Results 24,221-24,240 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Negotiations (12 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I do not know for certain. That is something I will be talking to Michel Barnier, Jean-Claude Junker and Donal Tusk about on Thursday. I imagine it will be something similar to what we have had in the last number of months where no member state was a member of the task force, but Ireland was, if one likes, behind the door in the next room when it came to any issues pertaining to and...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Negotiations (12 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Certainly it was not a partisan view. That period would cover Cumann na nGaedheal, Fianna Fáil and inter-party Governments but-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Negotiations (12 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: -----what it was not was an attempt to-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Negotiations (12 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I think that is perhaps a matter for a historical symposium.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Negotiations (12 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: We will discuss it another time but, to clarify, I was not trying to make a disparaging remark about the Fianna Fáil Governments in the past 20 years.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Negotiations (12 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: In terms of the joint report, it was formally adopted by Government this morning. It does not require a parliamentary vote but if one is possible I would be happy to accept it and welcome it. However, I am not sure that will be possible because I will be travelling on Thursday so that would have to be done today or tomorrow. On the question relating to the European Court of Justice, ECJ,...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Negotiations (12 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It is certainly in Ireland but it is not part of the State.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Negotiations (12 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: That is what the Good Friday Agreement states, as the Deputy knows, and it is something to which he signed up.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: European Council Meetings (12 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I will attend the European Council in Brussels on 14 and 15 December. The draft agenda for the main meeting consists of security and defence - including Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) - and social, educational and cultural matters - where we expect a report on the recent Gothenburg Social Summit, and the proclamation of the European Pillar of Social Rights. Foreign policy issues...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Strategic Communications Unit (12 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: To date the Cabinet has approved the Strategic Communications Unit in my Department to work on the following campaigns in the coming months: The 10 Year Capital Plan, Brexit, National Children's Hospital, Healthy Ireland, Creative Ireland, Global Ireland and Rural Ireland. Further campaigns will be added to this list in due course. All Government Departments and State agencies are...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (12 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I am aware of the Ministry of Defence’s six-monthly progress report on the use of Lariam for military personnel, published by the House of Commons Defence Committee. The choice of malaria chemoprophylaxis in use by other armed forces is an internal matter for those forces. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on the policy and practices of other States in this regard .

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committee Discussions (12 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Cabinet Committee B last met on 16 November. The Committee covers the areas of Social Policy and Public Service Reform including education, children, social inclusion, Irish, arts and culture, as well as continued improvements and reform of public services. The work of this Committee seeks to coordinate the work across Government on planning and implementing policies that contribute to...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committee Discussions (12 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I established Cabinet Committee C to cover issues relating to the European Union. It assists Government in its ongoing consideration of Brexit and will also support my participation as a member of the European Council. Preparing for and dealing with Brexit in a way that delivers the best possible outcome for the country remains a top priority for the Government. Its potential...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Communications (12 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 94 to 96, inclusive, together. I spoke by phone with Prime Minister May on Wednesday 6 December and again on Thursday 7 December. On both occasions we had good conversations as we took stock of developments since Monday 4 December. I reiterated the firm Irish position regarding the text that I am satisfied was agreed on Monday. We discussed our...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Policy Functions (12 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Protected Disclosures Act 2014 provides a robust statutory framework within which employees can raise concerns regarding potential wrongdoing that has come to their attention in the workplace in the knowledge that they can avail of significant employment and other protections if they are penalised by their employer or suffer any detriment for doing so. The Act requires every public...

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy has acknowledged, a number of Ministers have visited the centre in recent times. The Ministers, Deputies Harris, Coveney and Zappone, have attended so I do not know why a social worker or child welfare officer has not been appointed but I will follow it up. I was not aware of the issue until this morning. I will check up on it. In terms of issues more generally, it is...

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: On the first matter, I will check up on the issue of the social worker and the child protection officer; the Deputy has my assurance on that. Tusla has been given a €14 million budget increase next year to allow it to hire additional staff and social workers. I will certainly check up on that with the Minister, Deputy Zappone. As the Deputy knows, this week we passed a very...

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Up until this year the Government was running a deficit - we still have a small deficit this year - and was not in a position to build as many homes as we would have liked to have built.

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: We are seeing that change now and housing is being built on a scale we have not seen in six or seven years. In social housing alone, this year we expect about 2,800 homes to be built. That is before voids, long-term leases, Part V houses and others are counted. Next year that figure will increase to 3,800, which will be as much as 7,000 when long-term leases, voids and purchase from the...

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It cannot just go up like this. Housing construction has to be scaled up in a way that is sustainable. It requires sites, planning permissions, land, carpenters, plumbers and engineers. We also need councillors on board. That will take time.