Fine Gael TD for Mayo and Chairman of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications, John O’Mahony, has welcomed clarification he has received from Irish Rail that under 16s do not have to have a photo ID for rail travel.

I had, of course, been very concerned that a situation had arisen where the State was not in a position to pursue serious criminal charges against an individual who had moved to Brazil.

Seamus Heaney’s death brings great sorrow to Ireland, to language and to literature. He is mourned - and deeply - wherever poetry and the world of the spirit are cherished and celebrated.

Fine Gael Senator for Clare and Seanad Spokesperson on Justice, Disability and Equality, Martin Conway, has today (Friday) welcomed the start of the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking festival, which this year is set to host singletons from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community for a weekend of fun and matchmaking.

Fine Gael Waterford Deputy, Paudie Coffey, has today (Friday) said that since 2010 the total number of people working in the public sector has been reduced by more than 15,000, which is a clear sign of the Government’s commitment to reforming how we conduct our business.

Fine Gael TD for Meath West and Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation, Damien English, has today (Thursday) welcomed figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) which show that employment has risen by 1.8% in the last year. Unemployment has dropped from a peak of 15.1% in February 2012 when the Action Plan for Jobs was launched to 13.7% now.

Fine Gael Waterford Deputy and Vice-Chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Paudie Coffey, has today (Wednesday) thrown his weight behind a campaign undertaken by the Active Retirement Association of Ireland and the Irish Post Masters Union, who are calling for the cessation of what they describe as an ‘aggressive’ policy of paperless billing by some telecommunications companies.

Fine Gael Clare Senator and Seanad Spokesperson on Disability, Martin Conway, has welcomed the news that a key objective of the recently published National Disability Strategy Implementation Plan concerns the drafting of a comprehensive employment strategy for people with disabilities