Results 14,741-14,760 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny

Leaders' Questions (25 Oct 2011)

Enda Kenny: I spoke to all of the personalities and leaders mentioned by Deputy Ross. For the first time in my attendance at these meetings there was a genuine focus on the fundamentals of what needs to be done. I too have heard the reports of the conversations between President Sarkozy and Chancellor Merkel with Prime Minister Berlusconi. However, I do not know the details in that regard. I am aware...

Leaders' Questions (25 Oct 2011)

Enda Kenny: To be honest, a number of prime ministers or leaders may not have been as sufficiently aware of the situation in other countries as they now are. At the conclusion of that meeting there was an understanding of how serious this is in the European context. The Deputy will have heard the comments of President Sarkozy about Ireland echoed by others. While we have done well, there remains a...

Leaders' Questions (25 Oct 2011)

Enda Kenny: France and Germany never said at the meeting that country X or Y should now impose austerity measures. There was general discussion and agreement on the need for fiscal discipline and control over countries' spending. Ireland is in the difficult situation it is in because of such lack of control. It is not the case that Chancellor Merkel or President Sarkozy stated what a particular...

Ministerial Staff (25 Oct 2011)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take Questions No. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. There are five special advisers in my Department, four of whom are special advisers to me and one of whom is special adviser to the Government Chief Whip. I do not have a dedicated adviser-consultant on health in my Department. A specialist adviser on health was appointed to the Minister for Health and Children of the previous...

Ministerial Staff (25 Oct 2011)

Enda Kenny: The Deputy's question was specific. He asked if I had any advisers or consultants on health within my Department and if I would make a statement on the matter. I have made a statement on the matter. I have no specific special advisers or consultants in my Department dealing with health. I chair the Cabinet sub-committee on health, which is due to meet again shortly. It will meet every...

Ministerial Staff (25 Oct 2011)

Enda Kenny: I could not but agree with the statement that overcrowding in hospital wards is not a good situation.

Ministerial Staff (25 Oct 2011)

Enda Kenny: As I said, I do not agree it is a good situation, and nobody would. The question was if we are in a position to deliver the best quality health service for the patients who get into the system with the facilities for those who provide that attention. This needs to be done in a streamlined manner so that we do not have this backup and the situation we have had over the years where there are...

Ministerial Staff (25 Oct 2011)

Enda Kenny: I want to assure Deputy Adams that this Government is focused on providing the best level of service that we can for patients and the best level of facilities for people who work in the health service. One of the most modern endoscopy units in the country is in Connolly Hospital.

Ministerial Staff (25 Oct 2011)

Enda Kenny: James Connolly would, I am quite sure, be delighted to know about that unit. The further expansion of the MRI facilities will come. The Deputy understands - he does not live in fantasy land either - that we do not have an endless, bottomless pit of money to provide all of these things now.

Ministerial Staff (25 Oct 2011)

Enda Kenny: Remember this - we would not be in this situation but for bankers and the carry on of an incompetent Government. Be that as it may-----

Ministerial Staff (25 Oct 2011)

Enda Kenny: -----Sinn Féin's Ministers in Northern Ireland do not appear to have any difficulty with imposing serious austerity in health and other areas right across the board.

Ministerial Staff (25 Oct 2011)

Enda Kenny: He talks about two different Irelands. We actually have two different Irelands. Sinn Féin is an all-island party, but it has a different view up North from the one it has down here. It does not seem to have any difficulty in agreeing to pretty serious cutbacks in Northern Ireland, but it hums and haws about everything that happens down here when the Government is in a bailout situation,...

Ministerial Staff (25 Oct 2011)

Enda Kenny: Deputy Adams talks about decisions in respect of advisers. I am not at all happy - how could I be? - about the numbers who are unemployed. That is why, through the Departments of Social Protection, Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and Finance, we want to put a real emphasis on job opportunities, getting people off the dole and providing up-skilling and retraining opportunities for them so...

Ministerial Staff (25 Oct 2011)

Enda Kenny: In 2009, the cost of seven advisers in the Department of the Taoiseach was €1.085 million. It is now €576,000. Call them what one wills, in my Department there are three of the people in question at the lowest level of the public service scale that applies to them.

Ministerial Staff (25 Oct 2011)

Enda Kenny: Two of the others are in excess of that level. This reflects the positions they held previously when they worked within the Fine Gael Party. As I pointed out to the Deputy last week, one of the persons working for a Minister was on a private sector salary of €200,000 and is now on a salary of €129,000 or €130,000 in respect of his or her public duties. It is important that, when...

Ministerial Staff (25 Oct 2011)

Enda Kenny: I can deal with that for the Deputy. Obviously, the special advisers who formerly worked for the party and are now in the Department of the Taoiseach are well able to cover a range of sectors. The economic adviser is up to date with every element of every Department and its budget. I chair the Cabinet committee on health. It is going to meet next on 10 November. It includes the Tánaiste,...

Ministerial Staff (25 Oct 2011)

Enda Kenny: Yes, but the next meeting is on 10 November. To be fair, I accepted the suggestions that came from Deputies about the necessity for a committee on health. I have an interaction with the Minister for Health and his two Ministers of State, who have specific responsibilities, on a regular basis. I do not need to ask for another special adviser to be put into the Department of the Taoiseach to...

Ministerial Staff (25 Oct 2011)

Enda Kenny: -----when we have access to the people who run it directly. I do not have consultants on health in the Department of the Taoiseach. I do not have a special adviser on health in the Department of the Taoiseach. The people who are there are well able to get the information I need at any time. We discuss all of these matters at the committee on health and will again on 10 November.

Departmental Agencies (25 Oct 2011)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 8, inclusive, together. The National Economic and Social Development Office, NESDO, is the only State agency under the aegis of my Department. The NESDO was established under the NESDO Act of 2006 and is the body corporate for the National Economic and Social Council, NESC. The role of the NESDO is to advise me on all strategic matters relevant to...

Departmental Agencies (25 Oct 2011)

Enda Kenny: The Deputy is making headway now that he has obeyed the Ceann Comhairle.