Frances Fitzgerald, TD

Today I made the decision to tender my resignation to the Taoiseach, stepping-down with immediate effect as Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation.  

I welcome this opportunity to put on the record of the House certain matters that have been raised in this House and in the media in recent days.

An Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald TD, has been conferred with the prestigious James Joyce Award and Honorary Fellowship of the Literary and Historical Society (L&H) of University College Dublin.

I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of former Taoiseach and Leader of Fine Gael Liam Cosgrave. 

Fine Gael introduced paid Paternity Leave in September 2016. This provides two weeks' benefit, currently paid at the weekly rate of €235 per week, to support fathers in caring for their newly born babies.

The relationship between Ireland and the United States during the last 100 years began as a story of patriots taking the opportunity to win the freedom of a nation, supported by their country men and women from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

Looking into 2016, Fianna Fáil propose to spend, spend, spend. Yet they have provided no clarity on how they plan to do this.

Operation Thor has been in the planning by An Garda Síochána for several months and is being launched following recent announcements regarding investment in policing.

Frances Fitzgerald TD, Minister for Justice & Equality has today announced that The Government has agreed that Ireland will accept up to 4,000 persons overall under Resettlement & Relocation Programmes.

We should not forget the troubled history of this island, the countless lives lost, many at the brutal hands of the Provisional IRA.