Leo Varadkar, TD

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross TD and Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, today welcomed the publication of official data on overseas travel for 2016 from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), which showed an increase of 10.9% in overseas visits to Ireland for 2016 compared to 2015. There was a record breaking total of 9,584,400 visits to Ireland in 2016.

Deputy Daly who represents the Cork South West constituency and is Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs, said families seeking childcare assistance will soon benefit by up to almost €1,000 annually through the new Affordable Childcare Scheme.

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Simon Coveney, T.D., signed Orders today designating 23 towns and all of Galway city as *Rent Pressure Zones. Dublin and Cork City were designated as Rent Pressure Zones before Christmas. The Orders take effect tomorrow, 27 January 2017.

Fine Gael Dublin Rathdown Senator and Government spokesman on EU Affairs in the Seanad, Neale Richmond, today (Thursday) welcomed reports by Bloomberg that Barclays Bank is to hire 150 staff in their Dublin offices, saying this must be just the beginning in terms of attracting jobs to Ireland in order to offset the overall negatives of Brexit.

Fine Gael Senator and Seanad Spokesperson on EU Affairs, Neale Richmond, has once again urged Minister for Health, Simon Harris, to fight to bring the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to Ireland from London ahead of Brexit.

Fine Gael Senator Colm Burke, has said that Sinn Féin should take its seats in the UK House of Commons in the wake of today’s decision of the UK Supreme Court, confirming the right of the British Parliament to control the Brexit process.

Fine Gael Dublin Senator, Catherine Noone, has said today (Thursday) that politicians should do their part to help raise awareness among the general public during European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week. Speaking in Seanad Éireann today, Senator Noone called on politicians to play a role in raising awareness of this important women's issue.

Fine Gael TD for Dublin Rathdown, Josepha Madigan has expressed deep concern over a proposal to charge apartment owners up to €30 million at Beacon South Quarter in Sandyford, due to poor planning at the time of construction.

Fine Gael Senator for Clare and Seanad Spokesperson on Justice, Martin Conway, has today (Monday) warmly welcomed the launch by Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald, of the New Code of Ethics for An Garda Síochána.