Blog Archive | February 2012
€35 million initiative to replace rented prefabs announced
Posted on March 01, 2012
Today the Minister for Education, Ruairi Quinn TD, announced the biggest ever initiative taken to replace rented prefabs in schools.
Grants are to be offered to almost 200 schools to build permanent accommodation this year. This represents over a third of the schools who currently rent prefabs and a total of €35m has been allocated for this initiative this year.
Minister Quinn said the Government is determined to tackle this issue.
"It is hard to believe that at the height of the economic boom the previous Government had a policy of renting prefabs in schools. The result of this policy is that we have a legacy of rented prefabs in schools around the country," the Minister said.
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Leaders' Questions - March 1st 2012
Posted on March 01, 2012
Leaders Questions today which were taken by An Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore saw debate on accessing credit in the economy and the referendum on the EU Fiscal Compact Treaty. You can see the full exchange in the accompanying video, while the transcript will be available on the Oireachtas website shortly.
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Treaty is part of measures at national and European level to restore stability - Gilmore
Posted on March 01, 2012
"This country has come a long way in the past 12 months", the Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has told the Dáil during a debate in the House about this week's meeting of European leaders.
"Through the hard work and sacrifice of the Irish people we have re-established political and financial stability and we have laid the foundations for economic recovery. The choice facing us now in the referendum on the European stability treaty is whether we build on what we have achieved or go backwards," the Tánaiste said.
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Government is focusing on solutions to help recovery - Rabbitte
Posted on March 01, 2012
"Since the Government took office last year, we have made significant progress in advancing the Government's plans with regard to better use of our State assets," Minister Brendan Howlin told the Dáil this week during a debate about State assets; while Minister Pat Rabbitte told the House the Government is focused on solutions to help recovery.
"It must be remembered these companies exist to serve the taxpayer; it is not the other way around. That includes releasing capital back into a capital-starved economy," Minister Howlin said.
[You can watch Minister Howlin's speech at this link.]
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European Stability Treaty referendum announced
Posted on February 28, 2012
This afternoon in the Dáil the Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore announced there will be a referendum to ratify the European Stablity Treaty.
"We need a thriving and prosperous European economy that has moved beyond the present crisis," the Tánaiste said.
"That is the purpose of this Treaty. It is part of a package of measures being put in place in Europe, to stabilise the situation in the Eurozone. As I have said before, that is vital to our national interests."
You can see what the Tánaiste said in the accompanying video and you can read his statement in our press centre.
Permanent link | Comments | Categories: Foreign & European Affairs • EamonGilmore
Steps to protect whistleblowers announced
Posted on February 28, 2012
A key part of the Government's political reform agenda has been announced with the publication of the heads of the Protected Disclosure in the Public Interest Bill 2012. The whistleblower legislation, announced by Minister Brendan Howlin, will protect 'whistleblowers who speak out against wrongdoing, or cover-ups, whether in the public or private sector'.
"This is a huge advancement from the previous piecemeal approach where the patchwork of protections resulted in a fragmented and confusing standards of protection," Minister Howlin said.
Among the measures contained in the whistleblowers' legislation include:
Permanent link | Comments | Categories: Justice • BrendanHowlin
New Frontiers - entrepeneurial programme launched
Posted on February 27, 2012
A scheme which aims to develop people into entrepreneurs has been launched by Minister Sean Sherlock. 'New Frontiers', Ireland's largest entrepreneur development programme will be delivered locally by 13 Irish Institutes of Technology and funded and coordinated by Enterprise Ireland.
Launching the programme, Minister Sherlock said: "The focus of the New Frontiers programme is developing people into entrepreneurs - laying the foundations and imparting the entrepreneurship skills needed to move from business concept to reality.
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Pathways to Work
Posted on February 23, 2012
Today the Government launched Pathways to Work, a new streamlined service which will help jobseekers on their path to re-employment. Taking our current social welfare system from passive to active engagement, Pathways to Work crucially clears obstacles on the path to re-employment.
[Download Pathways to Work from our policy section.]
Amalgamating the services of the Department of Social Welfare, Community Welfare officers and FAS, Pathways to Work will offer job seekers a new 'one stop shop' employment office, covering not only benefit services but also offer a more constructive and focused facility in helping people back to work.
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'Ireland is the place in the EU to do business' - Gilmore
Posted on February 20, 2012
The Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has said that the visit to Ireland by China's vice-President Jinping, the only European stop in the visit, signals that 'Ireland is the place in the EU with which to do business".
During the three day visit, which finishes today, a number of trade agreements were signed such as a memorandum of understanding on co-operation between the business sectors in both countries, and the establishment of a working group to facilitate future investment opportunities. The historical visit has also allowed Ireland to showcase the very best of its agriculture, sport and dance.
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Byrne welcomes vice-President Jinping
Posted on February 17, 2012
The relationship between Ireland and China can be seen in many forms, be it through tourism or through the educational cooperation between the two countries, Deputy Eric Byrne has said today. He made the comments welcoming the news that Xi Jinping, vice-President of China will begin a visit to Ireland tomorrow. Dep Byrne said the visit of the incoming President of China is 'very important to the strengthening of ties with both countries.
"This visit will strengthen the tourism, educational, diplomatic, trade and cultural ties that currently have with China and I would like to wish vice-President Jinping well, on what I hope will be one of his many visits to Ireland."
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