Regina Doherty, MEP

“The recent recovery in the jobs market has saved the taxpayer approximately €3 billion,” says Fine Gael Cork South West TD, and Chair of Fine Gael’s Internal Social Protection Committee Noel Harrington.

Brian Hayes, Fine Gael MEP, today (Tuesday) welcomed Ireland's tax measures which bring us into line with international tax principles but said that we should not adopt measures which are out of sync with other countries. Mr. Hayes made the following comments after reports that Ireland is set to become one of the first countries to introduce country-by-country tax reporting:

Fine Gael TD for Cork North West, Áine Collins, has welcomed the announcement of a new wastewater treatment plant for Cork, saying it will secure the future of Cork’s water quality standards. The plant is part of the €91 million Cork Lower Harbour Main Drainage Project.

Fine Gael TD for Cork South West, Jim Daly, has said that a new zoning category for ‘affordable residential accommodation’ could be part of the efforts to increase our housing supply by incentivising private developers.

Following consideration at the Government meeting this morning (Tuesday), the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe T.D., announced that the DART Underground project will not proceed as currently designed but will be redesigned to provide a lower cost technical solution for the project.

Brian Hayes, Fine Gael MEP today (Monday) criticised new plans for a massive overhaul of the European Parliament headquarters in Brussels. The Secretary General of the Parliament presented the plan to Parliament's Bureau last week and it is understood that the proposal was heavily criticised.

The Journey to Recovery. There can be no doubt that we’re in a new phase in Ireland.

Fine Gael MEP for Ireland-South and leader of Fine Gael in the European Parliament, Seán Kelly, has called on the European Commission to create an environment of fair competition in the single market and to ensure that all market actors have equal opportunities to succeed.

Fine Gael Dublin MEP, Brian Hayes has today (Thursday) welcomed the passing of an emergency motion in the European Parliament for the relocation of 120,000 refugees. The European Parliament met this morning for an emergency session in order to give the green light to the Commissions' proposal to relocate 120,000 people from Italy, Greece and Hungary.

Fine Gael TD for Cork South Central, and the Chair of Fine Gael LGBT Jerry Buttimer, says the approval of the Marriage Bill 2015 by the Cabinet today is a historic move and another important step in this process, which will see the first same-sex marriages taking place before the end of the year.