Fine Gael Cork North Central Senator and the Party’s Seanad Spokesperson on Health, Colm Burke, published the Health (Professional Home Care) Bill 2014 in December last. The recent difficulties of overcrowding in our hospitals highlights the urgent need for developing and growing professional home care services.

“Foreign investment by IDA client companies directly created 1,707 high-skilled jobs in Louth from 2011 to 2014 and resulted in 1,195 additional indirect positions in the local economy. This brings to 2,902 the number of new jobs in Louth due to IDA Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)” says Peter Fitzpatrick, Fine Gael TD for Louth.

“The independent Educational Research Centre assessed over 8,000 pupils in 150 primary schools and found a marked improvement in Mathematics and English reading skills for the first time since 1980. This is very much to be welcomed” says Joe O’Reilly, Fine Gael TD for Cavan/Monaghan.

“Enterprise Ireland’s End of Year Statement shows strong growth for Irish business in 2014 with a net increase of 8,476 jobs, the highest gain in one year in the history of the agency”, says Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, Fine Gael TD for Laois/Offaly and Chairperson of the Oireachtas Jobs Committee.

Fine Gael Brian Hayes MEP has been appointed rapporteur by the European People's Party for an EU Directive on occupational pension funds (IORPs). Mr. Hayes will negotiate the Directive on behalf of the European Parliament and will progress the Directive through the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee in the coming months.

Following the publication of a Westminster bill to devolve corporation tax to Northern Ireland by 2017, Brian Hayes, Fine Gael MEP for Dublin, today (Friday), said that Ireland should have nothing to fear if Northern Ireland reduces its corporation tax rate.

“Live Register Figures show that unemployment has been dropping for 30 months in a row and that in Clondalkin, there has been a fall of 19.2%. This is very much to be welcomed” says Derek Keating Fine Gael TD for Dublin Mid-West.

“Approval has been granted for a new classroom in Killygarry National School. This is great news for the pupils and teachers of Killygarry”, says Joe O’Reilly, Fine Gael TD for Cavan/Monaghan.

Longford/Westmeath Fine Gael TD, Gabrielle McFadden, has said that the current HSE review of intellectual disability services in Longford and Westmeath must guarantee protection against further cuts.