John Paul Phelan, TD

Fine Gael Senator for Dublin Catherine Noone, has today hit out at claims by German politicians and lobby groups that the introduction of plain packaging for cigarettes would somehow damage the Irish economic recovery.

Fine Gael TD for Meath East, Helen McEntee, has today (Monday) welcomed the allocation of €369,822 by Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, Paudie Coffey TD, for the adaptation of local authority housing to meet the needs of tenants with disabilities.

Fine Gael MEP for Dublin, Brian Hayes, today (Friday) urged Irish students to give serious consideration to participating in the EU-funded Erasmus+ programme which enables students to study or train abroad. MEP Hayes estimates that up to 50,000 Irish students could have the opportunity to participate in the programme by 2020.

Fine Gael Cork North Central Senator and Seanad Spokesperson for Health, Colm Burke, has today (Monday) called for the Minister for Finance to give serious consideration to the introduction of tax incentives to help retain junior doctors (NCHDs) in the Irish hospital system.

Fine Gael TD for Laois/Offaly, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, has called on Sinn Fein and in particular its Environment Spokesperson, Brian Stanley, to stop misleading people on the issue of water charges. Deputy Corcoran Kennedy also welcomed confirmation that the average annual charge per household will not exceed €240.

Fine Gael Waterford Senator and the Party’s Leader in the Seanad, Maurice Cummins, has today (Friday) called on Sinn Féin to distance itself from comments made by Sinn Féin Councillor and Leader on Waterford County Council, John Hearne, that a Canary Wharf type incident is needed to resolve the conflict in the Middle East. Senator Cummins was speaking after the Seanad was reconvened yesterday to discuss the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.

Fine Gael Louth Senator Jim D'Arcy, is a member of the Council of Europe ad hoc committee observing the Turkish Presidential Election.

Fine Gael TD for Dublin Fingal, Alan Farrell, has strongly criticised Fianna Fáil and its Environment Spokesperson, Barry Cowen, after he launched a stinging attack on the CER, an agency Fianna Fáil created.

Fine Gael Limerick TD, Patrick O’Donovan, has today (Monday) strongly criticised Fianna Fáil for attempting to hide its poor legacy on investing in our water infrastructure. Deputy O’Donovan added that if Fianna Fáil was still in Government, higher water charges would have been brought in two years ago.

New legislation to provide certainty for staff and businesses tendering for contracts, promote industrial peace, and ensure Irish firms are not placed at competitive disadvantage.