Tag Archives: Minister of State

IN the announcement by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar of his team of Ministers of State, Clare Deputy Pat Breen has effectively retained his position but with a much wider brief. Mr Breen will have special responsibility for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection, serving across the Department of Enterprise and Innovation, the Department of Employment and Social Protection, the Department of the Taoiseach, and the Department of Justice and Equality. Key appointments announced by Mr Varadkar today (Tuesday) include: · Helen McEntee has been appointed Minister for European Affairs. She will be working alongside both the Taoiseach and Minister for Foreign Affairs & Trade Simon Coveney on issues including Brexit. Two Ministers of State have been appointed to support Paschal Donohoe in the Departments of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform. The two Ministers will work across both Departments to enhance the integration process: An Taoiseach said, “We aim to be a government of purpose …

There is good news for people seeking to rent property, who are in receipt of a broad range of State payments. The Government has decided to prohibit discrimination in relation to a tenant or  prospective tenant on the basis that the person is or is not in receipt of a housing assistance payment, rent supplement, or that the person’s income in whole or in part is or is not provided by the State as a social welfare payment. Speaking following the announcement, Minister of State, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, said, “It is a common practice for advertisements in relation to rental accommodation to say that rent supplement is not accepted. This practice has a harmful effect on persons seeking to rent accommodation and the Government has therefore decided to prohibit such discrimination. The necessary amendments to equality legislation will be made in the context of a Private Members’ Bill, the Employment Equality (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, which is currently before the …

The final report and recommendations of the Forestry Policy Review Group, entitled, Forests, Products and People – Ireland’s forest policy – a renewed vision, was launched in Dublin this Wednesday by Minster of State, Tom Hayes. This is of particular interest for  Clare, as there has been a big increase in forestry projects in the county in recent years. Talks, field trips and practical demonstrations are held on a regular basis by Teagasc, while farm organisations and other accredited groups are also heavily involved in promoting the business. A Forest Policy Review Group was established by the (then) Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in April 2010 to review State forestry policy to take account of its critical role in relation to climate change and its importance to construction, bio-energy, bio-diversity and its potential to deliver long-term employment in other downstream industries such as eco-tourism, furniture, crafts etc. The group, which comprised of a wide range of stakeholders, met on …