Results 25,221-25,240 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Supreme Court issued its judgment this morning in Limerick. The Attorney General has asked for the remainder of the day to study that judgment. As Deputy McDonald rightly pointed out, it is important that we get this right. As Deputy Micheál Martin pointed out yesterday, it is important that we dot the i's and cross the t's. We do not want to make any unforced errors when it...

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is correct that there have been delays and obfuscation regarding this issue down through the years. There were unacceptable delays in legislating for the X case. There were delays in allowing for a referendum and legislation to allow people to have access to information and to underline the right to travel. The Deputy is correct that there have been long-standing delays in...

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I have no difficulties communicating with Prime Minister May. We meet periodically and speak on the phone. We will meet again the week after next, following my return from the United States, when we will both attend the EU Council in Brussels. As I said on "Morning Ireland", the negotiations that occur will do so between European Union, on the one hand, and the United Kingdom, on the...

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It is much more than words. The December joint report is not just words; it is written down in black and white. That is a political agreement and one by which the United Kingdom Government continues to say it abides.

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: We have a draft withdrawal agreement, a legal text with an Irish protocol, which achieves what we seek to achieve, namely, ensuring that there is no hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: We have a solution, namely, option C. The question is whether there might be a better solution and that is what we now need to explore. It is right that we should explore it and that is what the Government will do.

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Next week, as part of a one-week mission to the United States, I will be invited to the White House by President Trump. We will hold a bilateral meeting as part of that visit. President Trump is the head of Government of the United States, I am head of Government of Ireland and we are two countries which have very strong links. They are cultural - they run in our blood, most of us have...

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I will raise with President Trump the issues as listed by the Deputy earlier, which I had said I would raise.

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I apologise. I do not have an up-to-date answer on that. I will ask the Minister for Health to correspond with Deputy Micheál Martin's office.

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I think the-----

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I gave a comprehensive answer on this matter to Deputy McDonald earlier. I can only add that, as has been the case for almost two years, the Government does not control this House. The ordering of business will be determined by the Business Committee, which is to meet after the Cabinet meeting tomorrow.

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: In response to Deputy McDonald's question, I explained why that was the case so I do not wish to waste any time by repeating myself, but it is the case that if the Government had a majority in the House, we would get things done much more quickly.

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Is féidir liom, a Theachta. Gabhaim buíochas don Teachta as na ceisteanna sin. Is í seo Bliain na Gaeilge, togra de cuid an Rialtais. Tá dáiríreacht an Rialtais i leith na Gaeilge rísholéir dar liom. Is mian liom tagairt don méid atá déanta i leith na Gaeilge, na Gaeltachta agus na noileán sa chreatlach pleanála...

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am very sorry to hear about the experience of the patient in Kerry to whom the Deputies refer. Unfortunately, I do not know the details of the case. I do know that two thirds of people who attend hospital emergency departments are either in bed or discharged home within nine hours. For one third of patients, however, the experience can be very bad indeed. I will certainly raise the...

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Freagróidh an tAire Murphy an cheist sin.

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am advised that legislation was enacted in 2015, but I do not have a more detailed answer for the Deputy. I will endeavour to return to the Deputy with a more detailed reply, because in my constituency service I have also had the experience of meeting grandparents who have been prevented from seeing their grandchildren. I know it is deeply upsetting for them that they are not able to have...

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid I do not have any specific information for the Deputy but I will ask the Minister, Deputy Harris, to give her more information. I know, from my previous background as a GP and as Minister for Health, that those doctor-on-call services are contracted to companies, owned and run by GPs in the main. They will tend to decide what is the best way to configure the service. They will...

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I will inform the Minister, Deputy Harris, that Deputy Aylward has raised the matter. We are having a long, hard and deep look at medicines for rare diseases and orphan drugs. While it may not always be the right thing to reimburse a medicine, I do not think any of us like a situation where a medicine is available and reimbursed in another European country, particularly if it is the one...

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Not that I am aware of.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Operations (7 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. My Department, as outlined in the strategy statement, provides support services for the Taoiseach and the Government, including the Independent members of Government, through the Government secretariat, the parliamentary liaison unit, the programme for Government office and the Cabinet committee structure to ensure Government business is...