Results 15,621-15,640 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny

Economic Management Council (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: People may read into anybody's comments what they like.

Economic Management Council (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: The position is that the reductions in any individual Department are all collectively accepted by the Government and there is no Department that did not have reductions applied to them in some area.

Economic Management Council (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: The Deputy has moved to the right hand wing of the Chamber instead of the left hand wing.

Economic Management Council (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: The answer to the Deputy's first question is that the economic management council is not a Stalinist politburo.

Economic Management Council (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: I am glad to see the Deputy on that side of the Chamber than over here for whatever reason he has changed. I do not know whether he cannot stick the heat over there.

Economic Management Council (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: The horsemen Deputy Higgins spoke of are as mythical as the battle of Moytura.

Economic Management Council (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: The economic management council, as I said in reply to Deputy Martin, is not the Cabinet but it is entitled, as a committee, to meet the chief executive officers of the banks, either collectively or individually, because it is in the interest of the consumer that the council should make Government policy clearly and plainly known to people in those positions and it has done so. For instance,...

Economic Management Council (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: It is not any kind of Stalinist organisation. It is a case of being able to streamline a range of issues before they get to Cabinet.

Economic Management Council (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: We are not sitting around for hours on end doing nothing. One puts one's agenda there and issues that can be dealt with and that can be, at least, focused on can then come to Cabinet for decision in a professional and competent way.

Economic Management Council (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: I do not have the details of that. I am sure the representatives of the workers in the EBS will be taking up their case with the management. It is an issue the Deputy could raise as an item of topical interest in the House if the Ceann Comhairle were to allow it.

Freedom of Information (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 13 together. The functions relating to the Freedom of Information Act are carried out in my Department by statutorily designated officials, as envisaged in the Act. These officials follow the guidelines set out in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's decision makers manual and there are no plans to change this process. As I have stated...

Freedom of Information (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: Deputy Martin submitted an FOI request relating to briefing material prepared in advance of the European Council meeting in March. That request was part-granted, as I understand it, by the freedom of information officer. On appeal by Deputy Martin, the request was considered by somebody of high rank in the Department, as provided for in the Freedom of Information Act. I understand that two...

Freedom of Information (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: As I said, Deputy Martin has appealed this to Information Commissioner and that office has completely independent authority in this regard. I have no function at all in regard to interfering in any way with the Freedom of Information Acts, as they are set down. There is a Government commitment to change the Act back to what it was prior to 2003, which would make it far more flexible and...

Freedom of Information (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: It is a commitment of Government to restore the Act to what it was prior to 2003 and to extend its remit further than it is at present. I understand from the Minister, Deputy Howlin, that he would expect to be able to bring a legislative measure to the House in the new year. Clearly, we have had discussions about the legislative programme from September until the end of this year, which was...

Programme for Government (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 to 16, inclusive, together. As Deputies will be aware, a new programme for Government office has been established in my Department. Two whole-time staff have been assigned to the office from within existing Department resources. This staff, comprising an assistant principal officer and a higher executive officer, has a total annual salary cost of...

Programme for Government (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: I did not say I would publish them.

Programme for Government (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: I have here a list of issues that have been dealt with under the programme for Government. It is too long to read out to Deputy Martin. I will send Deputy Martin a copy. There are 26 elements of the programme for Government covered under the most recent budget. They range from the highest transparency in respect of NAMA with the Minister for Finance to establish the advisory group to...

Programme for Government (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: The situation is not exactly as Deputy Martin describes it. Obviously, my party was not in government before the election and therefore did not have at its disposal the formal legal advice from the Attorney General. Deputy Martin did though, if he requested it.

Programme for Government (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: Obviously, he could have said what was the legal advice available. March next will be an appropriate time to have an annual review of the performance of Government in so far as the commitments in the programme for Government being fulfilled are concerned. It is quite sizeable, more sizeable than I had considered. As I stated, there are 26 clear commitments in the programme that are now...

Programme for Government (13 Dec 2011)

Enda Kenny: No doubt the Deputy will keep me focused on this. This morning I gave a briefing on the meeting at the weekend, yet the Deputy tells me I did not raise something I did.