Richard Bruton, TD

Fine Gael Waterford Deputy Paudie Coffey has said he is delighted to receive confirmation from Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar TD that the Government has agreed today to continue exchequer support for the four regional airports including Waterford Airport beyond 2014.

Fine Gael Party Chairman, Charlie Flanagan TD, has this evening (Monday) said that it is astonishing that the Fianna Fáil leader, Micheál Martin TD, would give a televised address on exiting the bailout without acknowledging that he was a senior minister in the Fianna Fáil Government which caused the economic crash and led Ireland into the Troika programme.

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton, TD, and Minister for Health James Reilly, TD, today (Monday) welcomed the announcement by Sláinte Healthcare that it will create 80 new jobs in the coming year.

Fine Gael Waterford Deputy Paudie Coffey has received confirmation from Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government Phil Hogan TD that €6.5 million worth of funding has been approved for the upgrading of water infrastructure in Waterford City. Deputy Coffey has worked with Minister Hogan on this matter for the last number of months and is pleased that the Minister has given the go-ahead for these improvement works.

Fine Gael TD for Louth, Peter Fitzpatrick, has today (Thursday) welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Health, James Reilly TD, that €80,000 in Lotto funding is being given to ten sporting and health organisations in Louth.

welcome this legislation. That so many defined benefit schemes are collapsing is a disaster of monumental proportions for many people and another aspect of the fallout from our economic woes.

Three years ago, Ireland entered a bailout programme. This affected every household in our country.

Fine Gael TD for Wicklow, Simon Harris, has today (Thursday) welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Health, James Reilly TD, that €200,000 in funding from the National Lottery Discretionary Fund has been granted to Blessington day care centre. Deputy Harris has been working closely with members of the Blessington community over the last number of months as the group prepared to submit its application.

Fine Gael Dun Laoghaire Deputy, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, has today (Thursday) welcomed the decision by Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to introduce a parking promotion during the holiday period which will ease the burden on shoppers and help to stimulate business for local enterprises, who are the engine of our economy.

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD tonight paid tribute to Nelson Mandela saying that, with his passing, 'a great light has been extinguished'."