In a bid to protect cyclists on Irish roads, Fine Gael Galway East TD, Ciaran Cannon and Government Chief Whip Regina Doherty, will tomorrow (weds) publish a Bill that will see motorists forced to obey a minimum passing distance of 1.5 metres- and one metre in zones with speed limits of under 50 km per hour- when overtaking cyclists.

Fine Gael TD for Limerick, and member of the Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Tom Neville, has said that Fine Gael’s Action Plan for Jobs has surpassed its employment targets ensuring that employment is now at its highest level since the economic crash in 2008.

New figures showing unemployment at its lowest level since 2008 have been welcomed by Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar who has pledged to drive further progress in this area in the year ahead.

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Mary Mitchell O’Connor today (Tuesday) welcomed the latest Quarterly National Household Survey figures from the Central Statistics Office, showing that employment has continued to increase and unemployment is now at 6.8%.

Addressing a Joint Oireachtas Committee meeting with European Commission First Vice President, Frans Timmermans, Fine Gael spokesman on EU Affairs, Senator Neale Richmond, has challenged the EU and civic society to take the fight to Eurosceptics.

Today’s (21st February) data published by the CSO in the Quarterly National Household Survey show that employment has increased at an annual rate of 65,000 in the final quarter of last year. Reacting to these positive employment figures, Minister for Finance Michael Noonan T.D. stated:

Minister of State Joe McHugh has announced a €3.8M water scheme in Gortahork which will deliver quality supplies to 5,000 people by the end of the year. The Donegal TD cut the sod today on the new water treatment plant at Ardsbeg. It is part of €6.3M in infrastructure contracts being signed off by Minister McHugh today with the formal signing for the Cockhill Bridge in Buncrana later today.

I am very pleased to be with you all today at this, the second Plenary meeting of the All Island Civic Dialogue on Brexit. When we started this process last November, I spoke of the importance of having the widest possible conversation on the implications of Brexit for this island, North and South.

Attending the announcement of a 600 job expansion by Microsoft in Leopardstown this morning (Friday), locally based Fine Gael Senator, Neale Richmond had said the expansion is a big win.