Results 23,021-23,040 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Tribunals of Inquiry Expenditure (20 Sep 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Expenditure in 2016 was €1,085,971 and up to end August in 2017 was €5,939,462. The breakdown is as follows: Category 2016 2017 to end August 2017 Legal Team €379,285 €272,495 Administration €201,205 €162,607 Reimbursements to State Claims Agency iro third party claims €181,057 €5,493,524 Other costs €324,424 €10,836

Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue, which is very close to my heart. I took an interest in it, both as a doctor and as Minister for Health. We can all accept that far too many people in Ireland are waiting far too long for treatment. People are well aware that about 600,000 people are on one form of waiting list or another. More than half of those people will be seen...

Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It is not an issue of shame. All of us in Ireland and in this society should be ashamed that children have to wait such a prolonged period for operations. Sadly, this is a problem that exists for as long as I can remember. When I was a medical student, there were long waits for scoliosis surgery. I believe Deputy Micheál Martin was the Minister for Health and Children at that...

Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2017)

Leo Varadkar: This is an issue that has been a problem for us certainly as long as I can remember. The question I want to answer and the one I think is the most important to be answered is what are we doing about it. The new theatre in Crumlin is now open. The additional nurses are now in post in Crumlin and Temple Street and an additional orthopaedic surgeon will commence work in Crumlin in early...

Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2017)

Leo Varadkar: First, I would like to restate the budget priorities that I have stated now on a number of occasions but I will do it again in the House so that everyone can hear it. My first priority in this budget is to balance the books, and to do so for the first time in ten years. What that means, roughly speaking, is for the first time in ten years the amount that we take in in terms of revenue will...

Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy should tell me what her party has ever actually done for young families. I see around me Deputies from Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Labour Party, Independents, and the Green Party who can all say that they did something practical and useful for young people. When Deputy McDonald says she has made a choice and that she stands with young families, that is totally bogus. Sinn...

Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The only answer I can give to the Deputy with regard to any budgetary decision between now and budget day is that announcements will be made on budget day.

Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2017)

Leo Varadkar: That will be the answer I will give her to any question she may wish to ask between now and budget day. We will use the budget to put money back in the pockets of families.

Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There are many ways that can be done. It can be done through tax reductions, welfare increases, pay restoration or a combination of these things. It can also be done through services. The Deputy can be guaranteed that, just as was the case last year and the year before, we will use this budget as an opportunity to put money back in the pockets of the families of this country. However, we...

Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I am a practitioner and an observer.

Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Even though their politics are totally different, Deputy McDonald reminds me more and more of Marine Le Pen because she always goes back to her script. She delivers a scripted question and when I give her an answer and ask her a question, she goes straight back to the script again.

Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I do not think that is the kind of leadership we need in this country.

Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2017)

Leo Varadkar: When it comes to this policy matter, and almost any policy matter, the role of the Government is to listen to everyone. Of course we will listen to entities that can provide finance. Of course we will listen to builders who have experience in building homes. As politicians, our constituents are the people to whom we listen the most. Everyone on this side of the House is aware that a large...

Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It is absolutely our intention to use local authorities more into the future than we have done in the past. As the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, has just informed me, the number of houses built by local authorities this year will be 2,400. That is four times as many as they built two years ago. I appreciate that is coming from a very low base but to increase the number of local authority...

Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2017)

Leo Varadkar: -----private and social housing elements to it. The Deputy will see a lot more of that in the period ahead. To give Deputy Wallace some other information, 15,000 new houses were completed in 2016, which was an increase of 18% on the previous year.

Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Furthermore, there has been a 40% increase in both planning applications and commencement notices-----

Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2017)

Leo Varadkar: -----year on year. Not that long ago, people were saying that no student accommodation, new hotels or commercial property was being built. We are now seeing hotels, student accommodation and commercial property being built all over the place.

Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Next up - it is starting already - is a significant increase in the building of homes, which I believe we will see happen over the next few months and into next year.

Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The priority list agreed by Government today creates indicative timelines for future referendums. The referendums very much flow from the Citizens' Assembly. The Citizens' Assembly did make a recommendation regarding economic, social and cultural rights, and I understand that this, as well as a proposal on housing, has been referred for further consideration to the Department of Finance....

Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I think there is a difference between not listening and not agreeing. I am listening, although that is not necessarily the same thing as agreeing. As I have already said, we have, on a number of occasions, considered the balance of property rights and the public interest. Property rights in Ireland are not exclusive; they are not without limitation and are limited by the public interest....