Damien English, TD

Fine Gael Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune has called for immediate action to reduce packaging on the products we are buying every day. Speaking as the European Parliament voted on a Directive on packaging and packaging waste in Strasbourg, MEP Clune said we need more action on excessive and wasteful packaging.

“Work is underway to address the problems caused by historic underinvestment at Front Strand Beach in Youghal”, says Tom Barry, Fine Gael TD for Cork East.

“Work is underway to address the problems in bathing water quality caused by historic underinvestment in Clifden”, says Sean Kyne, Fine Gael TD for Galway West.

“Work is underway to address the problems caused by historic underinvestment at Waste Water Treatment facilities in Rush”, says Alan Farrell, Fine Gael TD for Dublin Fingal.

Fine Gael Waterford Minister Paudie Coffey has said today’s announcement that Bausch & Lomb are to create an additional 125 jobs in Waterford is a clear sign that they and Waterford City are bouncing back. Minister Coffey said this is yet another indication of the improving economic environment we in Waterford find ourselves in and it is based on new investments in a variety of sectors.

Fine Gael MEP for Dublin, Brian Hayes has today (Tuesday) welcomed the passing of new legislation in the European Parliament requiring all new cars in the EU to be fitted with an emergency call system. The system known as eCall will be required to be installed in all new cars from 2018.

Fine Gael TD for Clare and Chairman of the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee, Pat Breen, said today (Monday) that a new bilateral agreement between Ireland and Turkey giving fifth freedom rights for Air Cargo Services, will pave the way for airlines like Turkish Airlines to have pick up rights for Cargo at Shannon. This represents a significant boost, both for Shannon Airport and the wider region.

An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD, today (Monday) launched Fine Gael’s campaign calling for a Yes vote in the Marriage Equality Referendum on Friday, 22nd May. An Taoiseach launched the event alongside the Director of Elections for Fine Gael’s Marriage Equality Referendum campaign, Minister Simon Coveney TD as well as Minister Frances Fitzgerald TD, Minister Leo Varadkar TD and the Chair of the Fine Gael LGBT Group, Jerry Buttimer TD. The event was also addressed by two members of the public, Enda Morgan and Edel Tierney, who spoke about the importance of the Referendum passing to their own lives.

Fine Gael MEP for Dublin, Brian Hayes, today (Sunday) said that the EU should not make the Digital Single Market about targeting large US tech companies for political means. The Dublin MEP said that the priority should be to make communication and technology services work better for consumers.

Fine Gael TD for Wicklow and Minister for State at the Department of Finance, Simon Harris, has said that this weekend’s Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis proves it’s “the same old Fianna Fáil. The party has no vision and promotes the disastrous high tax, high spend policies of old. They would throw away our hard won economic recovery given half the chance.