“Job creation is the best way to lift people out of poverty”, says Fine Gael Dublin South Central TD Catherine Byrne. Deputy Byrne was speaking after CSO figures revealed that an extra 90,000 people are at work since the launch of the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs in 2012.

Fine Gael TD for Limerick Patrick Donovan has asked the Minister for Housing, Paudie Coffey, to review the building regulations in respect of one-off houses as he believes that the current system is placing an unnecessary cost on people trying to construct homes.

Fine Gael Cork South West TD, Noel Harrington, has said that a new guide for farmers will help them decipher their Basic Payment Scheme Entitlements and will assist their farm planning.

“In 2014 alone just under 30,000 jobs were created and of these over 75% were created by indigenous Irish companies, indicating the strength and stability of the economic recovery” commented Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, Fine Gael TD for Laois/Offaly and Chair of the Oireachtas Jobs Committee following the publication today (Wednesday), of the Quarterly National Household Survey by the CSO.

Fine Gael Senator for Louth, Jim D’Arcy has welcomed the new legislation requiring “chuggers”, a person who approaches passers-by in the street asking for subscriptions or donations to a particular charity, to carry a permit.

Fine Gael Senator for Louth, Jim D’Arcy has welcomed the sale of Irish beef to the USA for the first time since the BSE crisis of the 1990s. Ireland will become the first European country to sell Irish beef to the USA since the late 1990s.

Fine Gael TD for Kildare North, Anthony Lawlor, has suggested changes to JobsPlus Youth, to make the scheme work better for apprentices and to assist and incentivise small businesses to hire them.

Fine Gael Kildare South TD and Chairman of Fine Gael’s Internal Agriculture Committee Martin Heydon, has today (Tuesday) called on the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications to bring Bus Éireann and the National Transport Authority (NTA) before them to discuss the changes to Expressway routes announced yesterday.

Fine Gael Longford-Westmeath TD, Gabrielle McFadden, has said that the visit of Minister of State for the OPW, Simon Harris TD, to Athlone Garda Station last Thursday, shows his commitment to the upgrade of the station building and its facilities.

“Too few people are taking up apprenticeships. We need to ask why and to find ways to encourage young people to choose this route because industry is changing, and so too should our apprenticeship schemes”, said Joe O’Reilly, Fine Gael TD for Cavan/Monaghan.