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9% VAT rate must be maintained to protect jobs and create further employment – Byrne

Fine Gael Limerick Senator, Maria Byrne, has called for the retention of the 9% VAT rate in the hospitality sector, saying it must be maintained in order to protect jobs and create further employment. Senator Byrne was speaking on the matter this week in the Seanad.

29th September 2016

Connect young Europeans through free inter rail pass – Richmond

Fine Gael Senator and Government spokesman on EU Affairs in Seanad Éireann, Neale Richmond, has added his voice to the campaign by MEP Manfred Weber, calling on the European Commission to issue all Europeans with a free, once off, inter rail pass for their 18th birthday.

29th September 2016

Government launches Action Plan for Education aimed at becoming the best education service in Europe

The Government today (Thursday) launched the first Action Plan for Education, led by Minister Richard Bruton, aimed at making the Irish education and training service the best in Europe by 2026.

15th September 2016

Speech by An Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald TD Kennedy Summer School “Ireland and the United States 1916 – 2016: A story of opportunity” 9 September 2016

The relationship between Ireland and the United States during the last 100 years began as a story of patriots taking the opportunity to win the freedom of a nation, supported by their country men and women from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

9th September 2016

Richmond welcomes new Politics and Society subject

Fine Gael Senator Dublin Rathdown Senator, Neale Richmond, has welcomed the promised roll out of the ‘Politics and Society’ Syllabus to all Leaving Cert students, saying it will help engage our young people in society and inform them about how democracy works.

5th September 2016

Fine Gael will protect the economy and help make people's lives better

Speaking today (Monday) at the start of the Fine Gael annual Parliamentary Party Think In in Co. Kildare, the Taoiseach outlined the priorities of Fine Gael to protect our economy and use it to make people’s lives better.

2nd September 2016

Senators will not be the blotting paper to dry the ink on the report of the Committee on Future of Healthcare– Burke

Fine Gael Cork North Central Senator and Seanad Spokesperson on Health, Colm Burke, has said that Senators should be made full members of the Committee on the Future of Healthcare. Currently membership of the committee is made up of TDs and Senators are not entitled to become members.

2nd September 2016

200 new VistaMed jobs a major endorsement of the pool of talent in Leitrim - Feighan

Senator Frank Feighan has said that the creation of a further 200 new jobs at VistaMed in Carrick-on-Shannon is a major endorsement of the pool of talent which exists in Leitrim and the surrounding region.

29th August 2016

Finding of school discrimination shows need for Education Ombudsman says Chair of Oireachtas Children Committee

Jim Daly, Fine Gael Cork South West TD and Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs, has warmly welcomed this week’s finding by the Equality Tribunal that a County Cavan school discriminated against a student for not allowing his assistance dog to accompany him to the classroom. Deputy Daly said that the case highlights the need for an Education Ombudsman to protect students, parents and school staff.

24th August 2016

Income tax relief would help to keep Graduate Entry Medical Students here in Ireland – Burke

Fine Gael Cork North Central Senator and Seanad Spokesperson on Health, Colm Burke has made a submission to the Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan, seeking the introduction of income tax relief for Graduate Entry Medical Students to help retain them here in Ireland.

12th August 2016

State purchase of 2,000 hectares of land in the Dublin Mountains to expand Wicklow Mountains National Park - Doyle

Fine Gael TD for Wicklow and Minister for Food, Forestry and Horticulture, Andrew Doyle has welcomed the news that the state is buying 2,000 hectares of land in the Dublin Mountains, to expand Wicklow Mountains National Park.

3rd August 2016

Government should provide matching funds to new EU deal for farmers - Deering

Fine Gael Carlow Kilkenny TD, and Chair of the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee, Pat Deering, has said that the Government should consider providing matching funds to supplement a new EU deal worth €11.1 million to Irish farmers.

20th July 2016