Results 36,181-36,200 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny

Order of Business (9 May 2017)

Enda Kenny: Deputy Howlin raises a valid question. As he is aware, vacancies are recommended for filling by a process to the Minister for Justice and Equality. One vacancy arising from the death of an esteemed Supreme Court judge was not filled, and was not recommended to be filled, because the Court of Appeal was taking quite a number of cases that would normally go to the Supreme Court. That was the...

Order of Business (9 May 2017)

Enda Kenny: It seems Deputy Michael Healy-Rae knows them all as well. I do not know whether they cashed or they are a stroke for him but good luck to him in that regard.

Order of Business (9 May 2017)

Enda Kenny: I raised with the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food this morning a number of cases from different counties that had been raised. I understand more than 90% of payments have been made. I do not know whether the difficulty lies with the Department or the application or whether, as the Deputy stated, it is related to information technology. However, the Deputy can take it that the...

Order of Business (9 May 2017)

Enda Kenny: Deputy Gallagher is in a commanding position when he moves down to the floor. I will bring his comments to the attention of the Minister for Health and find out the position. The good people in the Donegal office are well capable of dealing with applications from their county and many other counties. Many State services are vested in the county and they do a very good job.

Order of Business (9 May 2017)

Enda Kenny: I am assured by the Ministers involved that the position regarding guidelines for wind farms should be brought before the House in the next couple of weeks.

Order of Business (9 May 2017)

Enda Kenny: It is true that this has gone on for a very long time. Agreement could not be reached between two Ministers in a previous Government. I am very confident that agreement will be reached between the two Ministers involved in this case.

Order of Business (9 May 2017)

Enda Kenny: Deputy Curran raised the additional expenditure issue. He knows about this. Clearly, the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, is dealing with this area. She obviously has a very genuine interest in and has made quite a substantial amount of progress on it. Some of the drug task forces throughout the country have been outstanding; others not so. It is not always about the level of...

Order of Business (9 May 2017)

Enda Kenny: Yes, I know that.

Order of Business (9 May 2017)

Enda Kenny: The first thing I would say is that the Government appointed a Minister of State with responsibility for disabilities, Deputy Finian McGrath, and provided a substantial budget. Early intervention services and services for school-aged children with disabilities need to be improved and organised more effectively. This is a process that is well under way under the direction of the Minister of...

Order of Business (9 May 2017)

Enda Kenny: Two final points, a Cheann Comhairle. Some €8 million in additional money was invested in 2014 and 2015 in order to fund 200 additional posts to support the implementation of the new model. A further €4 million in additional funding was provided for 75 therapy posts in 2016. It is expected that this reconfiguration will have a very significant impact on the HSE's ability to...

Order of Business (9 May 2017)

Enda Kenny: It is actually out of the bundle because the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy McEntee, is carrying out a public consultation on this very issue of how best to provide services in their own homes for people who want to stay there. The Deputy will know that the last person often asked where they want to be is the person who wants to stay in his or her own home. Why would...

Order of Business (9 May 2017)

Enda Kenny: I thank Deputy Troy. The Deputy has gone beyond my words. What I said was that there are 140 Private Members' Bills on the list at the moment which were brought forward by Deputies from all parties. Many of those Bills have to be amended very extensively by the relevant Minister or Department involved.

Order of Business (9 May 2017)

Enda Kenny: It is not the actual cost that is stalling these Bills, it is the requirement to introduce amendments in order to make them compatible with what is legislatively acceptable. If they were to go through, a cost would accrue and would be taken from the Vote of each individual Department. I have read out the constitutional piece for Deputy Micheál Martin in that regard.

Order of Business (9 May 2017)

Enda Kenny: In respect of the Technological Universities Bill, I will ask the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton, to deal with this as it is not he who is holding it up. He will explain why to the Deputy.

Order of Business (9 May 2017)

Enda Kenny: I have already referred to the situation in so far as the Department of Health is concerned. The Minister for Health is now in a position with the HSE to offer permanent contracts to every new nurse coming out. The Minister is offering incentives for nurses to come back home. The Minister is offering enhanced educational opportunities for nurses who are currently working. There is a range...

Order of Business (9 May 2017)

Enda Kenny: Ireland has had a very strong record in respect of defending women's rights.

Order of Business (9 May 2017)

Enda Kenny: This committee at the United Nations will be chaired by the incoming ambassador, Ms Geraldine Byrne Nason, on behalf of Ireland next year and the Deputy can rest assured that the question of women's rights will be one that will be foremost in her mind at that committee. It has already been made clear by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade that not since 1947 have any of the secret...

Order of Business (9 May 2017)

Enda Kenny: -----were put forward: Turkmenistan, Korea, Japan, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. There were five nominations for five places. Obviously, there was a place for every country involved.

Order of Business (9 May 2017)

Enda Kenny: The important issue here is the functioning of the United Nations, the mechanics of how it actually works. In my view, it needs fairly serious reform. Be that as it may, these votes occur on a regular basis-----

Order of Business (9 May 2017)

Enda Kenny: -----every year, as they have since 1947.