Results 17,541-17,560 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny

Order of Business (6 Nov 2012)

Enda Kenny: Yes. We have no objection to such a debate.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Programme for Government (6 Nov 2012)

Enda Kenny: I do not accept that at all. In the past 12 months, more than 17,000 jobs have been created in the private sector. While a live register figure of more than 430,000, including those working part-time, is much too high, the Deputy will acknowledge that there has been a change in the order of 12,500 every month on the live register since the beginning of the year. This demonstrates the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Programme for Government (6 Nov 2012)

Enda Kenny: It is a question of providing education for employment, not just education for education's sake. I do not accept the Deputy's argument at all. On the contrary, the entire focus of Government has been to shift away from the type of picture he paints.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (6 Nov 2012)

Enda Kenny: To answer Deputy Ó Fearghaíl, the banks now know the circumstances which apply in the vast majority of cases where mortgages were taken out. However, what Deputy Higgins said is not true because one cannot apply generality to all of these cases. There are all individual circumstances and they must be dealt with individually. I came across a case recently where a person with a...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Programme for Government (6 Nov 2012)

Enda Kenny: I propose to take together Questions Nos. 13 to 16, inclusive. Last March, the Tánaiste and I launched the Programme for Government Annual Progress Report 2012 which set out the Government’s work and achievements in its first year in office. It is my intention to publish a second progress report next March, which will review progress made by Government during its second year. ...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Programme for Government (6 Nov 2012)

Enda Kenny: This is a five-year programme and we are just over 18 months into the lifetime of the Government. The proposal to introduce universal health insurance is a specific commitment of the Government to be delivered towards the end of the first term of its life. Page 43 states:In the first term of this Government, the foundations will be laid for the introduction of Universal Hospital Care...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (6 Nov 2012)

Enda Kenny: The Cabinet sub-committee on mortgage arrears was set up to deal with the issue of mortgage distress being caused to significant numbers of people throughout the country. It is not the case that the Government can direct the banks to do what it would wish. We want the two pillar banks, which were previously dysfunctional and have been downsized, to be able to return to engagement with the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (6 Nov 2012)

Enda Kenny: A Cheann Comhairle, you are the boss and-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (6 Nov 2012)

Enda Kenny: I understand that.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (6 Nov 2012)

Enda Kenny: I appreciate that. In respect of the comments - the speech - made by Deputy Higgins, I told Deputy Ó Fearghaíl that I do not regard it as being acceptable that the solution arrived at in restructuring mortgages in the majority of cases is merely to put them on interest-only payments for a period when the issue will come back again in any event. That is a recurring decimal, as it...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (6 Nov 2012)

Enda Kenny: A Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 12, inclusive, together. Yesterday I chaired meetings of the Cabinet committees on European affairs, economic recovery and jobs, climate change and the green economy, mortgage arrears and Irish and the Gaeltacht. The last meeting of the Cabinet committee on economic infrastructure was held on 25 October and the committee on social...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (6 Nov 2012)

Enda Kenny: The role of the cabinet sub-committee on mortgage arrears was to oversee the effect of implementation, on a cross-departmental basis, of the Government's response to the issue of mortgage arrears; to agree a detailed implementation plan for the recommendations of the interdepartmental report on mortgage arrears, which was published; to ensure appropriate priority was given to the delivery of...

Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2012)

Enda Kenny: The appointments made by this Government are within the cap, as outlined by the Minister for Finance. The chief executive of AIB is under the cap of €500,000 and remuneration of the Irish Life & Permanent chief executive is also in line with the cap. It is not open to the Minister to change contractual arrangements arrived at by a previous Administration. Deputy Shane Ross is...

Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2012)

Enda Kenny: Deputy Ross asked an interesting question about the role and responsibilities of the public interest directors. I have not met the public interest directors but recently in the Dáil I referred to my intention to look at the remit of the Cabinet sub-committee dealing with mortgage arrears and to expand it into banking in general.

Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2012)

Enda Kenny: Clearly a number of banking decisions must be made in the time ahead. It may be possible to see what the relationship between public interest directors and their role in respect of public interest can be in terms of communicating their views on what is happening at the boards of banks and to hear directly from the representatives of the people on the situation. The appointments made by...

Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2012)

Enda Kenny: There is a moral responsibility on those who allegedly receive extraordinarily high levels of pension to do something about it. I hope they do.

Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2012)

Enda Kenny: The Deputy's question is whether we are entitled to change contractual arrangements arrived at, agreed and signed off on. The Government has made two appointments, both of which were subject to the approval of the Minister for Finance, and they are in line with the cap. I am not sure how the conditions of contractual arrangements previously arrived at are vested. In terms of the legal...

Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2012)

Enda Kenny: First, in response to the Deputy's comment about the prison officer David Black, and in respect of the comment made by Deputy Kelleher, I have already responded publicly. I was beside the Deputy First Minister when he made his comments in Armagh unreservedly condemning the murder of David Black. He also made the point that the coming together of different elements of so-called dissidents...

Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2012)

Enda Kenny: The Deputy is talking about two different things. A pension is a pension but a bonus is a bonus. What was raised in the House on many occasions was dealing with very high bonus payments. Pensions are treated differently and are in a different position legally. I have heard comments about the power of shareholders, under section 50 of the Pensions Act, to impose reductions on pensions....

Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2012)

Enda Kenny: The individual shareholder cannot apply for a section 50 reduction. The section permits a pension board, following an application by trustees, to direct those trustees to reduce benefits, if they are subject to active and deferred scheme members or pensioners currently in receipt of a pension. Fairness is clearly an issue and it must be reflected in the budget, in so far as the Government...