John Paul Phelan, TD

Fine Gael TD for Cork South West, Jim Daly, has received confirmation from the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Alan Kelly TD, that he will clarify any measures to be applied to the Building Control Regulations in the coming weeks. Minister Kelly also confirmed to Deputy Daly that local councils will be given powers to reduce development charges on existing planning permissions to make them more viable to go to construction.

Fine Gael TD for Meath West, Ray Butler, has welcomed the confirmation from the Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar TD that children under 18 with a cancer diagnosis will be issued with a medical card for five years.

“A structured support package and advocate is needed for people who developed narcolepsy as a result of receiving the swine flu vaccine in 2009 and 2010” says Cork East Fine Gael TD, David Stanton. National figures show that 74 young people and children developed the condition after they received the Pandemrix vaccine.

Fine Gael TD for Laois/Offaly, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, has said that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for June of 9.7% is very encouraging and that the trend of decreasing unemployment should continue with the new Midlands Action Plan for Jobs.

To ask the Minister for Finance if the Thornhill Report on the review of Property Tax has been completed and considered by him; if not, when it is expected; and if he will make a statement on the matter?

Fine Gael Limerick TD, Patrick O'Donovan has welcomed the announcement of €3 million in funding from the EU for development works in Foynes Port. The funding comes from the EU's Trans European Transport Network (TEN-T) and will be used on the construction of the East Jetty in the Port together with support for a feasibility study on the use of the railway line into the Port.

Dublin MEP, Brian Hayes has today (Tuesday) welcomed confirmation that roaming charges across the EU will be abolished by June 2017. The decision comes following agreement reached yesterday between the Commission, the Council and the Parliament.

Fine Gael Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune, the only Irish member on the EU Transport committee, has called on the French Government to protect Irish lorry drivers passing through the French port of Calais, and has put a parliamentary question to the European Commission asking them to take immediate action to tackle what is fast becoming a humanitarian crisis on our doorstep.

Fine Gael TD for Sligo/Leitrim, Tony Mc Loughlin TD, has welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD of a €40 investment and 50 new jobs for AbbVie in Ballytivnan.

Opening of the new TAMS II Dairy Equipment Scheme which is the second of the new Targeted Modernisation Schemes (TAMS II) to be launched under the new Rural Development Programme 2014 - 2020.