Results 24,641-24,660 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Priorities (6 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: We have a labour and skills shortage but we are dealing with that by expanding the number of apprentices very considerably. We are seeing skilled construction workers migrating into the country again because they are paid better here than in other countries. Whether local authorities want to take people on as direct employees is entirely a matter for them and they can do so if they wish....

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (6 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 to 18, inclusive, together. I was honoured to be the first EU Head of Government to be invited to take part in the European Parliament debate series on the future of Europe. My speech to the European Parliament took place in Strasbourg on 17 January. In my intervention, I spoke about the achievements of the European Union, the benefits for Ireland of EU...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (6 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: None of my Department's tenders is run by me, nor do they have to be-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (6 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----but I am happy to confirm once again that I have no difficulty whatsoever in publishing the outcome of any market research commissioned by my Department. I am happy to give that commitment. In terms of my speech to the European Parliament, I was not speaking in a personal capacity; I was speaking as Head of Government. I was invited there as Head of Government but it is not...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (6 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----the European Parliament or any other parliament requires a Government decision or parliamentary approval. Anything that requires a Government decision has to go to Cabinet and anything that requires parliamentary approval has to come to this House and the Seanad. I did not make any policy commitments on behalf of the Government or the country and anything I said was very much in line...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (6 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----or against the wishes of the Oireachtas, he might inform me because I would like to know. However, it seems that----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (6 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Yes.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (6 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It seems that the Deputy is more interested in process than substance.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (6 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: If there was anything of substance that-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (6 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----Fianna Fáil objected to, I would have thought it would have been mentioned or raised by now.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (6 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am saying that the criticisms the Deputy offered relate entirely process and not substance.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (6 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: If the difference between us is process rather than substance, fair enough. If the Deputy has any substantial criticism of anything I said to the European Parliament, he might have mentioned it. However, he did not.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Banking Sector Reform (6 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: While progress towards Banking Union in the EU was referenced in the context of general discussions on the future of Europe, the specific issue of banking reform was not discussed at my meetings in Davos.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Budgets (6 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: A key part of the modernisation of Government communications is the greater use of social media. Four campaigns undertaken by the Strategic Communications Unit in 2017 had an informational video component which was promoted on social media - YouTube, Facebook and Twitter at a total cost of €21,895. It is not possible at this stage to give an overall budget figure for social media....

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committee Meetings (6 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Committee last met on 9 November and that meeting was attended by the Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Trade; Justice and Equality; Communications, Climate Action and Environment; Housing, Planning and Local Government; and the Minister of State for Defence. Also in attendance were key personnel from the Defence Forces and an Garda Síochána together with a number of senior...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Apprenticeship Data (6 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: There are no people enrolled in apprenticeships in my Department or the National Economic and Social Development Office - the only body under the aegis of my Department.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Internal Audits (6 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: An external peer review was carried out on the internal audit function in my Department in 2013. The review confirmed that the internal audit function met the standards required for the provision of a robust, independent and objective assurance to the Accounting Officer of my Department on the adequacy or otherwise of the systems of internal control operating within my Department. The...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Reviews (6 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Following consultation with the Attorney General, I appointed Mr. Michael Collins, Senior Counsel, to conduct an independent review of the practices and procedures employed by the Department of Justice and Equality in response to requests for documents from the Disclosures Tribunal. The Terms of Reference for the review were published on my Department's website (www.taoiseach.gov.ie) on 13...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff Data (6 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: There is one secondee from PwC working in my Department. My Department does not have any secondees from the other organisations detailed by the Deputy.

Death of former Ceann Comhairle: Expressions of Sympathy (7 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I offer my heartfelt condolences, and those of the Government, to the family of Séamus Pattison. I also extend my condolences to Deputy Howlin, his colleagues in the Labour Party and all his friends. Séamus Pattison epitomised the spirit of public service that has been the hallmark of our democracy since Independence. He served for an extraordinary 46 years in this House, winning...