Results 22,721-22,740 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Order of Business (4 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid I do not have that information to hand. I know there has been considerable investment in Garda capital in recent years, not just with a return to recruitment but also additional vehicles, new Garda stations, new IT equipment and other developments. The Minister for Justice and Equality will be best placed to provide Deputy McLoughlin with a report on that.

Order of Business (4 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There is legislation promised in this area for calorie posting and other matters. Heads of the Bill have yet to come to the Cabinet but I know the Department of Health is working on it.

Order of Business (4 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There is no promised legislation on this issue. Programme for Government commitments are not specific to any particular service. I suggest a parliamentary question to the Minister for Health will give the Deputy a detailed reply.

Order of Business (4 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: A memo will go to the Cabinet either tomorrow or next week on SNAs. Hopefully, there will be clarity over the next few days for people. The Deputy has made a valid point that this is not the best way to do things. It would be much better if people knew where they stood before the school year ended. I anticipate this will be the last year in which it is done in this way and, in future...

Order of Business (4 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: This is an important issue. It is also important the Government puts in place a proper regulatory structure around gambling, both to regulate an industry from which many people get much pleasure but also one which gives rise to people becoming addicted, impoverished and unwell as a consequence. Legislation in this area is long overdue. The Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, is working on...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (4 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Cabinet committee on regional and rural affairs last met on 9 May 2017. The Government will shortly make a decision to re-establish more streamlined Cabinet committee structures. The Cabinet committee on regional and rural affairs was established to co-ordinate the work of Departments that affect rural Ireland. Its main focus has been on the preparation and implementation of the action...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (4 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: With regard to fisheries, to the best of my knowledge, we were not given any prior notice of the UK Government's notification that it intends to withdraw from the London Fisheries Convention. As I mentioned earlier, it has no immediate effect as withdrawal takes about two years. In reality, it will get tied up with the Brexit negotiations, which of course involve the UK leaving the Common...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (4 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: With regard to debates, I am scheduling them as a matter for the Business Committee, but Sinn Féin is free to use its time to discuss fisheries or marine matters at any time it so wishes. When it comes to committees, invitations are issued by the committees and not by me. We have of course discussed issues relating to fisheries and the reform of the CAP with both Commissioner Hogan and...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (4 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: -----as to whether he believes the south east should be left out as we focus on development in other regions such as the mid-west, the south and the west, which he mentioned. Two things are in development that I believe will have a big impact on rebalancing our country and ensuring there are alternative poles of development to Dublin. One of those is Ireland 2040, the spatial plan that is...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Referendum Campaigns (4 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 to 7, inclusive, together. Under the Programme for a Partnership Government, the Government is committed to holding constitutional referenda on the following matters: Article 41.2.1, regarding a woman's life within the home; Article 40.6.1, on the offence of blasphemy; giving the office of Ceann Comhairle constitutional standing; and Ireland's...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Referendum Campaigns (4 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There is a number of matters to speak to there. Everyone in this House has been involved in a number of referendums and we all know what is required to have a referendum. First, there needs to be wording, even if that wording is as simple as "delete the following sentence", so that has to be agreed with regard to all of these referendums. Secondly, there needs to be legislation. While it...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Referendum Campaigns (4 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The presidential election which may or may not happen, depending on whether there is an election, is in November 2018, and the European and local elections are the year after. People are going to the polls anyway in November 2018 and again June 2019, so there are potential dates.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Referendum Campaigns (4 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I am very interested in hearing people's views on it. There is no proposal to have a referendum on CETA.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (4 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 to 10, inclusive, together. All Cabinet committees stand dissolved at the very end of every Government's term in office. I expect that the Government will shortly establish a small number of Cabinet committees to deal with specific aspects of policy, which I will chair.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (4 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: To answer some of the questions, it is my intention to chair the Cabinet committees myself but clearly on occasion the Tánaiste may chair some of them in my absence. Cabinet subcommittees are useful in general. They allow the Taoiseach and other Ministers to be across what is happening in a lot of different Departments and they can be useful in troubleshooting issues before they get...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (4 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: On occasion, yes. One could have the Taoiseach, Ministers, Ministers of State, their senior officials and their advisers. It would not be unusual for 25 people, 30 people or so to attend Cabinet subcommittees. That is not the best way of doing things.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (4 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I intend to change it. I expect there will be fewer Cabinet subcommittees, probably, approximately five. There will be an economic focused one, one focused on public services and social policy, another on EU affairs and international affairs, another on infrastructure and housing, and probably, we will retain a dedicated one on health given the high priority that will be attached to that....

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Housing Data (4 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Census of Population 2016 publications include a comprehensive report titled Profile 1 - Housing in Ireland which was published on the Central Statistics Office website on 20 April 2017. There are five electoral divisions in the Bray area and the following statistics on vacant properties are available. Electoral Division Housing Stock Total Occupied Temporarily Absent Vacant houses...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Government Information Service (4 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As I stated in my reply of 20 June, 2017, the Government Information Service is comprised of: - Government Press Secretary; - Deputy Government Press Secretary; - Assistant Government Press Secretary (Vacant); - Two Assistant Principal Officers, one of whom is assigned to MerrionStreet.ie; - Four Press Officers (Higher Executive Officer equivalent) - there are currently vacancies in...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Brexit Issues (4 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Government’s position in relation to the border with Northern Ireland in the context of Brexit is very clear. Continued freedom of movement, absence of an economic border, and protection of the Good Friday Agreement are key objectives for the Irish Government. We want to see the closest possible future relationship between the EU and the UK. We want to maintain the reciprocity...