Results 15,401-15,420 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny

Leaders' Questions (8 May 2013)

Enda Kenny: -----and to deal with the administrative requirement to assess those patients. Previously, they have been assessed on income and on residency. In the long-term free GP care scheme, it will be based on medical assessment and medical grounds. The Minister of State, Deputy White, reported officially and formally to the Cabinet sub-committee that to do it piecemeal is not the way to do it and...

Order of Business (7 May 2013)

Enda Kenny: Yes, but he has not brought the report to Cabinet. I expect he will bring it next week. It will be discussed, decided upon and published immediately.

Order of Business (7 May 2013)

Enda Kenny: This case was referred by the High Court to Europe for clarification on a number of technical issues. These issues have been clarified by the European court so it returns to the High Court and we will await the court's decision, having received the clarification sought.

Order of Business (7 May 2013)

Enda Kenny: No, but the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, is doing an enormous range of activities in suicide prevention, counselling, psychological care and the employment of personnel in the mental health area with the moneys allocated and ring-fenced for the purpose. It is a valid question. There is an enormous amount of information, help and assistance but it needs to be co-ordinated. When a tragic...

Order of Business (7 May 2013)

Enda Kenny: The case has been made clearly. We had a meeting in the constituency of Deputy Kirk with members of different groups. The point has been made clearly by the Tánaiste at a meeting in Belfast with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister. We are following it through. All of the issues that must be dealt with by the administrative authorities here, such as the council and the...

Order of Business (7 May 2013)

Enda Kenny: It is proposed to take No. 6, motion re ministerial rota for parliamentary questions; No. 7, motion re proposal that Dáil Éireann adopt the "EU Scrutiny Work Programme 2013, Joint Committees' Priorities"; No. 8, motion re Standing Orders 28, 39 and 102A; No. 9, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the...

Order of Business (7 May 2013)

Enda Kenny: Deputy Martin has raised an important point, the details of which I will not go into. In October last year, the orthopaedic outpatient service in Limerick had a waiting list of 10,900 people. In the six months since then, the evolution of the National Treatment Purchase Fund into the special delivery unit has reduced the waiting list by almost 33%, and it now stands at 7,477. To be fair,...

Order of Business (7 May 2013)

Enda Kenny: It is due this year. I congratulate Bord Gáis Energy's new chief executive, who took up office today.

Order of Business (7 May 2013)

Enda Kenny: When I entered the House in the 1970s, the Minister of the day, as the Ceann Comhairle will recall, could be in situ answering questions for six months. As a case in point, the Minister for Agriculture could start answering questions when the Dáil resumed at the end of October after a summer recess and still be doing so the following March. Deputy Adams talks about frustration. We...

Order of Business (7 May 2013)

Enda Kenny: Deputy Martin asks the questions and I try to answer them. Everybody else asks questions. Deputy Boyd Barrett is on his austerity rant all the time, and so on.

Order of Business (7 May 2013)

Enda Kenny: We will discuss this matter again. We are waiting for Report Stage of the Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions) Bill in the House. It is part of dealing with the legislation problem that we have. The hospital groups have not been discussed by the Cabinet yet but I expect the Minister will bring his report and recommendations to Cabinet next week. It will be published immediately afterwards.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (7 May 2013)

Enda Kenny: I thank Deputy Murphy for his comments about the attendance of Ministers at EU meetings. They prepared well for the Presidency. It is their obligation and responsibility to attend those meetings. I think two meetings were not attended by Ministers, one of which was held on 16 March when people were away. The issue of democratic legitimacy and accountability is central to the whole...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (7 May 2013)

Enda Kenny: The figure is €1 billion.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (7 May 2013)

Enda Kenny: I never thought I would hear Deputy Boyd Barrett appealing to the media for help. He was always able to generate a bit of heat and coverage. The fact of the matter is that we are borrowing €12 billion every year - €1 billion per month - and this figure goes to pay public salaries and social protection payments whether the Deputy likes it or not. The Deputy should appreciate...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (7 May 2013)

Enda Kenny: One does not hear as much of that story as one should. A person was unemployed, said they were going to do something about it and over a couple of years, has grown an enterprise that is outstanding in its effectiveness, efficiency and ability to supply internationally and is one of the leading players in Europe. I spoke to Prime Minister Letta in Italy the other day. In the past week I have...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (7 May 2013)

Enda Kenny: The Deputy will recall me saying on more than one occasion, as many members of the Government have pointed out for quite a long time, that we cannot tax our way back to prosperity and we cannot cut our way back to prosperity. We have a set of problems here that we have to deal with because nobody else is going to deal with them. As I have said on many occasions, from a point where we were...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (7 May 2013)

Enda Kenny: I begin by responding to the Deputy's first point. I am doing some work at the moment on how effectively our time in this Legislature is actually used. The programme for Government commits us to having many more Dáil sitting days. While that has happened, the amount of time devoted to legislation is not as much as it used to be. We need to have a discussion about how we want to run...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (7 May 2013)

Enda Kenny: I will not come up with a fait accompli before we discuss it. I would like to get the Deputy's views on how best we can do what we are supposed to do here. We should consider whether we should have a committee week, as was tried before, or whether we should adjust the structure that determines how the Dáil is run from Tuesday to Thursday or Friday. We need to do whatever will have the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (7 May 2013)

Enda Kenny: I share the IMF's view that countries that can borrow more money should do so. We cannot do so because our debt-to-GDP ratio is very close to 120% at the moment. It is not possible for us to do that. Of course it would be great to have an economic stimulus and another €500 or €600 million, or €1 billion, to throw into these things, but it does not happen that way....

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (7 May 2013)

Enda Kenny: Europe and the US are the two greatest trading blocs in the world. There are differences of opinion in some countries in certain respects. The French have specific concerns that relate to their culture. There are issues relating to software and to the Common Agricultural Policy. Having said that, it is important to open the gates and see where the discussions go. There was an...