Results 22,841-22,860 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Brexit Staff (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 and 85. The International, EU and Northern Ireland Division of my Department, under a Second Secretary General who also acts as the Irish Sherpa in EU matters including Brexit, will remain in my Department. The Division handles a range of responsibilities across International, EU and British and Northern Ireland relations in support of me, including in my...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Office of the Attorney General (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: While I am the member of Government responsible for answering parliamentary questions on administrative matters connected with the Office of the Attorney General (and other Law Offices of the State), it should be noted that the Office of the Attorney General has its own Vote and has responsibility for the management of its own budget and governance issues.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Ministerial Advisers Data (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Since my appointment as Taoiseach, I have recruited the following advisers: - a Chief of Staff; - a Spokesman and Communications Adviser; and - 4 Special Advisers. It should be noted that I have not, as yet, finalised the make-up of my team and that all of the above appointments are, of course, subject to Government approval.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Government Information Service (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Two members of staff in the Government Information Service are non-established civil servants; namely, the Government Press Secretary and the Deputy Government Press Secretary. All other staff working in the Government Information Service are established civil servants.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff Data (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The number of full-time equivalent staff employed in my Department in 2014, 2015 and 2016 is as follows: Year Full-time equivalent 2014 (position on 31 December 2014) 185 2015 (position on 31 December 2015) 199 2016 (position on 31 December 2016) 188

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff Data (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There are currently 30 contract staff employed by my Department. This number includes recently recruited civil servants on probationary contracts and unestablished civil servants. It should be noted that neither I, nor the Ministers of State assigned to my Department, have, as yet, finalised the make-up of our teams. All such support staff will be on contract (subject to Government...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Offices (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The building occupied by my Department is provided and managed by the Office of Public Works. Ongoing routine maintenance and necessary upgrading has taken place over the past five years consisting mainly of painting and furniture repairs. No major refurbishment projects have been undertaken in that time.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Northern Ireland (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: While I have not yet had the opportunity to visit Northern Ireland since becoming Taoiseach, I intend to visit on a suitable occasion in the near future. I consider that it is very important for Ministers to actively engage on North/South issues, including by visiting Northern Ireland for appropriate events and engagements. Ordinarily this would include meeting their counterparts in...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Inquiries (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The following inquiries/tribunals have been established under my Department: Tribunal of Inquiry into payments to politicians and related matters (Moriarty). The two Commissions of Investigation currently underway for which I am the specified Minister under the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004 are the IBRC Commission, Chaired by Mr Justice Brian Cregan, and the NAMA Commission, Chaired...

Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Government believes in an economy that is based on equal opportunity, that is, the opportunity for every individual and family, as well as every region of the country, to join fully in the economic recovery and to experience prosperity. We are seeing economic growth in all parts of the country, as is evident in the statistics. There is jobs growth in all parts of the country and...

Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Eir is a private firm and, as such, has identified approximately 300,000 premises where it believes it can provide high speed broadband on a commercial basis at no cost to the taxpayer. That is very welcome. Obviously we wish to ensure that when we use taxpayers' money we do so where it is needed, not where the private sector or a commercial enterprise can do it for us without recourse to...

Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I have had the opportunity to visit Moore Street many times in the course of normal life. In particular, a couple of years ago, I went on a tour of the area with some of the representatives of the families of descendants of those who were involved in the 1916 Rising. Deputy Adams will know that there are different views among the different groups of descendants and family representatives on...

Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be aware, the Republic was proclaimed outside the GPO, not on Moore Street. The vision I have put across of the Republic I want to see is one in which every individual and every part of the country has an opportunity to share in our prosperity. That is why infrastructural development is so important. The reason the Government is appealing the case is on a point of law...

Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: In this case, an entire battlefield site or entire area encompassing a number of streets has been designated. If that precedent were followed in other places, it could make it very difficult for us to embark on the ambitious expansionary economic policy that we have and the building programme we have in many other parts of the country where we need to invest in infrastructure and build new...

Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy had a fair trial. It went on for nine weeks. The Deputy's peers heard both sides of the case, the prosecution and the defence. They reviewed the evidence and they acquitted him of false imprisonment. You are not a victim here. You are not the victim of any conspiracy.

Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: You had a fair trial and you were acquitted, but that does not mean that your behaviour was right.

Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It may well be the case that the Deputy was not engaged in kidnapping, but it was thuggery and your behaviour was wrong.

Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The protest was ugly, it was violent, it was nasty.

Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: For those of us who have seen some of the coverage of it that was broadcast on television, whether it was the anger, the virulence, the words that were being directed at two women going about their course of work on the day-----

Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: -----a water balloon being thrown in somebody's face, all of those things were behaviour that is unbecoming of a Member of this House, unbecoming of somebody who believes in democracy and unbecoming of somebody who has any respect for other human beings. Instead of trying to present himself as the victim and demanding a public inquiry, what the Deputy should do now in the House is offer a...