Leaders' Questions
# leaders-questions - Wednesday 8 May, 2013
Taoiseach promises: Government is still going to introduce free GP care
“Ultimately the entire population will be covered by free GP services,” Taoiseach Enda Kenny told the Dáil.
# leaders-questions - Thursday 2 May, 2013
Backlash against austerity means more countries using Irish model, says Gilmore
The Tánaiste says Ireland’s model has always been to cut costs, while also increasing investment to encourage growth.
# leaders-questions - Tuesday 30 April, 2013
Taoiseach hopes draft abortion legislation can be published this evening
Enda Kenny was speaking in the Dáil this afternoon after the Cabinet had earlier suspended its meeting without agreement on a draft abortion law.
# leaders-questions - Thursday 25 April, 2013
Gilmore says AIB mortgage hike is “a commercial decision”
The Tánaiste says the government’s focus is on dealing with mortgage arrears, rather than directly controlling interest rates.
# leaders-questions - Tuesday 23 April, 2013
Kenny acknowledges ‘close relationship between farmers and their animals’
Taoiseach Enda Kenny admitted that some farmers were experiencing difficulties with fodder shortages because of the recent bad weather but ruled out setting up a special task force on the issue.
# leaders-questions - Thursday 18 April, 2013
Free vote for TDs among radical proposals for Dáil reform
Goverment TDs should be allowed to vote against their party on certain matters under proposals by backbench TD Eoghan Murphy in an internal document circulated among Fine Gael members this week.
Gilmore won’t say whether Government will legislate for public pay cuts
The Tánaiste calls for ‘calm, reasoned reflection’ after the Croke Park 2 pay proposals were struck down by public workers.
# leaders-questions - Wednesday 17 April, 2013
Government ‘absolutely united’ behind Howlin in bid to save €300m: Kenny
Enda Kenny says the outcome of the Croke Park 2 vote doesn’t change the Government’s need to cut public payroll costs.
# leaders-questions - Thursday 28 March, 2013
Gilmore says Shatter ‘not silencing anybody’ over Garda walk-out
“The government is not disciplining anybody,” the Tánaiste says, saying Garda discipline is a matter for the Commissioner.
# leaders-questions - Wednesday 27 March, 2013
Taoiseach: No one will be forced to quit job if childcare exceeds salary
It disputes comments made by Minister Leo Varadkar who said that childcare costs would have to be taken into consideration in insolvency arrangements.
# leaders-questions - Thursday 21 March, 2013
Opposition TDs criticise ‘low’ number of local property tax exemptions
While 43,000 households were exempted from last year’s household charge, only 5,100 households have been exempted from the local property tax.
# leaders-questions - Wednesday 13 March, 2013
Banks ‘do not have a veto’ to block insolvency deals, insists Kenny
Enda Kenny denies that the personal insolvency legislation gives banks the chance to totally block any debt relief.
# leaders-questions - Tuesday 12 March, 2013
Kenny defends Government’s stance on dealing with mortgage arrears
Micheál Martin suggests that the government is only now dealing with the problem because of the Meath East by-election.
# leaders-questions - Thursday 7 March, 2013
Tánaiste defends changes to maternity benefit, property tax
Eamon Gilmore asked Sinn Féin whether it would encourage people to be tax compliant and pay the property tax later this year.
# leaders-questions - Wednesday 6 March, 2013
Taoiseach says Croke Park proposals do not target frontline workers
The Taoiseach tells the Dáil it’s not just Gardaà who are being asked to make a contribution to economic recovery.
# leaders-questions - Wednesday 27 February, 2013
Enda Kenny accuses opposition of making ‘political football’ of disability cut
In heated exchanges in the Dáil this morning, the Taoiseach said the current disability transport payments are “illegal and obsolete”.
# leaders-questions - Wednesday 20 February, 2013
Magdalene redress scheme may be widened, Taoiseach indicates
Former residents of the Summerhill Training Centre and the notorious Bethany Home could also be in line for redress, Enda Kenny indicated in the Dáil this morning.
# leaders-questions - Tuesday 19 February, 2013
Taoiseach quizzed on whether credit unions will lose millions in IBRC liquidation
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said credit unions could lose up to €17 million in the liquidation of the former Anglo Irish Bank.
# leaders-questions - Thursday 14 February, 2013
The Savita report leak is ‘disturbing’ and ‘unacceptable’ – Brendan Howlin
Minister Howlin told the Dáil that although Minister Reilly still has not seen the leaked draft report, Savita’s husband Praveen would be the first person to get the published report.
