Thursday, 14 January 2010 13:05

Minister for Finance welcomes extension of deadline for Enrolment in Free Preschool Year

The Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan TD, has joined with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Barry Andrews, TD, in urging parents with children eligible for the free Pre-School year who have yet to register with their local pre-school service or County/City Childcare Committee to do so immediately.

The free Pre-School year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is a scheme designed to give children access to a free Pre-School year of appropriate programme-based activities in the year before they start primary school. The provision of a free Pre-School year to all children, irrespective of income or circumstance, will enhance the social and educational development of the children.

Children born between 2 February 2005 and 30 June 2006, an age range of almost 17 months, are eligible to participate in the ECCE scheme.

The original date for participating services to make an electronic return with the children’s details was January 22nd.  Recognising the recent adverse weather conditions, which have most likely delayed the start of the ECCE scheme for most services, the Minister for Children & Youth Affairs has decided to extend this date to January 29th. This will give parents an extra week to register with service providers, which they are asked to do by January 20th.

More details about the extension of the deadline for enrolment and further information on the ECCE scheme itself are available on the website of the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs – www.omc.gov.ie

Tuesday, 05 January 2010 12:05

Statement by Brian Lenihan TD Monday, 4 January 2010

During the week before Christmas, I underwent tests in hospital which identified a blockage at the entrance to my pancreas. A stent was inserted and the pancreas is now functioning normally. Cancerous tissue has been identified in the material that has caused the blockage. My medical advice is that chemotherapeutic and radiotherapeutic treatment are required. I will begin the treatment later this week.

Notwithstanding this medical condition, I am feeling fit and well. Having discussed the matter with the Taoiseach and having consulted my medical advisers, it is my intention to continue to serve as Minister for Finance. I will not be accepting invitations for speaking engagements in the next few months. I will continue to fulfil the essential functions of my office. I will supervise the work of my Department and meet delegations relevant to this work. I will prepare for and attend Government meetings. I will make myself accountable to Dáil Éireann and carry out my parliamentary duties. I will convene and attend any meetings required for the implementation of Government policy. I will be available for media interviews about my work as Minister, as required. I will continue to represent the constituency of Dublin West to the best of my abilities.

The Government is determined to implement the plan for economic recovery set out in the last two Budgets. That plan has been endorsed by every member of the Government. With the full support of my colleagues I will continue to oversee its implementation.

I am well aware of the importance of the office I hold. My doctors have advised that I am fit to continue to fulfil my duties. If that position were to change in the course of my treatment, I would be the first to recognise it. At all times, I will act in the best interests of the country and in accordance with any medical advice received. I do not intend to issue any further statements about this matter.

I want to thank the very many well wishers who sent me messages of support following media reports of my illness. I have been overwhelmed by the goodwill shown to my family and myself from all sides.  I am aware that many have remembered me in their thoughts and prayers.  I thank them for it.  I hope I can repay this goodwill by continuing to serve to the best of my ability as I undergo treatment for my medical condition.

Friday, 20 November 2009 02:44

Launch of €150m “smart schools” plan

The Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan TD has welcomed the launch by the Taoiseach, Brian Cowen TD of a new €150 million action plan for “smart schools” which means that every classroom in the country is to get a teaching laptop, software and digital projector over the next three years. 

The new action plan has been produced by the joint advisory group established by the Minister for Education and Science, Batt O’Keeffe TD. The advisory group was chaired by Paul Rellis, Managing Director of Microsoft Ireland. 

The Government recognises the need for continuing investment in this area and is committed to providing funding to support the integration of information communications technology (ICT) in teaching and learning in schools. Students, the education sector and ICT are all central to developing our “smart economy”, which will help this economy get back on the road.

Minister O’Keeffe will be issuing €22 million in grants to primary schools before the end of this year. Funding for post-primary schools will be made available early in the New Year. 

The plan is available at www.education.ie.

Friday, 20 November 2009 02:37

Revised Work Placement Programme 
The Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan TD has welcomed the announcement by the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan TD, and the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Mary Hanafin TD, regarding the relaxing of the eligibility criteria for the Work Placement Programme.

The Work Placement Programme aims to ensure that people who cannot currently find employment can maintain their skills or secure work experience that will help their CV and assist them in getting a job, while at the same time retaining their social welfare entitlements. The Programme  is  now  aimed  at  providing  9 months work experience to 2,000 unemployed  individuals,  while  they  continue  to  maintain their social welfare entitlements.  

A review of the Programme’s operations and eligibility criteria has been completed and it has been decided to improve accessibility by amending its eligibility criteria for both unemployed participants and firms providing placements. 

The key changes relating to the eligibility criteria along with other details on the Programme are available on the FAS website – www.fas.ie

Friday, 20 November 2009 02:30

The Minister for Finance welcomes the announcement by the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan TD that under the first round of the Employment Subsidy Scheme, 7,478 jobs are to receive direct support. Last week, 453 employers were informed of their successful application under the scheme, which provides a subsidy of €9,100 over fifteen months per qualifying employee in vulnerable but viable firms.

The Employment Subsidy Scheme is designed to support the maintenance of vulnerable jobs and prevent people from being made redundant. Each of the companies receiving support under the Scheme have committed to retaining an agreed level of employees until December 2010. In the current difficult economic environment, this is enabling the State to protect vulnerable employment, which may otherwise have been lost.

