Results 23,761-23,780 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Expenditure (14 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: A key part of the modernisation of Government communications is the greater use of social media. Recent initiatives in my department such as videos relating to Ireland's Rugby World Cup Bid, information about going back to school, the budget and treatment benefits cost approximately €21,895. Sponsored posts appeared on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Rail Network (14 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The draft National Planning Framework notes that the Dublin to Belfast Corridor is the largest economic agglomeration on the island of Ireland and the Government wishes to further support and promote its inherent economic potential. One of the ways in which this can be done is by enhancing the public transport connections within this corridor. We now need to carry out a proper assessment of...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (14 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As I reported to the House on October 3rd, I have raised the Dublin/Monaghan Bombings and other legacy cases with Prime Minister May and have stressed the importance of making progress on legacy issues and the overall arrangements for dealing with the past. The Government will continue to engage with the British Government in relation to the Dublin-Monaghan bombings, and pursue all...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (14 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: During my recent visit to the United States, I met with senior Apple executives, including CEO Tim Cook. We discussed the company's very substantial investment and employment in Ireland, and their very positive outlook for their operations in Ireland. The company also briefed me on their business requirements for data centres, and on progress with its current data centre development in...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Expenditure (14 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: A key part of the modernisation of Government communications is the greater use of social media. Merrionstreet.ie has a presence on a number of social media platforms. Recent initiatives in my department include videos relating to Ireland's Rugby World Cup Bid, information about going back to school, the budget and treatment benefits. Sponsored posts on Merrionstreet.ie in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Undocumented Irish in the USA (14 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: My recent visit to the US West Coast was focused primarily on developing trade, investment and tourism opportunities between the US and Ireland. While in Seattle and San Francisco, I met informally with a number of Irish community organisations which provide excellent supports to Irish immigrants in the US, including undocumented Irish citizens. However, on this visit I did not hold formal...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Meetings (14 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Taoiseach has no official function or responsibility to the House in relation to pre-cabinet meetings. Under Standing Orders questions addressed to a member of Government must relate to public affairs connected with his Department or to matters of administration for which he or she is officially responsible. Furthermore it is submitted that the question impinges on matters internal to...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Severe Weather Events Response (14 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Following the declaration of a status red weather warning by Met Éireann on Sunday 15th October 2017, an email was issued to staff in my Department from the Head of Corporate Affairs to advise them that they should remain at home and indoors on 16th October 2017. Those who could work remotely were advised to do so. A small number of staff attended work on 16th October 2017, including...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff Data (14 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The data requested by the Deputy is set out in the table. YEAR FULLTIME EQUIVALENT Nov-15 193.9 Nov-16 186.6 Nov-17 194.1 Projected Nov-18 199

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Budgets (14 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: My Department's budget for 2018 has decreased by 2% compared to 2017. In 2018, savings are expected to be achieved under the subheads Tribunals of Inquiry and Citizens' Assembly. Commissions of Investigation is also seeing a slight reduction in expenditure in 2018, following the completion of the Fennelly Commission's work in March 2017. However, a new Commission of Investigation headed by...

Leaders' Questions (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: We all recognise the severity of the housing shortage in this country, the impact it has on people's day-to-day lives, as well as the human impact on young people who are not be able to afford their own home or on those who are living in overcrowded accommodation and sharing rooms when they need better housing. I do not believe that anyone in the House doubts that impact and the Government...

Leaders' Questions (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Martin is absolutely right to point out the extent to which housing was built in the past. However, he should not stop with the 1950s and 1960s, forgetting what happened in the 1990s and at the turn of the century when 80,000 houses were being built every year and up to 90,000 in one year. I recall my own county of Fingal building more houses one year than the entire country of...

Leaders' Questions (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It ended in a property bubble, a property crash, the collapse of the construction industry and the collapse of the banking sector. That was very much a consequence of Deputy Martin's party's period in government and his own role as a Government Minister. As a consequence of the mismanagement of our country when Fianna Fáil was in office, our construction industry and banking sector...

Leaders' Questions (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: What we need to do now is ramp it all up again.

Leaders' Questions (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: What we need to do now is ramp it all up again from a very low base. That includes both a significant increase in social housing and a significant increase in houses being built by the private sector. We estimate that the number of new homes built in Ireland next year will be between 20,000 and 25,000, which is a very big increase on this and the previous year. It is going to take time,...

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Adams. I am glad he was able to join us today. I understand from his Twitter account that he took yesterday off to prepare his Ard-Fheis speech and I can see he is already practicing it here today.

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Adams took most of last week off to travel to the United States to raise funds from very wealthy Americans, which is something we will come back to at another stage. The Deputy's contention is, of course, incorrect. All of the problems that we inherited from Fianna Fáil do not still remain. Unemployment, for example, is down from 15% to 6% and falling. The public finances...

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It is my role - and very much my role - to be Taoiseach for everyone in the country and that is exactly the way I intend to govern. This includes increasing funding and facilities for people with disabilities and we have done this. There was a €90 million increase in funding for disability last year and there is a further €75 million to come this year. For the first time ever...

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: -----and exploit this content-----

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: -----and to try to use that for political gain. Instead of putting forward solutions, what it does is exploit human misery and our country's problems in an attempt to gain votes.