The Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, Mr Alan Shatter TD, today published the Joint Probation Service and Irish Prison Service Women’s Strategy 2014 - 2016 entitled “An Effective Response to Women Who Offend”. This joint strategy sets out how the two agencies will provide tailored interventions for women with the aim to reduce offending among women and improve outcomes.

Ministers, colleagues, delegates, ladies and gentlemen, Good morning and welcome to the 77th Fine Gael Ard Fheis. I am very pleased to welcome you to this important discussion on our plan for jobs and growth. Nothing is more important for our country at this time.

Director of the Probation Service - Vivian Geiran, Director General of the Irish Prison Service - Michael Donnellan, CEO of Depaul Ireland - Kerry Anthony, Chairman of Tus Nua - Ray McGovern and invited guests.

Mayor Cummins, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for those warm words of welcome. I am delighted to be here in Waterford on this special day for all those of you who will be granted Irish citizenship. It is a very important day in the story of your life and it is also an important day for Ireland, as the host nation bestowing this honour on you.

I intend to first address my Justice brief and, thereafter, Defence. As Deputies will know, the Programme for Government sets out a substantial and broad agenda for reform in the area of Justice and Equality. I believe we have made great progress in implementing this agenda in the first three years of this Government’s term of office and that we have achieved an unprecedented level of reform in that time.

Fine Gael Dun Laoghaire TD, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, has today (Tuesday) said it is time for the town to move forward and plan for a brighter future. Deputy Mitchell O’Connor was speaking after the Business Improvement District (BID) scheme was passed by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council members.

Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar has announced €620,000 to further develop several key tourism attractions in Dublin, the restoration of the historic church bell which was the first Catholic Bell to ring in Dublin in breach of the Penal Laws.

Frances Fitzgerald TD, Minister for Children & Youth Affairs has today addressed the Fine Gael Árd Fhéis in the RDS, telling delegates that Fine Gael in Government has made significant progress in disrupting the decades-long legacy of inaction and failures by previous Governments in the areas of child protection, youth justice and childcare quality.

Fine Gael TD for Laois Offaly, Charlie Flanagan, has said that the findings of the report on maternity deaths at Portlaoise Hospital must be used to deliver the highest standard of patient care at the maternity unit in Portlaoise. Deputy Flanagan was speaking after Minister for Health, James Reilly TD, announced that HIQA would be carrying out a thorough investigation into maternity services at the hospital.

Speaking at the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM) in Warsaw, this morning (Friday), Minister for European Affairs, Paschal Donohoe TD, said membership of the EU has driven strong relations between Poland and Ireland in the past and will continue to do so in the future (see full speech below).