The lion's share of the damage to the Irish economy was the fault of domestic, economic, and financial mismanagement.
— Enda Kenny
Our common membership of the E.U. provided an important external context to the Irish and U.K. governments working together for peace. It should not be discounted lightly.
My genuine belief is that if we can get through the eurozone crisis from a political point of view, we've got a lot of engines that can drive our economy, that will restore confidence and get us moving on.
We need to work together towards a mutually beneficial solution for Ireland, the U.K., and for Europe.
The decision of a majority of people in the United Kingdom to vote to leave the European Union is profoundly disappointing.
Down the country, people in rural areas are struggling to get a speed of even 1 MB, not much better than the old dial-up system we used to have when the system was in relative infancy.
Cloyne's revelations are heart-breaking.
People tell me their own stories about how they have come through great difficulty.
I am proud that Ireland is playing its part to drive an ambitious and comprehensive agreement at COP21.
The Seanad question was one element of a process of change and reform to politics that government has been pursuing.
Populist promises to reverse every tough decision are nothing but empty rhetoric, irresponsible leadership, and bad politics. They are not the solution to Ireland's problems.
We are going to serve our full term; there will be no snap election, and we are going to do our best to ensure that 2016 is going to be a good economic year.
We'll look after the people who create jobs and business and give them that opportunity to grow in the time ahead.
The Constitution says that the right to life of the unborn is protected and given equal rights as the life of the mother.
I didn't go on a campaign of developers asking, 'Please give me money.'
We link our future to the euro, to the euro zone, and to the European Union while being the nearest neighbor of the United Kingdom with, obviously, a common travel area and a very close working relationship with the U.K.
My job starts at a quarter to seven in the morning, and you go right through until whatever time is necessary to finish up.
It is about time county councils got back into the business of providing houses.
The U.K. and Ireland are like-minded on E.U. matters, and the process of working together in Brussels has built an immense store of knowledge, personal relationships, and trust between our governments.
Public confidence in, and support for, the euro - and, indeed, the European Union - will ultimately be determined by how well we deliver on growth and jobs rather than on institutional wrangling and complex legal or technical negotiations.
As leader of the Fine Gael Party, I will also use our position in the European People's Party to clearly state our views with our European political partners.
Building on our strong track record of supporting developing countries, including in areas like climate justice, human rights, gender and education, Ireland recognises that vulnerable communities need very considerable assistance in adapting to climate change.
For too long, Ireland has neglected its children.
The revelations of the Cloyne report have brought the government, Irish Catholics, and the Vatican to an unprecedented juncture.
Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing climate change - this means reducing emissions, adapting to impacts, and enhancing and improving carbon sinks.
Failure to curb temperature increases will impact all countries, Ireland included, but with the most immediate and drastic effects being felt, in many instances, by the most vulnerable countries and communities.
I accept the verdict of the people.
For me, it is all about people having jobs, and that is why I make no apology for having focused relentlessly on employment and job creation.
To me, the real opinion polls are the tangible facts: the growing creation of jobs, the number of planning permissions, the number of commercial vans being sold - the signs that the Irish people are regaining confidence.
We'll look after our hospitals. We'll look after our schools. We'll look after our infrastructure.
I get on very well with Denis Naughten, absolutely.
I have never been on the trail of developers or contractors.
In Ireland here, the Revenue Commission have always been completely independent of the state since 1923, and they are quite adamant and quite clear that there was no preferential treatment and no special deals, no sweetheart deals, and that Apple paid the taxes that were due on their profits generated here in this country.
What I do like is action, achievements, and results. Getting things done.
The re-establishment of a hard border on the island of Ireland would be a step backwards and present an opportunity for others, with malign agendas, to exploit for destructive purposes.
The E.U. needs renewal, and we need a strong U.K. at the table to help to drive the reform agenda that can help the union regain competitiveness and growth.
We must ensure that more binding, durable, and enforceable fiscal rules go hand-in-hand with funding certainty for countries pursuing sound and sustainable economic policies. We need to keep pushing forward towards a comprehensive solution to the challenges of the eurozone.
Our priority will be to look after the interests of our own country and its citizens.
COP 21 provides a unique opportunity for the political leaders of this generation to provide lasting foundations for the preservation and sustainability of generations of the future.
Clericalism has rendered some of Ireland's brightest, most privileged and powerful men either unwilling or unable to address the horrors cited in the Ryan and Murphy Reports.
People understand that you have to do difficult things to sort out our own public finances.
By far, the greatest contribution Ireland can make is to lead by example, by actively pursuing its own transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy.
If people want to follow an illusion that you don't have to pay your way, you don't have to measure up, then there are serious consequences for any country.
Sometimes in politics, you get a wallop in the electoral process.
We have spent our time in government fixing the economy.
I have never had an interest in opinion polls. They are merely an indicator, that's all.
My relationship with Alan Shatter is a professional relationship: obviously worked with him over the years, complimented him for his work as a reforming minister, and move on.
I now know what to do; I know how decisions can be made. I know how you can drive ministers and their departments to actually make decisions and bring results.
By 2007, an uncompetitive, bloated, over-borrowed and distorted Irish economy had been left at the mercy of subsequent international events without the safeguards, institutions, and mindset needed to survive and prosper as a small open economy inside the euro area.
You need to talk to people, and you need to hear what it is they have to say.
