Results 32,541-32,560 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny

Leaders' Questions (14 Jun 2016)

Enda Kenny: This is another distressing case, one of many that have come to light during the years. I would like the Deputy to understand that I listened to the women involved very carefully in the case of the Magdalen laundries, an issue which had gone on for over 60 years and nobody had done anything about it. I listened to women as part of the LGBT group who expressed the fear, loathing and...

Leaders' Questions (14 Jun 2016)

Enda Kenny: I do not think Deputy Coppinger or anybody else is entitled to judge the electorate that voted for the Constitution or that voted to amend the Constitution. My view is that if we were to decide to have a referendum to repeal the eighth amendment in October, it would not be passed. I will explain why. There needs to be a real discussion here. If we are going to attempt to remove this from...

Order of Business (14 Jun 2016)

Enda Kenny: It is proposed to take No. 10, motion re sittings and business of the Dáil; No. 12, motion re Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998; No. 13, motion re Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009; No. 16, Energy Bill 2016 [Seanad] - Second Stage (resumed); and No. 1, Road Traffic Bill 2016 [Seanad] - Second Stage. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, (1) that...

Order of Business (14 Jun 2016)

Enda Kenny: On the public pay question raised by Deputy Micheál Martin, the Minister is bound to discuss with all of those who signed the Lansdowne Road agreement on public pay the follow through on it. He is actually doing this. Over the next couple of weeks he will make his intentions, and the details of that, known to everybody. In respect of the victims of crime directive, this matter is...

Order of Business (14 Jun 2016)

Enda Kenny: I thank Deputy Adams for his ceisteanna. The Government has 180 days to respond to the finding of the UN Human Rights Committee. This will require some detailed conversations and discussions between the Office of the Attorney General and the Minister for Health. This will take place over the next period. As I said, we have 180 days to respond. The citizens' assembly will be set up within...

Order of Business (14 Jun 2016)

Enda Kenny: I might say something to the Deputy if he will let me finish. This is a 400 page judgment. It is a complicated judgment. It is the first time the High Court has ever determined that a national monument be on private property. It could end up in all kinds of contentious litigation in future. It certainly requires that the Government, in respect of whoever the Minister with responsibility...

Order of Business (14 Jun 2016)

Enda Kenny: -----and could cost significant amounts of money. Work got under way last November to preserve the building. The Minister and officials studied the judgment very carefully. As I said, it runs to 400 pages. Of course, they have sought advice in respect of its findings. People have very strong views about this. The Minister is anxious to have a consultative forum comprising the people of...

Order of Business (14 Jun 2016)

Enda Kenny: I thank Deputy Brendan Howlin for his comments on the Orlando massacre and I also thank the other leaders. I asked that the Government fly the flag at half mast today on public buildings and hope to sign the book of condolence. There were multiple murders by Mr. Mateen in Orlando where 49 people were killed and 53 wounded at a night club. On behalf of the Irish people, I have sent a letter...

Order of Business (14 Jun 2016)

Enda Kenny: I am not aware of plans for the introduction of legislation in this area, but I will bring the matter raised by the Deputy to the attention of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and have the Deputy apprised of what is going on here or the intentions of the Department or the Minister in this regard.

Order of Business (14 Jun 2016)

Enda Kenny: When one crosses the county bounds in travelling from Killarney towards Cork, one hits the section between Ballyvourney and Macroom. This issue has been raised on many occasions. Planning permission has been granted for the project which is part of the capital programme, as is the Adare bypass project. A review is pending, in 2018, as the Deputy will be aware. I cannot answer on the...

Order of Business (14 Jun 2016)

Enda Kenny: I thank the Deputy for her comments on those who lost their lives in Orlando. The new Order of Business arrangements will provide for Ministers to reply directly about the detail of legislation, which will prove helpful for all Members. I understand from the Minister mentioned that the regime has just been introduced. He intends to monitor the position carefully and will obviously...

Order of Business (14 Jun 2016)

Enda Kenny: If the Deputy pays her water charges and contributions, she will add greatly to the capacity of Irish Water to continue to invest in dealing with wastewater services and the provision of proper sewerage schemes around the country. Nobody wants any beach to be in the position she has identified. The reason Irish Water is able to borrow and invest in this way is to deal with these issues....

Order of Business (14 Jun 2016)

Enda Kenny: I will follow up that matter with the Deputy.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (14 Jun 2016)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 9, inclusive, together. The Cabinet Committee on Construction 2020, Housing, Planning and Mortgage Arrears was established by the previous Government and now stands dissolved. It last met on 8 October 2015. The new Government has established a Cabinet Committee on Housing, as committed to in the programme for a partnership Government, to deal with...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (14 Jun 2016)

Enda Kenny: I will. The programme for Government provides for increases to rent supplement and housing assistance payments, HAP, by up to 15%, taking into account geographic regions. The Minister, Deputy Varadkar, and his officials are working on that. It is important to note that the Department of Social Protection currently operates a targeted policy that allows for flexibility where landlords seek...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (14 Jun 2016)

Enda Kenny: I commend Deputy Curran for chairing the Oireachtas committee. I do not yet know what is in his report but, believe me, it will be a very welcome addition to set of propositions which have come now from the different Departments with responsibility in this area to the Minister for housing, planning and local government. These are the Departments of housing, planning and local government,...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (14 Jun 2016)

Enda Kenny: I do not have the details of the case Deputy Boyd Barrett raised. I always struggle to see - I think the Deputy said they were three years in a car-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (14 Jun 2016)

Enda Kenny: This is not acceptable at all. The Deputy asked the valid question as to how rents will come down. The answer is to deal with supply. The more houses one has, the less pressure there is on the housing stock whereby rents increase. The Government is committed to providing extensive student accommodation which every year takes up a couple of thousand spaces in apartments or other...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (14 Jun 2016)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 to 17, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on health met on 12 May 2016. The Cabinet committee has met once in 2016. The next meeting is scheduled for this Thursday, 16 June.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (14 Jun 2016)

Enda Kenny: The Minister for Health has outlined his initial priorities for the first 100 days. These include reactivation of the National Treatment Purchase Fund with a more targeted implementation; the examination of whether minor injuries units and clinics can have their opening hours extended; to establish an all-party Oireachtas committee to develop a long-term vision for health care, for which I...