Fine Gael Dublin South Central TD, Catherine Byrne, has welcomed the launch of the Government’s Low Pay Commission, saying that work should pay more than welfare.

I very much welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. I welcome that it is a reforming Bill updating family law and that it at last recognises in law and gives clarity and certainty to the status of family members, specifically parents with children, in the many different family formations. It gives that clarity and certainty in the context which prioritises the needs of the children.

Fine Gael TD for Kildare South, Martin Heydon said that Fianna Fáil’s support for a technical group motion that would abolish the Local Property Tax, Water Charges, and USC for those earning under €35,000, as well as reversing a number of social welfare decisions would cost an estimated €4.25 billion and result in a massive 19% tax hike for working people.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Fine Gael TD for Laois-Offaly, Charlie Flanagan, has been appointed Director of Elections for the upcoming Carlow-Kilkenny bye-election.

“It’s four years to the day from the 2011 General Election. Today, new jobs figures show that 90,000 jobs have been created since 2012 and Ireland’s bond yields have fallen below 1% for the first time,” said Simon Harris TD, Minister of State at the Department of Finance.

“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.