Martin Heydon, TD

The establishment of the NOAC is part of the reform process legislated for by the Local Government Reform Act 2014 and is a very significant development in public accountability, bringing an added dimension of independent scrutiny to local government performance.

Mr. Phil Hogan, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, today (4th July 2014) announced the publication of the final report of the review of the Producer Responsibility Initiative (PRI) model in Ireland. (appendices).

Welcoming the Bill’s publication, the Minister stated: “This Bill delivers on the commitment in the Programme for Government to establish a Court of Appeal and is a timely response to the decision taken by the people last October when they approved the proposal to amend the Constitution to make provision for the establishment of the new Court.”

Fine Gael Deputy for Mayo and Chair of the Fine Gael Internal Committee for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Michelle Mulherin, has today (Thursday) welcomed the new taxation system for the revision upwards of the taxation of future petroleum and gas exploration and production in the State and its territorial waters announced by Minister Pat Rabbitte. The new system will provide for an increased financial return to the State from discoveries made under future exploration licences and licensing options.

Fine Gael TD for Wicklow, Andrew Doyle, has welcomed the expansion of the Applegreen Retail Network and highlighted the opportunity for the retailer to support local producers in Wicklow. Deputy Doyle was speaking this week at the opening of the new Applegreen Retail Outlet in Coynes Cross by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, T.D.

Fine Gael Cork East TD, and Chair of the Oireachtas Justice Committee David Stanton, has welcomed today’s publication of the Court of Appeal Bill 2014 by Minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald TD.

Thank you Chairperson. I would like to thank you for your words of welcome and Ambassador Patricia O Brien who is our Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, for her words of introduction. I very much welcome the opportunity to be here.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. I want to begin by welcoming you – one and all – to this great day which marks a major milestone in your lives. I want to specially welcome all of those of you immediately in front of me who will shortly become Ireland’s newest citizens.

I have congratulated Joan Burton today on her election as leader of the Labour Party and confirmed that I have nominated her as Tánaiste. We agreed to work closely together for the remainder of the Government’s term of office to fulfil the mandate given to our parties in 2011.