Results 12,481-12,500 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: I did not debate. Never argue with the people’s voice - I accept this and it is perfectly clear. Deputy Joe Higgins claims we have only one proposal for the Seanad. The one proposal that is very clear in the voice of the people over 30 years ago, in a referendum in 1979, is that all graduates should have a vote in Seanad elections. We will deal with that issue next week and the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Seanad could review pre-legislation stage reports from committees and make recommendations to Ministers. Why not? New arrangements could be put in place for it to consider amendments on Committee Stage of non-emergency Bills of a detailed or technical nature. How many times have we heard about the wondrous amendments brought forward by the Seanad during the years? Give it the chance...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Seanad could review the reports laid before the Houses by public bodies. There have been references to the wondrous contributions made by Seanad Members. Accordingly, we should give them the opportunity to debate reports, make recommendations and see how far we get. The Seanad could review joint committee reports on EU policy reviews and the European Union’s annual work...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: That is too simplistic. When the Deputy talks about extending the franchise to all to elect people to the Seanad, there must be enormous consideration of the implications. I have no intention of putting in place a system over which there would be no control in the sense of citizens of Irish descent in Australia, America, Britain or Northern Ireland being able to directly elect a second...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: -----by virtue of the fact one has two directly elected Houses that could have entirely opposite views, one elected by a vast majority, way in excess of the electorate in the jurisdiction electing the Government of the people.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: Such a Seanad could have an entirely different view for entirely different reasons about where we stood. Such an issue will not be decided between now and 2016. It might well be something that could be considered beyond that time, but we should enable the Seanad, now that its existence has been confirmed, to do far more engaging work in a procedural sense and extend the vote to all those...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Freedom of Information Requests (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: In any event, questions from Members will be answered here by the Ministers concerned with the environment and Irish Water, and that is as it should be. This is a public utility. There is nothing secret about it and all of these issues will be teased out as appropriate. Deputy McDonald is aware from meetings of the Committee of Public Accounts of the full, exhaustive lengths that were gone...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Freedom of Information Requests (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: I know that the word "consultant" is like a red rag to a bull and causes absolute rage. The companies that tendered services to Irish Water were not sitting in an office telling Irish Water what it should do. They tendered for the provision of services, facilities and equipment. IBM, for example, provided hardware and software to put a system in place that actually works. We can be penny...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Freedom of Information Requests (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Deputy was asking me-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Freedom of Information Requests (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Deputy was asking me about a tendered service by some of the major companies for software and hardware as part of the provision of the facility. The salaries of the engineers who work-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Freedom of Information Requests (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: -----for Irish Water and of those agents of local authorities are known. All the details of the hours they work are known because they are all logged in. As I said earlier, the charges involved are driven by the needs of Irish consumers, not Irish Water or anybody else. The consumer is the priority here.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 to 4, inclusive, together. I met the leaders of the different parties and groupings in the Dáil and Seanad on 18 December last to discuss how best to proceed with reform of the Seanad. During the discussions everyone was given the opportunity to express his or her views and it was agreed that work on procedural reform could proceed immediately. All...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Freedom of Information Requests (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: The answer to that question is "Yes". If the Deputy were to ask a question here, raise a Topical Issue or private notice question, the Minister would have to answer it. It is a public utility and there is nothing to be hidden, except where there are commercial sensitivities. I do not mean this as a cliché covering a range of circumstances. Until Irish Water becomes a fully operating...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Freedom of Information Requests (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: It has now been cleared up.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Freedom of Information Requests (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: I have given my view. I like to see accurate responses that contain as much information as possible. This is appropriate when Deputies ask questions. I have discussed this issue with the Secretary General and, in a spirit of openness, the Department of the Taoiseach publishes on its website a range of details on a quarterly basis. They include details of foreign travel expenses, purchase...

Leaders' Questions (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: I accept the Deputy's challenge in the assumption that this will be kicked out beyond the local and European elections. I have always been a believer in explaining to people what is involved so they know in advance.

Leaders' Questions (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Deputy can take it from me that the Government will before the local and European elections present its business and financial model so people can know what is involved in the very same way as we determined the property charges.

Leaders' Questions (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: The fact that something becomes a human right does not mean it is always free. The Deputy's assertion is that this is some kind of political camouflage that will end beyond May. Deputy Healy can forget that, as the matter will be dealt with upfront and in advance so that people will know about it. The business and financial model to be produced here in a couple of weeks will set out the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Freedom of Information Requests (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: My Department received a total of 91 freedom of information requests in 2013. Of the 91 requests received, 60 were granted or partly granted; six were refused; in 11 cases no records existed; ten requests were withdrawn and the remaining four requests are ongoing. All requests received in my Department are processed by statutorily designated officials in accordance with the Freedom of...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Freedom of Information Requests (4 Feb 2014)

Enda Kenny: As a general rule I have always favoured giving instructions as a Minister to Secretaries General that when parliamentary questions arrive, they should be answered, where possible, in as comprehensive and full a fashion as possible. Deputies are entitled to information that is not secret in any event. I do not see the freedom of information requests at all as they are dealt with by...