Results 13,381-13,400 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny

Order of Business (20 Nov 2013)

Enda Kenny: It is a personal opinion offered as a contribution to the Haass process. A range of other personal opinions may well be expressed in the coming weeks. As I informed Deputy Adams during Leaders' Questions, my preference would be to allow Dr. Haass to conclude his hearings and discussions and then make his recommendations before the House engages in whatever form of debate might be deemed...

Leaders' Questions (20 Nov 2013)

Enda Kenny: The House has united on a number of occasions in respect of matters in regard to Northern Ireland. Since the Good Friday Agreement, when people North and South went to the polls and we had validation from the vast majority of the people of the island, this template still stands. However, it might be appropriate if we were to wait and see the recommendations Dr. Haass will put together...

Leaders' Questions (20 Nov 2013)

Enda Kenny: The answer to that question is "No". The Government has no such agenda. The mandate given to the Government was to sort out our public finances and provide opportunities for jobs for our people. We will never have the type of country we know we can have unless these two principal issues are dealt with. Irish people have come a long way in the past three years. When one asks people,...

Leaders' Questions (20 Nov 2013)

Enda Kenny: It is to recast the Irish economy in a way which impacts to the benefit of everybody. This includes the communities mentioned by Deputy Healy. The RAPID programme was very effective in many cases and announcements were made about it which were never followed through. Changes are being made to local government whereby the balance of responsibility between the elected representatives and the...

Leaders' Questions (20 Nov 2013)

Enda Kenny: Bravo, Deputy Martin - strong talk. The Deputy was the person who, as Minister for Health, signed the working time directive. He was the one who said he would have the problem sorted out by 2004. Ten years on, this is another mess which has been left to us to clear up. The European Commission decided to bring the country before the court as a result of the Deputy's gross incompetence and...

Leaders' Questions (20 Nov 2013)

Enda Kenny: The Deputy makes the charge that there has been a change of policy, but let me assure him that since the start of the year some 100,000 new medical cards have been granted, of which 20,000 are discretionary medical cards. The Deputy left behind a most unholy mess of a structure that we now have to change.

Leaders' Questions (20 Nov 2013)

Enda Kenny: Some 20,000 new discretionary medical cards have been granted this year alone. Under the system I have changed, with the communications element of the HSE, where something of this nature is required, the HSE deals with each individual case. The Deputy can wave all the paper he likes, but there has been no change in the policy on the issuing of medical cards. Nobody is entitled to a medical...

Leaders' Questions (20 Nov 2013)

Enda Kenny: That is the case the Deputy raised.

Leaders' Questions (20 Nov 2013)

Enda Kenny: The Deputy is entitled to raise the case. Unlike his predecessor who said to me when I had raised an individual case that it was too facile, I will allow that the Deputy is perfectly entitled to raise a case. This is a House of Parliament. My understanding is that the long-term illness card in the case mentioned by the Deputy does cover the medical condition and requirements of the young...

Leaders' Questions (20 Nov 2013)

Enda Kenny: I will. Both the Tánaiste and I met Dr. Haass recently in Dublin. He was invited to come here by the Executive and look at the question of flags, parades and the past. He has gone through a listening process and hopes to conclude his engagement, discussions and recommendations by Christmas. It is only appropriate that there be rational and appropriate discussion. It may well be that...

Leaders' Questions (20 Nov 2013)

Enda Kenny: There has been no change in the medical card policy. Nobody is automatically entitled to a medical card. The problem we had in this country for so long was that different health areas allocated medical cards based on different criteria. Everybody is now treated equally, starting here. Nobody is automatically entitled to a medical card. If a parent, parents or whoever has an income in...

Leaders' Questions (20 Nov 2013)

Enda Kenny: He asked if the child was entitled to appliances and aids and the provision of services on the basis of his needs, as distinct from an illness, via a determination based on discretion. To answer that I would need to have the facts in front of me.

Leaders' Questions (20 Nov 2013)

Enda Kenny: I can sympathise with the mothers of Ronan and Katie. Deputy Martin mentioned the Fine Gael political gathering in Limerick. Nobody told me the person involved wanted to meet me. I spoke to several people on the way in. That is not the issue. The issue is that Deputy Martin has a right to ask a question here about two children and a walk that is taking place regarding their discretionary...

Leaders' Questions (20 Nov 2013)

Enda Kenny: There is no change in the policy. Nobody is automatically entitled to medical card. Issues such as income and discretion apply after that. Because of all the cases that were brought to light here I called HSE to the Cabinet sub-committee. It put together a communications system for dealing with sensitive cases. Deputy Ó Fearghaíl may laugh.

Leaders' Questions (20 Nov 2013)

Enda Kenny: I was getting sick and tired of information floating around without reality. One sits down and deals with each individual case. I do not speak for the director of the HSE. He sat down with this mother on two occasions, whether to discuss the details of this case or little Ronan's circumstances I do not know. I do not have that information, but I will find out for Deputy Martin. There has...

Leaders' Questions (20 Nov 2013)

Enda Kenny: I can give Deputy Martin the number of discretionary medical cards that were allocated this year. Twenty thousand newcomers were allocated medical cards on that same discretionary basis. Deputy Martin is entitled to ask the question. In many of these cases, where a determination is made on discretion, the person involved might be entitled to a long-term illness card which gives them aids,...

Leaders' Questions (20 Nov 2013)

Enda Kenny: Anyway, it would be unfair to outline the circumstances that apply in an individual case in that detail.

Order of Business (19 Nov 2013)

Enda Kenny: No, the Bill is on the Order Paper for debate this week and the debate has to be finished before the end of the session.

Order of Business (19 Nov 2013)

Enda Kenny: Asking the Minister to park the Bill is not a solution. The House will have to deal with it.

Order of Business (19 Nov 2013)

Enda Kenny: During the course of the debate the Deputy will get all of the detail he wishes to have. Sometimes it can be too much.