Richard Bruton, TD

Fine Gael TD for Cork South Central and Chairperson of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children, Jerry Buttimer, has said the first budget since 2009 which does not cut the health budget offers an opportunity to stabilise the delivery of services and refocus reform.

Facebook users are invited to take part in a Q&A centred around Budget 2015.

Minister for Health Leo Varadkar and Minister of State Kathleen Lynch have secured an increase in funding for the health service in 2015, the first Budget increase for seven years.

Government Chief Whip Paul Kehoe TD has questioned the logic of SIPTU’s call this week to increase the 9% VAT rate for the tourism and hospitality sector as a new Fáilte Ireland report proves Government policy is providing jobs and growth for tourism in Co. Wexford.

Fine Gael MEPs Sean Kelly, Mairead McGuinness and Deirdre Clune have today (Friday) concluded a successful day of meetings with community groups and politicians to support EU funding programmes in Northern Ireland.

Fine Gael TD for Cork East, Tom Barry, says a new plan aimed at creating 93,000 jobs, launched by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD, Minister of State for Skills, Research and Innovation, Damien English TD and Minister of State for Business and Employment, Ged Nash TD, should act as a kick-start for local entrepreneurs.

Fine Gael TD for Dun Laoghaire, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, has strongly criticised Sinn Féin’s pre budget proposal to withdraw the private school subsidy over five years on the grounds that this move will put 1,500 jobs at risk and cost the state tens of millions per year.

I want to thank Martin Murphy and Gina Quin for extending the invitation to me, on your behalf. The Chamber, as with other chambers around the country, is a powerful force for bringing businesses together to work towards a common good. I want to congratulate you on another year of success.