Speaking at a European Presidency conference on Monetary Union and Democratic Legitimacy in Madrid today (Friday), Fine Gael Dublin Central Deputy, Paschal Donohoe, said that for future European success we must deliver a viable and robust banking union that has the faith of the people at its very core (see full speech below).

Fine Gael Wicklow TD, Simon Harris, has today (Friday) said it is essential that parents and teachers play a central role in the working group set to be established to consider the report from the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which has been published by the Minister for Education, Ruairi Quinn TD.

Fine Gael Dublin Senator, Catherine Noone, has today (Thursday) urged Dublin communities to get involved in the Friend of Irish Heritage initiative launched this week by the Minister of State at the Office of Public Works (OPW), Brian Hayes TD.

Fine Gael Laois/Offaly TD, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, yesterday (Wednesday) chaired the inaugural meeting of the Fine Gael Working Group on Gender Equality. The group, which was set up by the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party following a proposal from Deputy Corcoran Kennedy, aims to spearhead action to implement equal pay legislation.

Tá lúcháir orm a bheith anseo inniú ag an díospóireacht seo, ábhair iontach tábhachtach, cúig bliana déag inné síniú ath aontú Aoine an Chéasta. I am delighted to be here today at this debate, a very important subject 15 years after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.

Proposal is good for passengers, for company & for jobs

Fine Gael Cork South West Deputy, Noel Harrington, has welcomed the commitment by the Minister Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte TD, to undertake a review of the fiscal terms for oil and gas production, saying this could go a considerable way to increasing the confidence of the oil and gas exploration industry and attract future investment in Ireland.

Fine Gael Dublin Senator, Catherine Noone, has today (Wednesday) suggested that a small levy could be placed on smartphone sales to help fund suicide prevention measures. A similar measure was introduced in France recently to support the Arts.

Fine Gael TD for Dublin North, Alan Farrell, has called on Fianna Fáil TD and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, John McGuinness, to clarify whether he signed off on the €71,353 in overtime, mileage and subsistence claimed by his son, Cllr Andrew McGuinness, when he worked in his father’s Ministerial office at the Department of Enterprise from 2007 to 2009. This included €30,000 in overtime payments in 2008 alone, as reported in the Irish Independent.

Fine Gael Cork South Central Deputy and Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Health, Jerry Buttimer, has said the Higgin’s Report on the Establishment of Hospital Groups and the Small Hospital Framework, which has been approved by Cabinet today (Tuesday), signals a new dawn in the organisation of our hospitals which will ultimately mean better outcomes for patients.