Welcoming the Bill’s publication, the Minister stated: “This Bill delivers on the commitment in the Programme for Government to establish a Court of Appeal and is a timely response to the decision taken by the people last October when they approved the proposal to amend the Constitution to make provision for the establishment of the new Court.”

Fine Gael Deputy for Mayo and Chair of the Fine Gael Internal Committee for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Michelle Mulherin, has today (Thursday) welcomed the new taxation system for the revision upwards of the taxation of future petroleum and gas exploration and production in the State and its territorial waters announced by Minister Pat Rabbitte. The new system will provide for an increased financial return to the State from discoveries made under future exploration licences and licensing options.

Fine Gael TD for Wicklow, Andrew Doyle, has welcomed the expansion of the Applegreen Retail Network and highlighted the opportunity for the retailer to support local producers in Wicklow. Deputy Doyle was speaking this week at the opening of the new Applegreen Retail Outlet in Coynes Cross by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, T.D.

Fine Gael Cork East TD, and Chair of the Oireachtas Justice Committee David Stanton, has welcomed today’s publication of the Court of Appeal Bill 2014 by Minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald TD.

Thank you Chairperson. I would like to thank you for your words of welcome and Ambassador Patricia O Brien who is our Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, for her words of introduction. I very much welcome the opportunity to be here.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. I want to begin by welcoming you – one and all – to this great day which marks a major milestone in your lives. I want to specially welcome all of those of you immediately in front of me who will shortly become Ireland’s newest citizens.

I have congratulated Joan Burton today on her election as leader of the Labour Party and confirmed that I have nominated her as Tánaiste. We agreed to work closely together for the remainder of the Government’s term of office to fulfil the mandate given to our parties in 2011.

Speaking today Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar said: This is a blow to fans and to visitors coming from abroad. The way this happened at the very last minute is clearly unsatisfactory from everyone’s point of view and highlights the need to review the major events licencing laws. Nonetheless residents have legitimate concerns about five concerts in a row which the GAA has conceded was a mistake.

I was delighted to learn earlier today that Mary Robinson has been appointed the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy for Climate Change. Mary is an individual of enormous stature internationally with a strong passion for all human rights issues.

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will communicate his disagreement with the World Health Organisation proposal which excludes universal access to reproductive health (currently MDG 5B) from its submission for a new health goal for the post 2015 framework; if he will further request that this vital health right is included in the final WHO proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter?