Results 22,521-22,540 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar
- Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I want first to clarify slightly my answer earlier that the Bill is of course open to amendments. We will of course have to consider amendments case by case.
- Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: In respect of the case Deputy McDonald raises, I read the media reports on the case this morning. It is something that should not have happened. I am very upset to hear that an elderly couple in their final years could be separated in this way. I think this decision was devoid of common sense and humanity. My heart goes out to them for what they have endured at the hands of our bureaucracy...
- Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I cannot tell the Deputy who made the individual decision in this particular case, because I do not know, but I can tell her how the system works or does not. The first step in the application process is a care needs assessment to identify whether an applicant needs long-term nursing home care. This is carried out by a health care professional appointed by the HSE by means of a common...
- Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: To pick up on some of Deputy Howlin's remarks, I am sure he is aware from his constituency work that the waiting times for home care packages have considerably improved in recent months due to the additional resources that have been provided by Government, with the largest health budget now in the history of the State. When it comes to additional fees for nursing homes, the Minister is...
- Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: As I said, I have only become aware of this case in the last couple of hours. I would like to be able to give the Deputy more definitive answers than I can at present. It may well be the case that the people who were the decision makers in this case followed the rules to the letter and did not allow for a degree of compassion and humanity. There is anad misericordiamprinciple that exists...
- Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I have not seen the report. It has not gone to Cabinet and has not been published yet. I understand parts of it may have appeared in a newspaper, but I do not know to what extent they are the truth or the full truth. The report has not gone to the Attorney General who has to consider whether it needs to be redacted because individuals are named in the report and they may need to have their...
- Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I do not have an answer to that question. I have not yet had any dealings with the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement so I cannot say it has misled me. I certainly have not had any dealings with it in the past 11 days, as Taoiseach, or in my previous briefs. I do not believe it misled me, but if the Deputy has a question to ask of a line Minister, I imagine she will do that in...
- Order of Business (27 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: These are really matters for the Business Committee rather than matters to be resolved in this forum. The Ceann Comhairle is correct in saying that the reason the debate cannot happen on Wednesday or Thursday morning is because the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, along with a number of other Ministers, will be attending the national economic and social dialogue in Dublin Castle. That dialogue...
- Order of Business (27 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: It is statements.
- Order of Business (27 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: There are no votes on statements.
- Order of Business (27 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I imagine this is an item on which the Business Committee would have decided. I do not have a problem having a vote on it but I imagine it was something decided by the Business Committee.
- Order of Business (27 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: The proposal is as agreed by the Business Committee. It is for statements, not a motion. I imagine this could go back to the Business Committee next week and somebody could table a motion or put it down as a Private Members' motion.
- Order of Business (27 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: The Adoption (Amendment) Bill has been through the Seanad and Dáil, and the amendments now need to be taken back to the Upper House. That is listed to be done on 13 July. Last week, I spoke to the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, about the gambling control Bill, which is now very advanced. We hope to have that in the next session. As the Deputy says, having proper regulation in...
- Order of Business (27 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy is aware, debate on the Bill starts in the Dáil this evening. Nine and a half hours are being provided for Second Stage of the Bill, which is quite a lot. If it is possible for everyone to have his or her say in nine and a half hours, the Bill can then proceed to Committee Stage next Thursday and Report Stage the following Thursday.
- Order of Business (27 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: So, yes it is realistic that we can get the legislation at least through this House and into the Seanad before the recess. I am mindful of the comments of others. I do not want to see the legislation rushed through. If people want to have a third debate on it and to have amendments debated that should be allowed as well, but I believe it is within the capacity of this House to meet those...
- Order of Business (27 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I am afraid the Deputy will have to raise that directly with the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. I am in general agreement with the Deputy that we should have such a protection scheme in place. It is very important that the deposits which tenants pay are held by an independent body, not by a landlord. That should be the case for all sorts of obvious reasons....
- Order of Business (27 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I will direct the question to the Minister for Education and Skills.
- Order of Business (27 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: Based on the recent numbers we have seen, rent caps appear to be working. Rent increases have moderated in the areas of rent pressure zones to which the rent caps apply, and the extension to new areas is based on the criteria as set out in the legislation. It does not apply to new landlords. If a person decides to let out his or her place or to buy somewhere with a view to renting it out,...
- Order of Business (27 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: We have no legislation on the books, or planned at present. The new Minister of State with special responsibility for local government and electoral reform, Deputy John Paul Phelan, will respond to the Deputy before 30 June, as committed to before. During the debate on the matter at the time, we discussed the difficulty in having a Dublin super mayor over the four local authorities. What...
- Order of Business (27 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: We do provide some financial support, through the tax system, for example, where 20% of the cost of IVF services is tax deductible. Many of the medicines that are required for the process are made available on the drugs payment scheme and on the General Medical Services scheme. There is some financial support, but it is much less than what is provided in other countries. My view is that as...