News & Statements
1,147 couples have said “I do” two years on from marriage equality referendum – Buttimer
Fine Gael Cork Senator and Chair of the Fine Gael LGBT Group, Jerry Buttimer, has said that 1,147 same-sex couples have married since the introduction of marriage equality in Ireland.
Guidelines needed to shed light on solar farms – Lombard
Fine Gael Cork based Senator, Tim Lombard, has called for the introduction of guidelines to assist Local Authorities with planning applications for solar farms.
Hotels and restaurants must be included in any change to Good Friday alcohol law – Noone
Fine Gael Dublin Senator, Catherine Noone, has today (Wednesday) said that hotels and restaurants must be included in any change to the law banning alcohol sales on Good Friday. Senator Noone was speaking today (Wednesday) as the Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill 2017 was debated in the Seanad.
CF patients in Donegal to benefit from access to Orkambi and Kalydeco – McHugh
Cystic Fibrosis patients in Donegal are set to benefit from a new deal between the Health Service Executive and pharmaceutical company, Vertex, which will see Orkambi and Kalydeco made available from next month. The HSE are now working to finalise the contractual terms to make sure we have the best and most robust deal possible for CF patients and the healthcare service overall.
Fine Gael welcomes the final report of the Water Committee
European Parliament joins calls for Volkswagen consumers to be compensated- Clune
Fine Gael Ireland South MEP and member of the European Parliament's Commission of Inquiry into the Volkswagen Emissions scandal, Deirdre Clune, has welcomed the Committee’s final report on the use of defeat devices which was adopted in the European Parliament, Strasbourg. The report called for compensation for European consumers, as well as highlighting the ways in which car testing and the supervisory process must be improved to prevent the use of defeat devices in the future.
Childcare providers can avail of new grants to extend services to school age children – Daly
Fine Gael TD for Cork South West, and Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Children, Jim Daly, has encouraged childcare providers to avail of new Government grants to establish new services or to expand existing services, in order to cater for children of school going age.
New measures to protect the future of CE Schemes and widen the range of people in Donegal that can take part – McHugh
A range of new Government measures designed to protect the future of Community Employment (CE) Schemes will widen the range of people in Donegal that can take part, Minister Joe McHugh said today.
Over 10,000 new dads have taken paid Paternity Leave
Fine Gael introduced paid Paternity Leave in September 2016. This provides two weeks' benefit, currently paid at the weekly rate of €235 per week, to support fathers in caring for their newly born babies.
McHugh welomes Special Needs school building extensions in Dungloe and Stranorlar
Donegal TD Joe McHugh has welcomed school building extensions for Special Needs areas at two schools in Donegal. The additional accommodation projects will go ahead at Scoil Roisin at Roshine, Dungloe and Finn Valley College in Stranorlar.