Chief Justice, members of the Judiciary, members of the Board, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen; I am pleased to be here today to accept the Courts Service Annual Report for 2013.

Fine Gael Dublin Senator, Catherine Noone, has welcomed the introduction of budget school uniform ranges in a number of supermarkets in an attempt to ease the financial burden on parents at back to school time.

Fine Gael TD for Louth, Peter Fitzpatrick TD has, today (Thursday), called for a greater focus on healthy living in Louth following an Irish Examiner article in which Louth is listed as one of the worst counties for obesity.

Fine Gael TD for Kildare North, Anthony Lawlor, has said we need accountability in any investigation of the senseless slaughter of innocent civilians in the Gaza conflict. Over the last 16 days almost 700 Palestinians, mostly civilians; and 34 Israelis, the majority of which were soldiers, have been killed. Thousands more have been injured and displaced from their homes during this time.

Fine Gael Waterford Senator and the Party’s Leader in the Seanad Maurice Cummins, has announced that proposals to develop the role of the Seanad within the existing constitutional framework are planned for October next.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan, TD, today met the Palestinian Ambassador, along with Ambassadors from Morocco, Saudi Arabia and representatives from the Egyptian and UAE Embassies. Their discussions focused on the current crisis in Gaza.

Fine Gael Party Chairperson, and President of the Irish Association of Suicidology, Dan Neville TD, today (Wednesday), introduced Elber Twomey and her brother Thomas, to the Minister for Justice, France Fitzgerald TD. In 2012 Elber Twomey lost her husband, son and unborn daughter in Devon, when a taxi driver deliberately drove into them after writing a suicide note.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan, TD, accompanied by Minister for European Affairs and Data Protection, Dara Murphy, TD, participated in today’s General Affairs Council (GAC) in Brussels, the first meeting of the body under the Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.