Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar & Minister for Education & Skills Richard Bruton have announced a €3 million expansion of the school meals programme from September. Up to 245 schools will either join the programme or see their services expanded with around 47,000 pupils benefiting from school lunches or breakfasts.

On the sixtieth anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome, the formal start of the European project, Fine Gael Senator and spokesman on EU affairs, Neale Richmond, has said that European prosperity is worth fighting for.

Cork-based Fine Gael senator, Tim Lombard, has said aviation safety should not be compromised by a proposed new incinerator in Cork Harbour.　

Fine Gael Dublin Senator, Catherine Noone, has said education and awareness are key to improving cancer outcomes.

Fine Gael Cork Senator Tim Lombard has said Fianna Fáil’s amendment to the Heritage Bill on hedge cutting is useless for farmers.

Minister McHugh met Congressman Brendan F. Boyle and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget Mick Mulvaney in Washington DC. It follows recent meetings with representatives of Irish immigration centres while in Philadelphia and New York for St Patrick’s Day-related engagements. Those meetings also included contacts with the wider Irish community, including undocumented Irish citizens.

Fine Gael Roscommon Galway Senator Maura Hopkins has welcomed the arrival of Syrian refugees to the Abbeyfield Hotel, Ballaghaderreen.

A net total of 3,679 new full and part-time jobs were delivered in 2016 by the 6,846 small businesses from across the country that have been supported by the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), according to the results of the latest LEO annual jobs survey published today by Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor, T.D.

It is a great honour to be back here again in the most famous House in the world to celebrate St Patrick’s Day, the most special of days for Irish men and women and those of Irish descent everywhere.

Gairmscoil Mhic Diarmada Árainn Mhór is getting funds towards a new woodwork room and associated electrical works. Scoil Mhuire in Buncrana is getting funding for a new technology room. The Department has also told Minister McHugh that emergency works funding has been released to Scoil Phadraig in Bunbeg, Gaoth Dobhair. The money will be used for mechanical works.