

Enda Kenny: In December 2014, the Minister with responsibility for housing and planning announced the implementation plan of the State's response to homelessness. The plan sets out a range of short-term and medium-term approaches. It will deliver 2,700 units for homeless people by the end of 2016. I will remind the Deputy of some of the actions that were taken. An increase of 271 beds in the Dublin...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (16 Jun 2015)

Enda Kenny: NAMA is already working to facilitate delivery of substantial housing beyond 2016 and in this regard funding its debtors and receivers to progress two projects through design, pre-planning and planning processes consistent with the priorities set out in the local development plan. Deputy Coppinger will be aware of the complete collapse of the construction sector. We were building 90,000...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (16 Jun 2015)

Enda Kenny: Clearly, we need a serious take-up beyond what there has been. Work by the Department of Finance suggests the number of houses completed in Dublin in 2015 will be approximately 3,800 units, up 20% on 2014 but still a 40% shortfall on the estimated demand. We need competent contractors on the ground with the ability to build quality houses at affordable prices as quickly as possible.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (16 Jun 2015)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 8, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on justice reform has met on eight occasions to date and last met on 25 May 2015. I expect that it will meet again soon but the date for its next meeting has not been scheduled yet.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (16 Jun 2015)

Enda Kenny: Deputy Martin has accused me of sacking the previous Garda Commissioner and misleading the Dáil. Now, he has accused me of breaking the law in being out with him and his staff. I reject all these charges by Deputy Martin.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (16 Jun 2015)

Enda Kenny: The Deputy knows the legislation that established commissions of investigation and it is illegal to make any comment on anything to do with a commission of investigation until it is ready to be published. I have already said, on many occasions, that when I receive a copy of the Fennelly report that can be published, it will be published in accordance with the law. It is beneath the Deputy,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (16 Jun 2015)

Enda Kenny: He made the charge that staff here and I had been briefing about a commission of investigation report.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (16 Jun 2015)

Enda Kenny: That is what he said. It is beneath Deputy Micheál Martin. He is asking me to break the law, which I will not do. I have already advised him on many occasions that I reject the charges he made. When the report is received-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (16 Jun 2015)

Enda Kenny: I am concerned. The Deputy has made a charge which I ask him to withdraw to the effect that I was out there with staff in respect of anything to do with the Fennelly commission.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (16 Jun 2015)

Enda Kenny: That is beneath the Deputy and he should withdraw the charge. I reject the charges he made.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (16 Jun 2015)

Enda Kenny: The report will be published in accordance with the law when I receive it. The Deputy understands the legislation and I abide by it fully and completely.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (16 Jun 2015)

Enda Kenny: Yes, the Deputy did.