# leaders-questions - Wednesday 13 February, 2013
Personal insolvency agency to open ‘early in the summer’ – Taoiseach
Enda Kenny told the Dáil that he was not happy with the banks’ level of resolution of cases where customers are in mortgage arrears.
# leaders-questions - Tuesday 12 February, 2013
Oireachtas agenda: Promissory notes, eco-cars and horse meat
Simon Coveney will take ministerial questions in the Dáil today as the horse meat controversy rages on.
# leaders-questions - Tuesday 5 February, 2013
VIDEO: Taoiseach stops short of apologising for Magdalene Laundries, angering survivors
“That is not an apology… it is a cop out,” survivors said of Enda Kenny’s comments in the Dáil this afternoon.
# leaders-questions - Thursday 31 January, 2013
# leaders-questions - Tuesday 29 January, 2013
Kenny slams Sinn Féin ‘witch hunt’ against Minister for Health
Sinn Féin has demanded an explanation as to why emergency wards in Kilkenny and Wexford had upgrades ‘fast-tracked’.
Taoiseach still ‘confident’ of promissory note deal by March
Ireland is due to pay €3.06 billion in 60 days’ time – but Enda Kenny remains positive that a deal can be reached.
# leaders-questions - Wednesday 23 January, 2013
Taoiseach: Youth employment will be priority for EU Presidency
His comments came in light of a report today that showed a rise in suicide in Ireland clashed with both the economic downturn and an increase in unemployment.
# leaders-questions - Tuesday 22 January, 2013
Fiona Doyle case has ‘filled the nation with revulsion’ – Taoiseach
The release on bail, pending an appeal, of an elderly man who repeatedly raped his daughter when she was younger was raised at Leaders’ Questions.
# leaders-questions - Thursday 17 January, 2013
Dept: Food investigations ‘dealt with on case-by-case basis’
The FSAI and Department of Agriculture deal with such investigations on a case-by-case basis, it was confirmed today.
# leaders-questions - Wednesday 16 January, 2013
Gilmore clarifies when government found out about ‘horse burgers’
The Tánaiste told the Dáil that the first samples were collected for testing in mid-November and full results were received last Friday.
# leaders-questions - Wednesday 19 December, 2012
Kenny ‘doesn’t like’ Bank of Ireland rate hike – but can’t stop it
Enda Kenny regrets Bank of Ireland’s decision on credit card rates, but says the issue is one for the Financial Regulator.
# leaders-questions - Thursday 6 December, 2012
Government defends decision to cut respite care grant
Pat Rabbitte said the government had had to choose between cutting carer’s allowance or cutting respite care.
Oireachtas agenda: Budget aftermath, expert group and same-sex partnerships
The Dáil debates the Budget and the Expert Group report, while the Seanad allows secular bodies to perform civil ceremonies.
# leaders-questions - Tuesday 4 December, 2012
Taoiseach insists Ruairà Quinn has confidence in James Reilly
It was reported at the weekend that the Education Minister had indicated that Reilly was “not up to the job” of Minister for Health.
Oireachtas agenda: Health insurance, European jobs and new abortion law?
This evening James Reilly will lead Dáil statements on the report of the Expert Group into the A, B and C ruling.
# leaders-questions - Thursday 29 November, 2012
Gilmore refuses to confirm property tax rumours
Reports suggest the property tax will cost homeowners between €200 and €400 a year – but Eamon Gilmore would not discuss the figures in the Dáil this morning.
# leaders-questions - Wednesday 28 November, 2012
Taoiseach defends ministerial tax breaks for second Dublin homes
The Taoiseach tells Pearse Doherty that cabinet ministers only receive about a tenth of the accommodation allowances that TDs do.
# leaders-questions - Tuesday 27 November, 2012
Taoiseach rejects Greek-style Anglo promissory deal
But Kenny said the Government is seeking a new deal that is like “a replacement of a bank overdraft with a very long term mortgage”.
# leaders-questions - Thursday 22 November, 2012
Opposition calls for Taoiseach to meet with Savita’s husband
The death of Savita Halappanavar was raised again at Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil this morning.
# leaders-questions - Wednesday 21 November, 2012
Kenny claims Halappanavar legal team preventing meeting with inquiry chair
Taoiseach Enda Kenny urged the husband of Savita Halappanavar to meet with the expert heading the inquiry into her death last month but Praveen Halappanavar has reiterated that he will not.


























































