Results 23,861-23,880 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar
- Leaders' Questions (21 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: As the Tánaiste notes, there was a commission of investigation underway at the time under a judge which was set up by this Government, and we now have a disclosures tribunal established by this House to look into all of these matters. The email is not my property and I do not know if I have the authority to publish it. It is a document before the tribunal, so I will have to take advice...
- Leaders' Questions (21 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I know that Deputy Howlin has served in two Governments, perhaps three-----
- Leaders' Questions (21 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: He has been a Minister on many occasions and is very aware that Ministers all the time receive emails from officials for information. All emails are not for action.
- Leaders' Questions (21 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: When the information that is provided in the email tells the Minister that he or she has no function in the matter, that sets out the parameters very clearly-----
- Leaders' Questions (21 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: -----that this is something in which the Minister has no function-----
- Leaders' Questions (21 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: -----and no role. The Deputy's second question was addressed to the Tánaiste and I am sure she will answer it in due course.
- Leaders' Questions (21 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: The issues raised by the Deputy are not dissimilar to those raised by others. I am conscious that we are discussing a commission of investigation, and that is something which is not a creature of the Government. It is based in the legislation and is accountable to the Dáil, not to me. I am accountable to the Dáil for the actions of Government but not for the actions and...
- Leaders' Questions (21 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I appreciate the Deputy's sincerity on this but I am being asked difficult questions. I will need to check the legislation to see exactly how the commission of investigation is accountable to the Dáil and how it operates. I would have to read it again to be sure that I am answering correctly. My recollection from the meeting the party leaders had two weeks ago was that it would be...
- Order of Business (21 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I will speak first and then the Chief Whip. I dispute the allegation that I somehow misled the House. As stated at the outset, to mislead is a deliberate act. I gave the House the information I had at the time, and I have since clarified the information. Misleading the House is a deliberate attempt to misinform the House. I reject the allegation and I hope people will at least accept-----
- Order of Business (21 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I want to say very clearly that I have nothing at all to hide on this matter, nor does the Government have anything to hide. As I stated today and nine or ten days ago, neither the Department of Justice and Equality nor its former Minister, the Tánaiste, had any hand, act or part in this legal strategy. They did not know about it beforehand and found out only after the fact....
- Order of Business (21 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I think-----
- Order of Business (21 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I respectfully suggest that the right way forward now might be for the Business Committee to meet and discuss this matter and make a recommendation to the House on what we should do next. A tribunal has been established by this House to look into these matters and to investigate them. There is precedent in this regard and I would not like us as a House to make a decision in the heat of the...
- Order of Business (21 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: Having discussed the matter with the Tánaiste, I can say that the Tánaiste is willing to make a statement later this evening followed by questions. The detail and parameters will be worked out and agreed by the Business Committee.
- Order of Business (21 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: As there is no programme for Government commitment on this specific issue, I will ask the Minister for Finance to reply to the Deputy.
- Order of Business (21 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: The Oireachtas joint committee published a report on this matter a few weeks ago. I am sure a debate on the matters the Deputy raises would be timely but it would be a matter for the Business Committee to agree the time available.
- Order of Business (21 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I cannot comment on court actions under way. Perhaps this matter would be best dealt with as a question to the Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for disability.
- Order of Business (21 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: A Topical Issue, I think, but perhaps the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, may reply.
- Order of Business (21 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: The work on that is almost complete. It has been complicated by the fact that public servants hired at different times have different contracts. Generally speaking, people hired before 2004 must retire at 65, those hired between 2004 and 2012 have no retirement age and those hired after 2012 have a retirement age of 70. The fact that there are three different contract groups has...
- Order of Business (21 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I appreciate that this is a very sensitive issue for the people affected and for their families. I am very sorry to hear about a person having passed away with this illness. As a doctor and a former Minister for Health, I know why it is important that politicians do not decide which drugs are licensed or reimbursed or how much is paid for them. That is best decided using clinical evidence...
- Order of Business (21 Nov 2017)
Leo Varadkar: We do not yet have a date for the publication of the Central Bank (consolidation) Bill but it is being worked on currently by the Department of Finance.