Results 23,641-23,660 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar
- Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: National Security Committee (7 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: Having regard to the confidential nature of the National Security Committee, it would not be appropriate to disclose information about the dates of individual meetings or about its proceedings. The Committee is chaired by the Secretary General to the Government and comprises representatives at the highest level of the Departments of Justice & Equality, Defence and Foreign Affairs and...
- Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I share the Deputy's very strong support for the hospice movement. In my constituency, I have helped to secure funding for the St. Francis hospice in Blanchardstown, ensuring that it was opened and staffed when I became Minister for Health and building on the work of my constituency predecessor, Brian Lenihan, who ensured that public land was provided on which to build it. It was paid for...
- Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: First, I reject that allegation and the language which Deputy Martin has just used in this House. I think using that sort of language in the Chamber is unbecoming of the Deputy's office as Leader of the Opposition.
- Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: The unparliamentary language which the Deputy used. It is unbecoming of his office to use-----
- Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: No, I will not repeat the Deputy's language.
- Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: The Ceann Comhairle may wish to examine whether or not that is one of the words which is prohibited and considered to be unparliamentary.
- Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: Whether it is unparliamentary language or not-----
- Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: -----it is certainly beneath the dignity of this House, of the Deputy's office and of his party to use that sort of language in this House.
- Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: Leaving aside the particular utterance, I reject the substance of the allegation. Let us not forget the history of recent years. Under this Government of Fine Gael, the Independent Alliance and Independent Members, we have increased spending for health two years in a row. In the five previous years we held health spending at the same level or increased it slightly. There were three years...
- Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: In terms of the substance of the Deputy's question-----
- Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: -----I agree that there is a long-standing pay linkage between public servants and hospice staff. That pay linkage should be honoured. The question which needs to be answered in the next week or two is whether those section 39 bodies already received the money to do so in their block grant.
- Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: We have to protect the taxpayer here. We are not going to pay section 39 bodies twice for the same thing.
- Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I have asked the Ministers, Deputies Donohoe and Harris, to examine this and to come back to me with an answer in the next two weeks. We will certainly have this matter resolved by the time the HSE service plan for 2018 is produced.
- Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I cannot give the Deputy a numerical definition of affordable housing. Obviously it depends on the individual. I certainly believe that somebody who earns the average income in the State should be able to get a mortgage and purchase a home. Without giving the Deputy a numerical definition I cannot answer the second part of the Deputy's question. In terms of what we have done, it is...
- Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: -----very big increases in their rents. And yes, it is about supply. It is not just about supply, but it is about supply. I am encouraged by the fact that planning permissions and construction are increasing. I was in my constituency on Monday with the Minister, Deputy Murphy, visiting the Hansfield area where more that 1,000 houses are under construction. Some 150 of these are social...
- Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I do not have the exact figures to hand but I will ask the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government to provide them to the Deputy as soon as possible.
- Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I was in Hansfield, not Hanstead. It is in the administrative county of Fingal. Hanstead may be in the Deputy's constituency. Perhaps it is in Lucan or somewhere like that. The Deputy is, of course, misinformed because the houses that were behind me are not for sale. They are social housing.
- Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: This is getting to the point of triviality. For anyone interested in the facts, there are approximately 1,000 homes under construction there. They include social housing that is not for sale and apartments that are specially adapted for people with disabilities.
- Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: The development includes private housing. The whole point of what we are trying to do in places such as Hansfield is to have a mixed area with apartments and houses of different types. What we want is integrated communities. We want social and affordable housing and housing for people who are a bit better off all in the same area. The Sinn Féin approach, of course, is totally...
- Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: They want social housing-only communities. They want segregation in our cities.