Results 23,941-23,960 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I has not been discussed by Cabinet yet. I understand that the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Damien English, hopes to have it brought to Cabinet before Christmas.

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There is an automatic medical card for children with cancer, I do not think that it applies to adults.

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Adults are means tested in the first instance and after that, they can be given on discretionary grounds, for terminal illness or, I believe, on emergency grounds in certain circumstances. Professor Frank Keane undertook a detailed review on this matter and determined that it would be unfair to select some diagnoses and not others, that there could not be an automatic right to a medical card...

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It did not have my approval. I did not find out about it until later that day or the day after. I cannot remember exactly when. However, there was no consultation with me on it at all. When I heard what had occurred, I was not happy. I felt Deputy Harty, as Chairman, was put in the invidious position of defending a report that had been agreed not only by the Government parties but, I...

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I understand that the Minister of State, Deputy John Paul Phelan, is examining the issue at the moment to see what are his options from a legal point of view, including a new election, the appointment of a commissioner or the possibility of the council attempting to put together a budget even now at this late stage. He is examining the matter with the Attorney General and I am afraid I...

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I honestly do not know the answer. However, it is in the programme for Government and it will be done. I cannot give the Deputy a timeline but I will ask the Minister to clarify the situation.

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There is additional funding of approximately €90 million this year for services for people with disabilities and there will be additional funding next year as well. In terms of the specifics of it and where it will go, tabling a parliamentary question or a Topical Issue matter to be dealt with by the Minister of State with responsibility for disability issues would elicit an answer...

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I cannot. I will ask the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, to follow it up.

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Work is really only at the very early stages of that legislation. We hope to have heads of Bill next year. We have to bear in mind that an EU directive on work-life balance is on the way. We do not want to introduce legislation only to find out that it contradicts a new European directive. However, we expect to have heads of Bill next year.

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: That legislation is being handled by the Minister of State, Deputy Michael D'Arcy, and is due for publication this session.

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I honestly do not know whether that can be done. It possibly can. I will ask the Minister for Finance to consider it.

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I am not familiar with those sections of the Act but I will ask the Minister, Deputy Katherine Zappone, to correspond with the Deputy.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (22 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 7, inclusive, together. On Brexit, I said that greater clarity and confidence regarding how a hard border is to be avoided was needed before we could say sufficient progress had been made to allow negotiations to move to phase 2. As I have said before, protecting the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts and the gains of the peace process is a...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (22 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: A question was asked about legacy issues. There are no amnesties from prosecution provided for in the Good Friday Agreement or any subsequent agreements, including the Stormont House Agreement. The Government has been clear that it would not look favourably on any proposal to introduce such a measure for State or non-State actors. Our position is and will remain that the rule of law,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Staff Recruitment (22 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 to 10, inclusive, together. With the exception of politically appointed staff such as special advisers, all staff assignments, appointments and recruitment in my Department are the responsibility of the Secretary General and senior management of the Department. My Department uses workforce planning and succession planning to ensure there are sufficient...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Staff Recruitment (22 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Martin asked what was happened to the process by which I was to study staffing, roles and other matters. I decided to stay out of the process and leave it to the Secretary General; that on foot of all the controversy around the strategic communications unit and other matters-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Staff Recruitment (22 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: -----I should stay out of it.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Staff Recruitment (22 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I decided not to do so.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Staff Recruitment (22 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: On foot of the controversy and having thought about the issue, I acceded to greater wisdom and decided to stay out of the process. I am staying out of it entirely. It is entirely a matter for the Secretary General to order the Department and decide how many staff are in each division and office, what they do and how roles are allocated. It is not correct that more people are working on...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Staff Recruitment (22 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I am increasingly conscious, when I go into a meeting or am on a panel, as to what the gender balance is. I make a point of ensuring that I notice. There are a lot of meetings one goes to where it is all male or there is only one woman, and that is not optimum in terms of good decision-making. It is something that needs to change. In terms of my own staff, I have appointed a senior...