Results 21,561-21,580 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Leaders' Questions (6 Apr 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I congratulate Deputy Paul Murphy on one enormous success, though not on the role he has played in the campaign against water charges. I congratulate him on the role he has played in reducing Fianna Fáil to what it is now. The party of Lemass, which was once proud to stand up for things and would do the right things by the Irish people, now determines its policy on water solely out of...

Leaders' Questions (6 Apr 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The proposal to bring forward water charges in this State was first made in 2010.

Leaders' Questions (6 Apr 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The proposal-----

Leaders' Questions (6 Apr 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Is it not remarkable how one is shouted down the minute one says something people do not want to hear?

Leaders' Questions (6 Apr 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As we all know, the truth hurts and this one hurts really bad. The original proposal to introduce metering and water charges in this State was made in 2010 in an agreement between Fianna Fáil and the Green Party.

Leaders' Questions (6 Apr 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It was not imposed on us by the troika and was not about austerity. It was Fianna Fáil and the Green Party, in government, agreeing to bring forward a policy because it was the right one by the Irish people. Why have they changed their position now?

Leaders' Questions (6 Apr 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It is not because the facts have changed or European law has changed, but because they are terrified of Sinn Féin and terrified of the far left. It is a sad thing to see a party such as Fianna Fáil reduced to the position it is in now.

Leaders' Questions (6 Apr 2017)

Leo Varadkar: And-----

Leaders' Questions (6 Apr 2017)

Leo Varadkar: What is this total victory that Deputy Paul Murphy talks about? Everyone in this House accepts that water has to be paid for. The Deputy's total victory is that water continues to be paid for through general taxation.

Leaders' Questions (6 Apr 2017)

Leo Varadkar: What does that mean? The same people yet again who pay for everything-----

Leaders' Questions (6 Apr 2017)

Leo Varadkar: -----have to pay for it again.

Leaders' Questions (6 Apr 2017)

Leo Varadkar: What sort of victory is that?

Leaders' Questions (6 Apr 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It means that people who get up in the morning, who work hard and pay their taxes not only have to pay for their own water, but also have to pay it for the people living next door to them who waste it.

Leaders' Questions (6 Apr 2017)

Leo Varadkar: That is not a victory. That is a bad policy. It is bad for the environment-----

Leaders' Questions (6 Apr 2017)

Leo Varadkar: ----- and it is unfair on working people.

Leaders' Questions (6 Apr 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It is most likely illegal and contrary to European law.

Leaders' Questions (6 Apr 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising a number of important issues affecting the Irish abroad and returning migrants and for acknowledging the Taoiseach's important contribution to the effort to resolve the problems facing undocumented Irish living in the United States in particular. I wish to record the fact that the Government has made the decision to extend voting rights in presidential...

Leaders' Questions (6 Apr 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I will discuss the matter with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Leaders' Questions (6 Apr 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I am due to discuss some other matters with him today. On the face of it, given that passports can be renewed online, it seems to make sense that people would be able to renew a driver's licence online provided we have on record the applicants safe II photograph. It should be possible to do this and I will discuss the matter with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross,...

Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Apr 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Before I ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Simon Coveney, to respond to Deputy Lisa Chambers, I express, on behalf of the Government, our total condemnation of the poison gas attacks in Idlib province in Syria yesterday. Such weapons have no place in the 21st century. They are indiscriminate, as is evident from the hundreds of people who have...