Enda Kenny

“ Shatter is bringing forward two pieces of legislation: firstly, to make it an offence to withhold information relating to crimes against children and vulnerable adults; and secondly, at long last, to allow for the exchange of "soft information" on abusers.
As Taoiseach, I want to do all that I can to protect the sacred space of childhood and to restore its innocence, especially our young teenagers, because regardless of our current economic crisis, the children of this country are, and always will be, our most precious possession of all. ”

“ Just as our fledgling state made its difficult way to becoming a republic, I believe with all my heart, that we, the Irish people, can now make our way to recovery, to prosperity and to the fulfilment of the dreams of our children and the founding fathers of our nation. ”

“ Clericalism has rendered some of Ireland's brightest and most privileged and powerful men either unwilling or unable to address the horrors cited in the Ryan and the Murphy reports. This Roman clericalism must be devastating for good priests, some of them old; others struggling to keep their humanity, even their sanity, as they work hard to be the keepers of the church's light and goodness within their parishes, within their communities, and the condition of the human heart. ”

“ The truth is, our economy remains fragile, and it will take us several years to recover fully.
While the creation of jobs will be at the centre of our plan, I am painfully aware this will not happen quickly enough for many who are out of work today. It will take several years to create the numbers of new jobs we need. But over the last months we have made a start, towards more jobs, towards more opportunities, towards renewed confidence; a start towards a country where our young people can stay at home to build their future here, rather than moving away ”

“ I believe that the Irish people, including the very many faithful Catholics who, like me, have been shocked and dismayed by the repeated failings of church authorities to face up to what is required, what is deserved, and they require confirmation from the Vatican that they do accept, endorse, and require compliance by all church authorities here, with the obligations to report all cases of suspected abuse, whether current or historical, to the State's authorities in line with the Children's First national guidance which will have the force of law. ”

“ Instead, we will raise the €1.6 billion of extra taxes that Ireland needs mainly through indirect taxes, difficult though these will be.
The highest priority is to create more jobs, but we will also do all we can to protect the most vulnerable in our communities — our children, the sick, and the elderly. I wish I could tell you that the budget won't impact on every citizen in need, but I can't. Difficult choices are never easy, but we will invest in crucial projects like the National Children's Hospital, school buildings, and health centres. ”

“ That requires fixing the enormous deficit in our public finances caused by too much borrowing, and the cost of rescuing the banks. We all know that if, in our own lives, we are spending more than we are earning, we have a problem. Right now, the state is spending €16 billion a year more than it is taking in. This problem will not be fixed unless we take action to bridge this gap. This can only be done by us, ourselves, working together. That means that in this budget we must cut public spending by €2.2 billion and raise €1.6 billion in extra taxes. ”

“ Ireland supports stronger economic governance throughout Europe, and particularly in the Eurozone. In fact, the Irish people are paying the price now for the absence of such rules in the past. European leaders must make and, more importantly this time, must implement clear decisions this week to prove our shared determination to protect our currency. Otherwise, international confidence and investment in Europe will continue to fall. ”

“ The commission notes that all church authorities were required to sign a contract with the national board agreeing to implement the relevant standards, and that those refusing to sign would be named in the board's annual report. Progress has been in no small measure [due] to the commitment of Mr. Ian Elliott and others.
There is some small comfort to be drawn by the people of Cloyne from the fact that the commission is complimentary of the efforts made by the diocese since 2008: in training, in vetting personnel, and in the risk management of priests against whom allegations have been made. ”

“ If you are in business, you may still not be able get the credit you need, or to get paid on time. If you're a parent who has just put the children to bed, you may be wondering how you're going to meet that mortgage, or pay those bills. ”

“ I want to enable them, and thousands others like them, to achieve their full potential. I believe government, being honest and open and working with the people, will meet and beat the challenges that we face. ”

“ Secondly, the budget will include a series of targeted measures specifically designed to create jobs and get people back to work. It will include, among other initiatives, a new system of loan guarantees which will enable banks to resume lending and a new micro finance scheme which will help people to start their own businesses. This will allow small firms to take on one or even two new employees — new jobs to create new incomes, to assist the economy on the path to growth and confidence. ”