Fergus O'Dowd, TD

The Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union today strongly condemned the holding of an illegal referendum in Crimea on joining the Russian Federation.

The Minister for European Affairs, Paschal Donohoe T.D., will reiterate Ireland's call for a peaceful outcome to the situation in Crimea today at the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union in Brussels.

Minister Alan Shatter TD, Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence today travels to Mexico to begin the Government’s St. Patrick’s Day Promote Ireland Programme. This is the first St. Patrick’s Day Ministerial visit to take place in Mexico, and follows the successful visits of President Higgins in October last, and the visit of the Lord Mayor of Dublin earlier this month.

Fine Gael Wicklow TD and Candidate for Ireland South, Simon Harris, has said that the EPP Congress, which is being held in Dublin, illustrates the benefit of electing a strong team of Fine Gael MEPs to the largest political grouping in the European Parliament.

Local Fine Gael TD for Dublin South, Olivia Mitchell has welcomed the announcement to locate a new Irish-medium secondary school, Gaelcholáiste an Phiarsaigh, at the former Loreto Abbey site.

Speaking this morning (Thursday) at the European People's Party Congress at the Convention Centre Dublin, Minister for European Affairs, Paschal Donohoe TD, said that the recovery that is being felt in the Irish economy is a work in progress and that the Government will not rest until our people are back to work and our country returns to prosperity (see full speech below).

Fine Gael Cork Senator and candidate for Ireland South, Deirdre Clune, has today (Wednesday) welcomed the creation of 150 new jobs in Cork by the tech company, VCE. The Research and Development (R&D) positions are being created at the firm’s international headquarters, with the support of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through IDA Ireland.

Fine Gael Laois/Offaly TD, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, has today (Wednesday) welcomed confirmation from the Minister for Communications, Pat Rabbitte TD, that a full cost benefit analysis is being carried out to look at whether it is mutually beneficial for Ireland and the United Kingdom to reach an agreement to facilitate trade in renewable energy.

Fine Gael Meath West TD and Chair of the Oireachtas Jobs Committee, Damien English, has secured the support of the Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan TD, to set up an informal working group to tackle the black economy. Deputy English has suggested that the group could include representatives from the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Finance and members of the Oireachtas.

Fine Gael TD for Wicklow and European Parliament Candidate for Ireland South, Simon Harris today (Wednesday) welcomed the launch of a new report by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) on the world’s biggest-ever survey on violence against women. More than 42,000 women across the 28 member-states were asked about their experiences.