Results 25,001-25,020 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar
- Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2018)
Leo Varadkar: I am afraid I do not have the details of the particular defined benefit pension scheme to which the Deputy referred.
- Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2018)
Leo Varadkar: The Deputy knows how pensions operate and pensions law. It is the trustees of the pension fund who make the decisions about the pension fund, not the employer or the members, subject to the rules laid down by the Pensions Authority. A covenant or deed of trust will set out the obligations and rights of the employer and others. Everything falls under trust law in that regard. Trustees...
- Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2018)
Leo Varadkar: The Minister is very advanced in producing legislation in this area in the form of amendments to the existing Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration Bill that is before the Houses. The legislation will require employers to give adequate notice and establish a dispute solving mechanism, perhaps involving the Pensions Authority. We need to bear in mind the enormous risks that could...
- Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2018)
Leo Varadkar: I acknowledge the enormous disruption that has been caused for some patients and to our health services in Galway as a result of the works that have been carried out at Merlin Park University Hospital. These have been done in the interest of the health and safety of patients and staff. I am informed by the Minister for Health that the HSE is committed to ensuring that full elective...
- Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2018)
Leo Varadkar: The answer I gave the Deputy is the one I had to hand. I am not charged with dealing with this issue day to day. Those who are, namely, the management of the hospital and the Minister for Health, may be able to give the Deputy a more up-to-date answer. I am told that some elective orthopaedic surgeries have now been provided in University Hospital Galway and that, between 20 October and 29...
- Severe Weather Conditions: Statements (27 Feb 2018)
Leo Varadkar: It is on snow.
- Severe Weather Conditions: Statements (27 Feb 2018)
Leo Varadkar: I have done the lotto but I have not yet done the weather forecast. I wish to say a few words about the so-called beast from the east and Storm Emma. The national emergency co-ordination group is co-ordinating responses across all Departments and State agencies and it will keep the public regularly informed about what is needed to stay safe. I assure the people that while we are hoping for...
- Severe Weather Conditions: Statements (27 Feb 2018)
Leo Varadkar: Questions to the Minister take place at 3.30 p.m.
- Order of Business (27 Feb 2018)
Leo Varadkar: I accept the Deputy's criticisms. Perhaps I should have given more substance on the actions the Government is taking at this time as we prepare for the bad weather. An orange level weather warning is in place from 3 o'clock today until 11 o'clock tomorrow for County Dublin, the counties surrounding Dublin, and Laois and Carlow. We expect accumulations of 4 cm to 6 cm by Wednesday morning....
- Order of Business (27 Feb 2018)
Leo Varadkar: For older people, who at this time may struggle to pay fuel bills there are two options available: the exceptional needs payment, which is means-tested, and the urgent needs payment which is not.
- Order of Business (27 Feb 2018)
Leo Varadkar: We cannot promise an open-ended payment, obviously.
- Order of Business (27 Feb 2018)
Leo Varadkar: It would be preferable if people applied in advance. The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection will be flexible-----
- Order of Business (27 Feb 2018)
Leo Varadkar: -----in dealing with payment requests from others thereafter. I should also add that an additional 104 one-night-only beds will remain open on a 24 hour basis in the Dublin region for those who are sleeping rough. An additional location has been found to provide a further 60 beds if they are needed and two Housing First outreach teams will be working on the streets to encourage rough...
- Order of Business (27 Feb 2018)
Leo Varadkar: The fuel allowance is being paid to 338,000 households to a value of €200 million. We have already made two changes to the scheme. This year, for the first time, people can be paid a lump sum. There is a total lump sum of €607.50 which can be paid in two payments as opposed to a weekly allowance. As I mentioned, we had already taken the decision to extend the fuel season by...
- Order of Business (27 Feb 2018)
Leo Varadkar: The first is the exceptional needs payment which is means-tested. The second is the urgent needs payment which is not means-tested and is open to everyone. No Government can offer a blank cheque to everyone-----
- Order of Business (27 Feb 2018)
Leo Varadkar: However, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection will deal with cases sensitively.
- Order of Business (27 Feb 2018)
Leo Varadkar: It is very difficult to answer questions in this House when they often include all of the answers I am not allowed to give. It is absurd when one is told the answers one can or cannot give.
- Order of Business (27 Feb 2018)
Leo Varadkar: The Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly's, advice is not that of the Government.
- Order of Business (27 Feb 2018)
Leo Varadkar: The fuel allowance is €22.50 a week. There is no way that anyone in this House or I can guarantee that turning on the heating 24/7 might not cost more than €22.50 a week. Simply doubling the fuel allowance for a particular week may not solve the problem.
- Order of Business (27 Feb 2018)
Leo Varadkar: I have outlined what is being done.