Results 24,161-24,180 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Business of Dáil (6 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: This is not a new issue. If somebody arrived in the Visitors Gallery today or were tuning in to these policy matter discussions for the first time, he or she would think PESCO had just been dreamt up in the past couple of months. This is in the Lisbon treaty. The treaty was ratified by the Irish people in 2009. There has been ample opportunity for a debate since then. There has been...

Business of Dáil (6 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The time is for a decision is now. Let us make it.

Business of Dáil (6 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It is the Deputy's responsibility to inform the public. He had eight years.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Membership (6 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. The members of Cabinet committee F are as follows: the Taoiseach; the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade; the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform; the Minister for Justice and Equality; the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation; the Minister for Health; the Minister for Communications,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Membership (6 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The security threat or the threat of a terrorist attack is set from time to time by the Garda Commissioner. I cannot remember the exact term used but the threat is at the second lowest of four or five different levels. It was elevated from low or very low to the next level up, either low or slightly elevated. I cannot remember the exact term but it is the second lowest level and it has not...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Membership (6 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I think there are five levels but I cannot swear to that. I am sure the level is currently set at the second lowest level, which I think is called elevated. As I stated previously, the membership of the Cabinet committee is not a secret and I have just placed it on the record of the Dáil. Aside from the picture that was tweeted, photographers have been invited into the meeting room...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Membership (6 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: While it initially appears to be a great idea to have an agency similar to those in other countries, whether MI6, the CIA or similar agencies in smaller countries, when one thinks it through ones sees the complications that would arise. Notwithstanding that Ireland is a small country with much lower security risks than other countries, creating a whole new agency and disentangling it from...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Commissions of Investigation (6 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 6, inclusive, together. I became aware on 20 November of the existence of an email in the Department of Justice and Equality, dated 15 May 2015, which recounted that an official in the Attorney General's office had telephoned an official in the Department of Justice and Equality. The phone call informed the Department that counsel for the Garda...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Commissions of Investigation (6 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: On the meeting of the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality this morning raised by Deputy Kelly, I was not there. I do not know what transpired at it and would rather not comment on a committee meeting that I did not attend.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Commissions of Investigation (6 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I will certainly do that if I get the chance. I agree with Deputy Kelly that the Department of Justice and Equality should err on the side of sending too much when it comes to documentation. If officials have documentation in front of them and are wondering if it is covered by the terms of reference of the tribunal, they should assume that it is. That is the approach that all Departments...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Commissions of Investigation (6 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I do not see any reason why, if there is any doubt, one would not just send it down anyway. This is a tribunal established by the Oireachtas for a particular purpose and Departments should not think they have anything to hide or even have that mindset. In terms of the section 41 letter, that contains allegations about the liaison unit for the tribunal in Garda headquarters. This is a...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Commissions of Investigation (6 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As it is a protected disclosure, I am not permitted to say. Indeed, it would be an offence and a crime for me to say anything that would expose the identity of the person making the protected disclosure.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Commissions of Investigation (6 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The section 41 letter is from the Garda Commissioner informing the Minister for Justice and Equality of this protected disclosure. People who have been following the RTÉ website will be aware of all of this already. In terms of -----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Commissions of Investigation (6 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I will double check that. The section 41 letter is not, of course, a protected disclosure but a letter from the acting Garda Commissioner to the Minister for Justice and Equality informing him of something the acting Commissioner feels the Minister needs to be informed of. That is what a section 41 letter is and-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Commissions of Investigation (6 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: No, the section 41 letter relates to allegations made. I will have to double check as to whether those allegations were made in a normal letter or by way of a protected disclosure. Either way, I would not like to expose the identity of somebody making serious allegations.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Administrative Arrangements (6 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 to 9, inclusive, together. The role of my Department is to support my work as Taoiseach and to co-ordinate the work of the Government and Cabinet. My Department is structured around seven main work areas. The breakdown of staff currently assigned to each of these areas is as follows: 25 staff assigned to the international, EU and Northern Ireland...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Administrative Arrangements (6 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I am not sure what the connection is between departmental staff and political staff and the issue of the scoliosis, other than the attempt to use scoliosis and people who are suffering from it and their families to have a go at me. I think that is bad politics, quite frankly. The Labour Party, as we all know, would have 20 members as State-funded staff and I am sure the leader's allowance...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Administrative Arrangements (6 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It is a really important issue and not one that should be taken advantage of to have a go at me. If we are going to talk about scoliosis, which is a really important issue, let us talk about scoliosis and let us not use-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Administrative Arrangements (6 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Let us not try to use departmental resourcing. It is old-fashioned politics and very disappointing. Let me talk about scoliosis because I actually care about it.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Administrative Arrangements (6 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Given that Deputies were given wide latitude to discuss a very important issue like scoliosis under a question that is related to the structure and management of my Department, I would like to talk about scoliosis as well because I think it is very important. It is not the kind of issue I would use in that sort of way to score tacky points around the management of a Department. I am a...