Fine Gael leader vows to create jobs, refuses to be drawn on debate issue. (as published at http://www.theirishworld.com/ - http://bit.ly/i75loO )
Enda Kenny has advised Fine Gael will create 20,000 jobs every year until 2014.
Mr Kenny backed the thrust of Fine Gael’s Finance spokesperson Michael Noonan’s comments during debate on the Finance bill; that economic stimulus would be created through welfare reform rather than tax increases.
The Press Association reported Mr Kenny aims to stimulate growth with 7 billion euro from state pension funds and through selling state assets to fund infrastructure projects.
The PA further adds that the Irish health service is to be reformed through modelling change on the Dutch system.
The cost of the public sector is to be reduced through streamlining quangos and reducing the number of politicians. Fine Gael has long advertised their desire to reform the Seanad; the party voted in 2009 for its abolition within a year should Kenny become Taoiseach.
Speaking to Rte the Fine Gael leader confirmed his plans to reverse the cut of the national minimum wage.
Fine Gael met last week with European Commission President Jose Barosso to seek a renegotiation of the EU/IMF deal, particularly regarding interest rates currently levied on the bailout funds.
Mr Kenny conceded regarding the EU/IMF deal, “there won’t be any great change because the IMF and the EU are monitoring this on a weekly basis,” though spoke against Micheal Martin’s alleged plans to increase the amount borrowed.
The deputy for Mayo advised that in order to change the EU/IMF terms Ireland requires “the cooperation of all 27 countries [in the EU] and that’s not going to be easy.”
The Herald.ie analysed Mr Kenny’s statement concerning female candidates for the Dail that “Obviously, we [FG] want to see as many as possible” and found the percentage of female candidates on Fine Gael’s list had actually dropped from 16.3% in 2007 to 15.5% in 2011.
6 out of 16 of the party’s female candidates for this years’ election are running in the Dublin area.
Despite Fine Gael fielding more female candidates for the 2011 vote the number of male candidates had increased at a higher rate. Labour were found to have the highest number of female candiates, with Fianna Fail, at just 9, having the fewest females going for office of the 3 main parties.
Out of the 9 female Fianna Fail candidates listed Micheal Martin named 4 in his revamped front bench on Monday, equating to 44% of women running for office occupying frontline posts.
Mr Kenny responded to questions put by Rte’s “The Week in Politics” implying he was scared of a 3 way debate, “I’d like the broadcasters to respond to my proposition for a 5 way leader debate after a scheduled series of front bench analysis of serious policy. This is not about 1 single debate.”
The Fine Gael leader refused to be drawn on the issue in the absence of a response to his counter proposal. The Labour premier, Eamon Gilmore, has publicly criticised Mr Kenny for not agreeing to Micheal Martin’s recent invitation to a 3-way leader’s debate. Prior to the 2007 election Mr Kenny was widely perceived as outperformed by then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in a televised debate.
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