Applicant  enterprises  qualifying  under  the  scheme  were  those  judged
vulnerable in the current economic climate but viable in the medium to long
term,  with  such  analysis  being co-ordinated by Enterprise Ireland.


Details of a second, broader call for applications with extended
eligibility criteria open to both exporting and non-exporting firms will be
announced shortly and made available on the dedicated website: www.employmentsubsidy.ie

Friday, 30 October 2009 22:14

The Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan, T.D. has joined with John Curran T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy in congratulating the North Dublin City & County Regional Drugs Task Force, which covers parts of North Dublin City and Fingal, on their vital work.

Minister Lenihan said “The Task Force has contributed significantly to the tackling of drug misuse over the past number of years through a wide range of programmes including rehabilitation, education, prevention and research and I would like to join with Minister of State Curran in offering my congratulations on their achievements”.

This year close to three quarters of a million euro will be allocated to the Task Force and the newly established Office for the Minister for Drugs will be working closely with the North Dublin City & County Regional Task Force to ensure that the resources are directed in a targeted and effective manner.

Tuesday, 27 October 2009 13:58

The Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan T.D. has welcomed the launch, by his colleague Conor Lenihan T.D., Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, of the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Report “Delivering the Smart Economy”.

The report sets out the Government’s achievements to date under the Science Strategy and how investment has resulted in significant jobs growth at locations around the country. It is evidence of the substantial progress that has been made in achieving the objective of making the transition to a knowledge economy.

The launch of this new report follows the first report on the implementation of the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation (SSTI), a strategy aimed at transforming Ireland into a competitive knowledge economy. Eight Government Departments, advisory bodies, state agencies and higher education institutions have worked together to successfully implement the strategy. Total Research and Development (R&D) spending has almost trebled over 10 years and is estimated to have climbed, across all sectors of the economy – public and private – to €2.6 billion in 2008.

The Renewed Programme for Government recognises how important productive public investment in R&D is and sets a target of achieving a national R&D investment target of 3% of economic output.

The significant infrastructure investment underpinning the SSTI over the period to 2013 is central to economic recovery. The development of a “smart” or innovation-based economy is a key challenge facing Ireland, particularly in the context of laying the path for economic recovery.

Tuesday, 27 October 2009 13:42

Brian Lenihan T.D., Minister for Finance has welcomed the opening by John Curran T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy, of the Annual Work Conference of the Family Support Network (FSN).

The FSN helps the development of family support groups and networks and raises awareness of the difficulties faced by families in coping with drug use. It also recognises the important role played by families in supporting the recovery of a drug using family member.

Family Support programmes will be crucial in the context of the new National Drugs Strategy 2009 – 2016. The FSN will be involved in six-monthly meetings with designated Ministers and senior officials and this will give them the opportunity to move forward from their initial support role and emphasise their importance as a facilitator.

Tuesday, 27 October 2009 13:15

The Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan T.D. has joined with his colleague, Billy Kelleher T.D., Minister for Trade and Commerce, in welcoming the latest trade statistics from the Central Statistics Office.

Complete data for the first seven months of this year show that exports were up 2% on the corresponding period last year. There were significant increases in exports of medical and pharmaceutical products and organic chemicals and sales to the U.S. were up 16% despite the deteriorating euro/U.S. dollar exchange rate.

Minister Lenihan was also pleased to see the latest data from the European Union’s Eurostat agency, which shows that Ireland is the only one of the 27 member states to have positive export growth in the period January-July 2009 when compared to the same period in 2008.  

Commenting on the figures, Minister Lenihan said:

“Our future pattern of economic growth will have to be based on a more sustainable export-led economic model and these figures are most welcome in that regard. Irish exports will greatly assist in overcoming the very challenging economic climate we find ourselves in and will be a key factor in our future economic recovery”.

Monday, 12 October 2009 19:21

The Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan T.D. has welcomed the launch by the Minister for Equality, Disability and Mental Health, John Maloney, T.D., of a new website for young people which is aimed at improving their awareness and understanding of mental health and well-being.


The website – www.letsomeoneknow.ie – is an interactive platform that will increase young people’s awareness about mental health and well-being as well as providing contact details for support and advice. 

The website has been developed as part of the HSE’s National Office for Suicide Prevention Your Mental Health Awareness initiative which was launched in October 2007 and is aimed at improving the general public’s awareness and understanding of mental health and well-being. 

To mark the launch, the HSE’s National Office for Suicide Prevention announced the findings of new research it commissioned into “Young People and Mental Health – A National Survey”. The research shows that alcohol, peer pressure, drugs, bullying and exam pressure are the main problems young people face today. Isolation is a key theme that appears in the research. 


The key message of www.letsomeoneknow.ie is that finding someone you trust, to share a problem with can have a positive effect on how you are feeling.  The objectives are to increase the likelihood that young people will talk about what’s on their mind; listen to their friends; seek social/professional support; recognise the importance of social/professional support, and have a greater understanding of personal mental health.


Minister Lenihan encourages young people who may be experiencing problems to seek information, support each other and know that when in difficulty they can turn to someone they trust. This new website can greatly assist in that regard.