HELLO THERE ALL, Christina Finn taking the blog for today’s Leaders’ Questions.
Enda Kenny must be glad to see the back of last week, which was one disaster after another for the government.
However, Kenny is facing into a raft of more problems this week. Pressure has been mounting on the Taoiseach to outline a timeline for when he will step aside.
We’ll see how this plays out today.
There has been a lot of speculation in recent days about who might be the next leader of Fine Gael.
The latest is from RTÉ’s Martina Fitzgerald who did her own poll for the News at One.
But, it’s still early days. Enda Kenny hasn’t said much, only that he will speak at the parliamentary party meeting tomorrow evening.
Micheál Martin is up.
He wants to talk about the latest homelessness figures. You can read all about the latest figures here:
That is an appalling indictment on the government, says Martin.
He says the initiatives announced before Christmas have not paid off.
The lack of any meaningful change on the supply side is also of concern to him.
Martin said the minister for housing was on the radio over the weekend giving the Taoiseach a timeline for his departure.
“The Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government was on the media over the weekend giving the Taoiseach a deadline and a timeline in terms of when he should leave office. I think it would have been far more focused of the Minister if he concentrated on what is an appalling emergency for thousands of families in this country, one that is going to get worse because of the lack of tangible action and effective outcomes from all of the strategies that have been announced.”
FF Timmy Dooley chimes in: “What do you think, Charlie? Do you think Simon wants out of housing?”
Martin says it would be “far more focused of the minister if he focused on this appalling emergency that is going to get worse”.
Enda Kenny says Minister Simon Coveney made an announcement yesterday about the status report on social housing provision with 829 homes already on site. He reads out a list of what stage the social housing projects are at at the moment.
“These are significant houses where there were no houses at all being built,” says Kenny.
“Talking about 2021 is of cold comfort to people,” says Martin.
They want answers now, Taoiseach… it is more than just PR.
Taking a dig at the two leading contenders in the Fine Gael leadership battle, he says people are fed up of the “Simon and Leo” show.
Martin wants ministers to focus on their jobs.
“All we are listening to is that one minister wants to get out of health,” adds the Fianna Fáil leader.
Young minster Harris is enjoying the latest honour of his career, says the Taoiseach.
Gerry Adams says most people outside of the Fine Gael bubble don’t care who takes his place.
Adams reads back comments from October 2015 where Enda Kenny said there was a choice of “stability versus chaos”.
He tells the Dáil that his party has brought chaos upon themselves in the last few days.
“Get off the chaos carousel,” says Adams, who says he wants the Transport Minister Shane Ross to sort out the Bus Eireann problem.
The carousel is different than the trampoline, says Kenny.
Kenny says the problem is only going to be sorted out through constructive dialogue.
The National Roads Authority will ensure that rural routes will be maintained, adds the Taoiseach.
Adams clarifies that Martin McGuinness stepped down for good reasons in the North. He says Kenny should respect that.
“It is about a public service, that is why it is called public transport,” says Adams.
He wants a commitment that Ross will get involved and sort it out.
“This is a difficult dispute,” Kenny points out. He says he wants both sides to get together.
The Taoiseach says the headlines that the free travel pass is at risk is false. This was pointed out during a Transport Oireachtas Committee some weeks back.
Tommy Broughan TD is now talking about PRSI contributions and pensions.
Is it not time over the next number of years for the restoration of pensions for those born in the 1940s, asks Broughan, who points out it is women who have been particularly impacted.
Age Action has claimed that 35,000 people have had their pensions cut because of government changes to the State Pension introduced in 2012, with many losing more than €1,500 a year.
You can read more about this situation here:
He mentions a constituent he has spoken to who wants the restoration of her pension. She told him she is fuming over the shocking losses pensioners have faced.
The Taoiseach says it was part of the sacrifice that people put up with over the last number of years to see the economy recover.
He said it is a valid question for so many people.
“Of course it has to be dealt with, ahead of Budget 2018,” says Kenny.
Broughan said this cohort of people worked hard and contributed to society.
“We will have the issue referred to the Oireachtas Committee for Budgetary Oversight,” says Kenny.
Deputy Séamus Healy is raising the issue of rural transport.
Kenny says rural transport can not be left to the marketplace. “And it is not.”
“Nothing is decided here,” adds the Taoiseach.
Healy also raises a number of other issues relating to south Tipperary.
Healy is now reading out figures relating to the reduction in subvention to Bus Eireann.
He wants to know if the Taoiseach will reassert Irish sovereignty by telling the EU that Ireland intends to borrow money (above what is permitted) for our housing and transport needs.
More on all of that here:
The Taoiseach says the European Investment Bank has opened here, which is to be welcomed in terms of infrastructural investment.
He concludes Leaders’ Questions by saying a man at a Brexit meeting told him recently:
“I find you guilty. I find you guilty of clogging up the roads with getting people back to work.”
Martin says (with a wry smile) that it’s central to the delivery of the Programme for Government that a government be in place.
He wonders if Kenny will perhaps make his plans known to the House.
“So there is no change. You can have opinions one way or another. The government are focused on doing the job for the people of the country.
“The government has serious agenda here… so there is no change.”
That’s it for now from Leinster House. Join us back here tomorrow.
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