Results 24,421-24,440 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committee Meetings (23 Jan 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Cabinet Committee E last met on 23 November and will meet again in the coming weeks.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (23 Jan 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I last spoke to Prime Minister May on Thursday 7 December as I reported to the House on 12 December. There is regular ongoing contact between my Department and the British Government at official level about Brexit and the situation in Northern Ireland. There has also been extensive contact between the Tánaiste and the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Karen Bradley and...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (23 Jan 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I travelled to Budapest on 4 January for a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Orbán. My itinerary in Hungary did not include other meetings or official engagements.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Strategic Communications Unit (23 Jan 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 120 together. Staff in the Strategic Communications Unit in my Department work on information campaigns on a rotational basis. This involves liaising with their communications colleagues in the relevant Departments and other stakeholders to plan and develop campaigns that make it easier for citizens to understand the work of Government. The...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff Data (23 Jan 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 121 and 122 together. The role of my Department is to support my work as Taoiseach and to co-ordinate the work of the Government and Cabinet. In order to provide this service, the staffing and structure of my Department is reviewed on an ongoing basis. Details of the number of staff employed in my Department over the past three years are as follows: - 31...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (23 Jan 2018)

Leo Varadkar: My meeting with President Macron in Paris on 24 October last included discussions on the digital economy. President Macron and I agreed on the enormous potential of the digital economy and the need to ensure Europe provides the right economic environment for it to flourish. The March European Council is expected to include a Leaders' Agenda discussion on digital issues.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Bullying in the Workplace (23 Jan 2018)

Leo Varadkar: No bullying or sexual harassment cases have been lodged within my Department since 2011. My Department is committed to maintaining a positive working environment for all its employees. My Department has the same duty of care obligations under the Safety Health and Welfare Act 2005 as other employers in the state. Bullying, discrimination and harassment can negatively affect an...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Capital Expenditure Programme Review (23 Jan 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Review of the Capital Plan has been completed. It was published in August 2017 and it is available at the following link: The Review informed final decision making by Government on the allocation of increased public capital resources in Estimates 2018. It also provided a significant input into the development of the new Ten Year National Development Plan. The Minister for Public...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Contracts Data (23 Jan 2018)

Leo Varadkar: My Department does not have contracts with the company in question, nor does the only body under the aegis of my Department, namely the National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO).

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Bodies Data (23 Jan 2018)

Leo Varadkar: No agencies, boards or other such bodies under the aegis of my Department have been disbanded, amalgamated or have had their functions subsumed back into my Department since 2011 and no such bodies have been established since that date.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Personal Injury Claims (23 Jan 2018)

Leo Varadkar: My Department paid one claim in respect of personal injury during the years 2010 to 2017. The claim was settled out of court in 2014 and related to an event which took place in 2011. The total cost of the claim was €22,909.30. No claims were made during these years in respect of the National Economic and Social Development Office - the only Agency under the aegis of my Department.

Leaders' Questions (24 Jan 2018)

Leo Varadkar: First, I believe that the school principal still holds the position of very high respect and regard in our society. I do not believe that has changed. School principals are still very much leaders of our communities. It is also the case that teachers hold the position of high respect and high regard in our communities. I do not believe that has changed. Compared to other countries,...

Leaders' Questions (24 Jan 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy must read back what he said.

Leaders' Questions (24 Jan 2018)

Leo Varadkar: People who are going in to teacher training are among the brightest and best still, notwithstanding the fact that applications have gone down. Applications for college courses are very cyclical. We see this all the time. When the private sector and the economy are going well lots more people gravitate towards courses such as information communication technology, business and architecture...

Leaders' Questions (24 Jan 2018)

Leo Varadkar: With respect, if the Deputy does not wish to be partisan, he will have to lead by example and not be partisan in the statements he makes and the questions he asks.

Leaders' Questions (24 Jan 2018)

Leo Varadkar: He cannot be partisan at one moment and then accuse me of being partisan in my response. Whatever standard that we apply in this House in terms of partisanship should apply to everyone and not just to the Government. The number of people graduating from teaching programmes is stable and the percentage of people getting jobs in Ireland has increased. As I said, 5,000 more teachers are...

Leaders' Questions (24 Jan 2018)

Leo Varadkar: This is in part down to the fact that so many younger teachers now have permanent posts. We need to examine encouraging retired teachers, of which there are so many now, to come back and substitute. In addition, there are real difficulties recruiting for certain subjects, particularly specialised subjects. The Minister is examining this aspect. However, as is the case in other areas of...

Leaders' Questions (24 Jan 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. My sympathy and concern goes to any patient suffering complications as a result of an operation or procedure they have had. I wish to put that on the record. I did not see the TV programme last night although I read some things about the issue in the newspapers in recent times. However, I am not an expert on it and I was not aware the...

Leaders' Questions (24 Jan 2018)

Leo Varadkar: As I said, I was not aware this issue would be raised and I cannot answer for the Minister for Health directly. However, I will ask for replies to be provided to the Deputy on each of the four items she raised. If there are legal cases under way, the Deputy will appreciate that those cases are in the courts and, therefore, need to be heard in the courts and not adjudicated on here.

Leaders' Questions (24 Jan 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I absolutely expect that the HSE and the Department of Health will consider this matter based on evidence and not just evidence from this State. As is the norm in any kind of medical issue, one examines peer-reviewed international evidence as well as domestic evidence and take them together. In health care, one will always find evidence going one way and then evidence going the other way....