I am very pleased to brief the House on the outcome of last month’s meeting of the European Council which took place in Brussels on Thursday and Friday of last week, 27-28 June, the last two working days of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Deputy Simon Harris, has today (Friday) welcomed the news that Standard and Poor’s (S&P) has raised its outlook for Ireland from stable to positive, saying that the move is another positive step on our road to regaining our economic sovereignty.

Fine Gael Waterford Deputy Paudie Coffey has welcomed the news that the Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn TD has allocated €10 million for the completion of the Carriganore campus in Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT). Meanwhile, the report on the statutory inspection of the relationship between WIT and a group of companies that provide services to the Institute has been finalised and published.

As Taoiseach, I’m proud to speak to the European Parliament, in this Review of the Irish Presidency and the MFF.

The purpose of the bill before the House today is the protection and preservation of life - the lives of women and the lives of their unborn babies.

I would like to thank the Minister for bringing this Bill before the House. This legislation aims to make two very important changes in our legal system. First of all, it sets out to achieve transparency of family law practices by abolishing the 'in camera' rule, and secondly, to achieve efficiency and affordability within our courts service.

Towns in north county Dublin will receive further investment in telecommunications infrastructure between now and 2015 as part of a national roll out of next generation broadband services, according to Alan Farrell, Fine Gael TD for Dublin Fingal. Deputy Farrell has welcomed this timely announcement on foot of today's launch of Government's National Digital Strategy, aimed at a country wide adoption of digital engagement and building hardware that will focus on meeting modern day demand.