Fine Gael Meath East TD, Regina Doherty, has today (Tuesday) warmly welcomed progress on developing the Boyne Valley to Lakelands County Greenway, stating that the project has taken a significant step forward with the approval of a Part 8 scheme by Meath County Council.

The Minister for Health, Dr. James Reilly TD today (Tuesday, 14 May, 2013) announced a reorganisation of public hospitals into more efficient and accountable hospital groups that will deliver improved outcomes for patients. This represents the most fundamental reform of the Irish acute hospital system in decades.

Fine Gael Meath West TD, Damien English, has today (Tuesday) said that the publication of the Higgins' Report on the Establishment of Hospital Groups and the Small Hospital Framework, will lead to the biggest reorganisation of hospitals here in the history of the State.

Fine Gael Dublin Senator, Catherine Noone, has today (Tuesday) welcomed the news that Dublin City Council has agreed to treble the number of bikes available under the Dublin Bikes scheme from 500 to 1,500.

Fine Gael Waterford Deputy Paudie Coffey has said that essential patient care services will be retained at Waterford Regional Hospital (WRH) in the new reform of Hospital Groups, which will be presented to Cabinet today (Tuesday).

Fine Gael Longford/Westmeath Deputy, James Bannon, has welcomed the announcement of €500,000 for the refurbishment of Granard Branch Library saying that the new facility will further enhance the facility as a civic amenity and should encourage more people to use their local library.

Fine Gael Dun Laoghaire Deputy will attend the Global Diaspora Forum in the Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel in Killiney tomorrow morning (Tuesday), before welcoming the Irish Elderly Emigrants Tour UK in Glasthule, as part of the Gathering 2013, tomorrow afternoon.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney, today welcomed what he described as a positive and useful discussion with his Member State colleagues on three elements of the CAP reform package on which there are clearly divergent views between the Council, the European Parliament and the Commission, namely, active farmers, the young farmers scheme and the small farmers scheme.

A conference this weekend in Sofia, Bulgaria chose Colm Lauder as Secretary General of the youth wing of the European People’s Party – the largest pan-European political grouping.

Fine Gael Meath East TD, Helen McEntee, has described the Ashbourne Community Initiative held last Friday’s (May 10th) in the Pillo Hotel as a very positive event, adding that she hopes many of the ideas generated at the meeting can be brought to fruition.