Results 12,001-12,020 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny

Leaders' Questions (23 Mar 2011)

Enda Kenny: I commend Deputy Ross on his comments. What happened in the hiatus between the election and the formation of the new Government was disgraceful and I am seeking legal advice on whether it is possible to reverse those decisions. One of the commitments in the programme for Government is for an oversight committee in the Oireachtas where those who wish to be considered for important positions...

Leaders' Questions (23 Mar 2011)

Enda Kenny: I am interested in men and women of competence and merit serving where they can contribute to the well-being of the country. The Fianna Fáil Government made appointments based on friendship as distinct from merit.

Leaders' Questions (23 Mar 2011)

Enda Kenny: The Minister for Public Reform and Expenditure is currently preparing a memorandum for Government on appointments to semi-State bodies. We will debate that shortly. I am interested in putting an end to the blatant cronyism. I raised this before the former Taoiseach, Deputy Brian Cowen, left office, that between the election and the appointment of a new Government, no appointments should be...

Northern Ireland Issues (23 Mar 2011)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. The British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron-----

Northern Ireland Issues (23 Mar 2011)

Enda Kenny: The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, telephoned me to pass on his congratulations following the general election in February.

Northern Ireland Issues (23 Mar 2011)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, phoned me to pass on his congratulations following the general election in February. In the course of that conversation he invited me to meet with him at Downing Street in the near future. I have already met with the Prime Minister en marge of the extraordinary meeting of the European...

Northern Ireland Issues (23 Mar 2011)

Enda Kenny: I dealt with questions of this nature from an Opposition perspective for a number of years. It is the Office of the Ceann Comhairle that is responsible for grouping questions. There are five questions in the group under discussion. The first relates to the British Prime Minister, the second to the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, the third to the British Prime Minister and the...

Northern Ireland Issues (23 Mar 2011)

Enda Kenny: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for providing that clarification. I have no objection to dealing with questions such as this on an individual basis if the Deputies opposite wish to do so. However, this would mean that they might get less of a run at dealing with the matters to which they relate. On Question Time yesterday I made the point that as part of the reform of the Dáil we should...

Northern Ireland Issues (23 Mar 2011)

Enda Kenny: As already stated, when I met the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in Washington last week a number of issues were discussed. Most of these related to employment, economic opportunities, incentives for the development of various sectoral industries in Northern Ireland, tourism, cross-Border activities and infrastructural developments. These are all matters of which the Deputy is...

Northern Ireland Issues (23 Mar 2011)

Enda Kenny: I will look at the question of the Bill of rights to see what preparatory work has been done. Before the election, I attended a meeting of North-South political representatives in Warrenpoint. The consultative group attended by the Ceann Comhairle's predecessor was a forerunner of the North-South forum. Having met people from deprived or vulnerable areas in Northern Ireland, I fully...

Northern Ireland Issues (23 Mar 2011)

Enda Kenny: Other groups are lobbying hard for these funds on Capitol Hill. I do not speak for Senator Leahy, but I think he gave a very good hearing to what we had to say about the fund and its importance, with particular reference to it being continued for the benefit of vulnerable young people in hard pressed areas. In the next three weeks when decisions are made, I hope he will decide to continue...

Legislative Programme (23 Mar 2011)

Enda Kenny: The programme for Government outlines the Government's legislative priorities for the 31st Dáil. Ministers have begun the task of developing legislative proposals to give effect to the commitments in the programme. The Government will shortly approve a programme outlining its legislative priorities between now and the end of the summer session and this will be published. The Government...

Legislative Programme (23 Mar 2011)

Enda Kenny: I told the Deputy yesterday that I would give consideration to the inclusion of someone from Northern Ireland in the constitutional convention. As he knows, the convention will not be the final determinant of what will actually happen. It will be a convention at which citizens and others will give their views on a range of issues which I outlined to the House yesterday. Arising from any...

Legislative Programme (23 Mar 2011)

Enda Kenny: When I met the children's advocacy groups, they made the point that we should not have to go back and start the process all over again from scratch, that we should instead start from the point that the all-party Oireachtas committee had produced an agreed wording. With that wording and the Attorney General's views on a changed wording, it should be possible to get agreement on a formula of...

Legislative Programme (23 Mar 2011)

Enda Kenny: Yes.

Legislative Programme (23 Mar 2011)

Enda Kenny: As the Deputy knows, these are only recommendations.

Legislative Programme (23 Mar 2011)

Enda Kenny: The Deputy will recall that it was de Valera who abolished the Seanad without reference to anybody. At least we will have a full consultation process and ask the people. I am not watering it down; I just want to get the matter right. In order to ask the people, we must first produce a Bill and bring it before the House.

Legislative Programme (23 Mar 2011)

Enda Kenny: In addition, there are constitutional implications. We want to get the matter right and are working on this. My views on the Presidency and Presidential elections are well known. My view is that the term of office should be shortened and that in the future Presidential elections should be held on the same date as fixed-term European and local elections which occur at five year intervals,...

Legislative Programme (23 Mar 2011)

Enda Kenny: The issue of children's rights is real and sensitive and there are arguments on both sides. The Government has decided to hold a referendum on children's rights. The newly appointed Attorney General will consider the decision of her predecessor and advise the Government on the wording. The children's rights groups I met had very serious views and were disappointed about the changed wording...

Legislative Programme (23 Mar 2011)

Enda Kenny: Not only did de Valera abolish the Seanad he attempted to do so in respect of PR. Nothing is more substantive than that, as the Deputy is well aware from history writings.