Results 22,481-22,500 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There is no chance I will be able to respond to all of that in three minutes.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I will do the best I can. The first question was about the political approach taken. Of course, it is happening at multiple levels. Bilateral contacts between the Irish and UK Government are ongoing. I had a meeting with Theresa May on Monday and will meet her again tomorrow or the day after in Brussels where we will attend the European Council. We are working hard. The Minister...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Yes, it is, but abstentionism did not achieve it. It did not achieve it for the Twenty-six Counties and I do not see how it would achieve it for the Six Counties.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: In the absence of that one thing, we are working with and trying to-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There is one group with which we are working and hoping to reactivate. I cannot remember its exact name, but it is a British-Irish friendship group. It involves MPs at Westminster from all parties with a particular interest in Ireland. I understand it is led by Conor McGinn, MP. We are trying to make use of that body, a little like the Irish National Caucus in Washington, for obvious...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Knowing the Deputy for as long as I do, I would never put her down as a romantic.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I suppose everyone should be relieved that I spoke about "Love Actually" and not "Notting Hill" because that would have been a very different scene at the door of No. 10 had it transpired.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I am going through the questions as they were asked one by one. I do not control the questions asked by Members of the Opposition. I was asked about populism. Of course, there are forms of populism that amount to populism of the left and there is also populism of the right. Populism of the left is what we tend to call transitional demand. Proponents make claims that they know cannot...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It is the time-honoured approach used by the Soviets, Bolsheviks and Trotskyites.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: They promise the masses – to use the term favoured by the Deputy – something that cannot be achieved in order to secure power. Then they turn around and tell them that it cannot be done and that they are going to the gulag.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There is plenty of populism on the left.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I did not ask here when she was going to resign. The object of the visit was to make friends, not enemies. I know that the Deputy does not believe in that approach either, but I was there to make friends.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I think we managed to begin the start of a relationship. The result of the election in Britain deserves analysis. Some of what the Deputy has said is true, but there is also another part to it. In wealthy constituencies in London there was a big increase in the vote of the UK Labour Party. They are not people who want their properties to be confiscated or who want to pay higher taxes....

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As I have said on many occasions, I do not believe the politics of the future is about the traditional left-right divide. There are others, one of which is the difference between being open and closed. Many in the United Kingdom who believe in openness, free trade multilaterism and the European Union on this occasion voted for the Labour Party, whereas in the past they might have voted for...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There are lots of questions I did not answer. I would be happy to answer them.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It is serious. They are all serious.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: On a point of order, if I may-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: On two points of order I agree with Deputy Martin. First, this procedure needs to be referred to the Business Committee. This is not a way to do questions and answers.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Second, I would be happy to answer the remainder of the questions but I am not going to pick three to answer and one to leave out. I do not think it is fair. If the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will give me extra time, I will answer them.