Results 19,901-19,920 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Consumer Protection (20 Sep 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Section 12(1) of the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980 provides that in a contract for the sale of goods there is an implied warranty that spare parts and an adequate aftersale service will be made available by the seller in such circumstances as are stated in an offer, description or advertisement by the seller on behalf of the manufacturer or on his own behalf and for such...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (20 Sep 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Brexit presents the most significant economic challenge of the past 50 years and long-term, structural and disruptive change will emerge.  Following the UK’s vote to leave the EU, the need to accelerate and implement competitiveness, innovation and market diversification strategies at a national and company level cannot be underestimated. This is at the crux of Enterprise...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (20 Sep 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Government is conscious of the need to consider the types of supports that Irish businesses may require to address challenges arising as a result of the Brexit Referendum, which is likely to represent a structural shift in the UK trading relations.  My Department has been working with the Department of Finance, EI, SBCI and Department of Agriculture to develop potential supports to...

Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Government is focusing on the priority areas in health. For example, reducing waiting times for the longest waiting patients is one of the Government's key priorities. It is for that reason that €20 million was allocated to the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, in the budget, rising to €55 million in 2018. In order to reduce the numbers of long-waiting patients,...

Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I repeat that the development of new primary care health centres is a priority for the Government. As Deputy Kelleher will be aware, funding has been allocated. The Deputy will have seen the centres that have already opened. Clearly, that has to be a huge part of the focus in making sure there are appropriate referrals to emergency departments. The renegotiation of the GP contract is a key...

Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The first thing we want to do is make sure we continue the economic progress the country has seen. In the very first instance we have the capital which is provided by the Government. We have taxpayers who are paying tax and because it has been managed properly, we are now in a position to invest in services, contrary to the position inherited by the previous Government three or four years...

Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: In the forthcoming budget we will continue to take the approach that has allowed this country to invest in the kinds of services that clearly need to be developed at this time in our economy. We will have a budget that will be incremental, sustainable and fair because we want to be fair to those people who are working and to the vulnerable, and we want to make sure that we support the kind...

Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: That is precisely what we will be doing in the budget. It is not about one or the other.

Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is about supporting our workers and the development of services in this country and, most of all, about creating the kind of economy that can invest. If we do not manage the economy properly, there will not be the money to invest, which is the position this country found itself in a few years ago.

Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Following the retirement of the Garda Commissioner, Nóirín O'Sullivan, the process is under way to appoint her successor. It is primarily the job of the Policing Authority and the Public Appointments Service, PAS, working together to find the best candidate for that job. The Deputy quoted a salary figure, but certainly there is no decision by the Government regarding that figure,...

Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I said clearly but I will reiterate that the Government favours a structured approach to the issue of pay, which we demonstrated again last week in the agreement that was reached. I also said that there are difficulties in recruitment and that, on occasion, these may lead to a decision in specific circumstances where the issue of pay may have to be reconsidered but the overall approach is...

Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I do not have the information sought on the individual mentioned by the Deputy, but the thoughts and sympathy of this House go to that person and his family in what are absolutely tragic circumstances, as noted by the Deputy. It is because we believe people have a right to housing that we are taking the range of actions outlined last night in the House by the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy,...

Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Government is focussing on solutions. A range of new initiatives was announced by the Minister, Deputy Murphy, and the Minister of State, Deputy English, including for example, after their meeting with local authority directors. The Government is taking actions that will make a difference. There is a suggestion that the Private Members' Bill should go to the Joint Committee on...

Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is important that the Government invests and ensures that the initiatives it is taking are making a difference for families. That is the focus of the Government and that is what it is doing. There is increasing demand. There is now fast-tracking of planning applications. The builds are increasing and that will continue. We have come from a situation where there was no investment in...

Questions on Promised Legislation (21 Sep 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is a focus on mental health and ensuring that there are teams all over the country. There are now 64 teams in place under the CAMHS service which indicates that recruitment is successfully taking place. I will raise the point made by Deputy Kelleher with the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris.

Questions on Promised Legislation (21 Sep 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The domestic violence consolidated legislation the Deputy mentioned is in the Seanad and I would like to see it go through that House as quickly as possible. I was very pleased to introduce that important Bill. The Government is working closely with the Departments of Justice and Equality and of Health to deal with one issue that has arisen in respect of signing the convention. It is...

Questions on Promised Legislation (21 Sep 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Work is under way on that Bill. Decisions taken by the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, are a matter for the DPP. It is an independent office and that is absolutely in keeping with our system of justice, the separation of powers and the due process approach to criminal justice.

Questions on Promised Legislation (21 Sep 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Any decision about the work of the committee is a matter for the committee of which the Deputy is a member.

Questions on Promised Legislation (21 Sep 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Work is under way on the health (amendment) Bill.

Questions on Promised Legislation (21 Sep 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: This is an important Bill to modernise and consolidate the approach to commercial rates and it is expected that the Bill will go before the committee for pre-legislative scrutiny soon.