Results 23,781-23,800 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: That is not the type of politics this House will ever see from my party or those on this side of the House.

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I will bear his comments in mind in my remarks. I have spoken to the Tánaiste and the Minister for Justice and Equality. I have not spoken directly to the Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality. The information I have, which I believe, is that the Tánaiste had no hand, act or part in determining the legal strategy of the former...

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: If it is not willing to do that, it should give any evidence it possesses to the tribunal.

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I welcome the fact that Deputy Howlin has clarified that he is not making an allegation against anyone in this House. I accept the Labour Party's-----

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I am very pleased to hear Deputy Howlin, the leader of the Labour Party, say that neither he nor the Labour Party is making allegations against anyone in or outside this House. That at least puts this story into perspective. No allegation is being made against anyone. The answer I have given Deputy Howlin is the one that has been given to me. I spoke to the Tánaiste who told me that...

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I cannot give the House that answer but what I have been told is that the Department was not made aware of it until after the fact and the Tánaiste did not become aware of it until around the time it entered the public domain. I am answering Deputy Howlin's question as best I can. It is very difficult to answer questions for third parties or unnamed parties.

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The report the Deputy refers to has only been published in the last hour or so. Neither I nor my staff have had an opportunity to read it. I am informed it is a ranking assessment published by three NGOs. It is not an official report and has no status other than as a commentary on individual countries' climate policies. In this respect, the commentary, while it purports to assess...

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate the Deputy's passion on this and his comments. He did not ask a question. As he is speaking about a report that was published in the last hour, I am afraid I can add no more. This is Leaders' Questions, by the way.

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I may be incorrect in this reply and I apologise in advance if I am. I think the national rare diseases plan was published two or three years ago. One of its recommendations was the establishment of a national rare diseases office. I recall that because I remember opening it as Minister for Health a number of years ago. Perhaps I am incorrect in that regard.

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The programme for Government commitment is to implement A Vision for Change and to improve mental health services in Ireland. That is a commitment we will honour. As the Deputy knows, the budget for mental health in 2018 will be €912 million. That will help to bring us further towards implementing A Vision for Change. That is an increase from €853 million this year,...

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I do not have a date for that but I will ask the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, to provide it to Deputy Howlin.

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I have not seen the report to which the Deputy refers but the programme for Government commits us to implementing the Action PLan for Rural Development, which we are doing.

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy will be aware that employment is up and unemployment is down in every county. The number of premises that have access to high-speed broadband has risen from half, when the Fine Gael and the Independent Alliance came to office-----

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: -----to two thirds now. It will be three quarters by the end of the year. Considerable investment is going into rural Ireland through programmes such as the town and village scheme, re-establishing the local improvement scheme to improve laneways and rural roads and many other initiatives.

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I am advised that work is under way on the Bill but we do not have a date for publication yet. I do recall that some aspects of the patient safety package are in the Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill which we hope will come through both Houses this week. That includes periodic payment orders, so that if somebody has been damaged as a result of being harmed in the course of health care,...

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There has been a significant fall in unemployment in the south east and a significant increase in employment. There is of course much more to job creation than IDA jobs although I was pleased to be in Waterford not too long ago to announce the creation of extra jobs in the Bausch & Lomb facility there. I think probably a more detailed answer could be provided by the Tánaiste if...

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I know there were significant delays in GLAS payments being made earlier this year, in fact, so certainly I will pass on the Deputy's concerns to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and will ask that he ensure that the payments are made as soon as possible.

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There has been significant investment in greenways in recent years, not least the Great Western Greenway in Mayo and the Deise Greenway between Dungarvan and Waterford city. I have yet to be on the latter but I am told it is fabulous and worth a visit. There is also the greenway on the Royal Canal which goes across several counties. I do not know to hand the progress with the ones in Kerry...

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There is no programme for Government commitment on this particular matter. I will ask the Minister for Agriculture, Marine and Food to provide the Deputy with a more detailed reply.

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I share the Deputy's acknowledgement of the fabulous work done by the Irish Red Cross Society in Cork and across the country. Heads of the Bill are being prepared but we do not have a date for it as of yet.