Results 22,761-22,780 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: -----but I will ask the Minister for Health to speak to the Deputy directly on it.

Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The heads of that Bill were approved last December, and the Bill is currently being drafted by the Department of Health, but we do not have a date for publication yet.

Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I will certainly speak to the Minister for Health about that. As the Deputies will be aware, the Minister is currently launching the new cancer strategy. It is still supposed to be the case. Somebody who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness and is dying is still supposed to receive a medical card automatically. I was not aware of any change in or any problems with regard to that. I...

Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The heads of that Bill were approved a few months ago by Cabinet. The Bill is currently being drafted in consultation with the Attorney General's office. I expect publication in the next session. I have had revaluations happen in my constituency. It is a traumatic experience for those in business to have their business revalued and their rates increase dramatically, although it is...

Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There are winners and losers, but overall it is supposed to balance out. The fact that it happens so infrequently is a real problem and a lesson in terms of policy.

Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Legislation will be required and it will be in the autumn.

Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I will have to check that out. It is not to say it is not in the system, but I have not seen the request come across my desk yet for a money message on that Bill. It is important, once again, to state that there is no mandatory retirement age in Ireland. People are free to work well into their 60s, 70s and 80s, if they so wish, and many do.

Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: However, sometimes employment contracts require workers to retire from a particular job and, obviously, changing somebody's employment contract can be difficult to do in law.

Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid I will have to come back to the Deputy on that. I do not have the answer to hand but I will certainly come back to the Deputy once I have the answer.

Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It will not be possible to bring the legislation through before the recess, but it will be before the autumn.

Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: That will obviously be a matter for discussion in the Estimates process in the run-up to the budget. However, as is and has been the case in previous years, I am confident that there will be additional funding for mental health services, on which spending has gone up by almost €100 million in the past five years. However, the needs are great and, as a result, further resources will...

Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I understand the report is with the Attorney General.

Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The current state of play is that the national broadband plan is going ahead. Contrary to some reports, the process has not been paused. It is continuing in parallel with the commercial deployment of high-speed broadband by commercial operators. A total of 52% of premises in Ireland have access to high-speed broadband. With the national broadband plan that figure will rise to at least 77%...

Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I hope it will not be a sense of closure but rather of security. I do not have any new information, but I will ask the Minister, Deputy Denis Naughten, to contact the Deputy.

Planning and Development (Rapid Broadband) Bill 2017: First Stage (5 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: No.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategy Statements (5 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. In accordance with the Public Service Management Act 1997 a new three-year statement of strategy will be prepared by my Department within six months. The current Statement of Strategy 2016 - 2019 reflects the role of the Department which is, to support the Taoiseach and the Government, to develop a sustainable economy and a successful...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategy Statements (5 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I have not received the advice yet but I also have not followed up on the matter. I will do that because I would like the matter concluded before the House rises. A new strategy statement is required because the Public Service Management Act requires that any time there is a change of Taoiseach or a change of Minister in any Department a new strategy statement must be produced within six...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategy Statements (5 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As Taoiseach, I am head of the Government and it is my responsibility to drive the implementation of the programme for Government. The programme for Government includes an extensive section on health. It is my responsibility to work with the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, to ensure that it is implemented and that is exactly what I intend to...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategy Statements (5 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: -----and clinical leadership make a huge change.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategy Statements (5 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Cabinet this morning approved the establishment of new Cabinet committees. There will be five Cabinet committees, lettered A, B, C, D and E, one covering broadly economic policy; one covering broadly public services and social policy, one dealing with Brexit and European affairs, one dealing principally with infrastructure and housing and a fifth one dealing principally with health. We...