Results 25,561-25,580 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: To reply to the first question, the clerk to the committee is ringing around to make arrangements for this afternoon. On the Magdalen redress scheme, the Minister for Justice and Equality, the Ombudsman and I met two weeks ago to resolve the matter. The Government fully accepts the four recommendations made by the Ombudsman. We will implement them without further delay. To date, some...

Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It will be a matter for the Independent Alliance to decide.

Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The decision on the appointment of a Minister of State is a matter for the Cabinet but who is to be nominated to hold the position is a matter for the Independent Alliance.

Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I do not think the Deputy understands how the Constitution works.

Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It is absolutely appropriate for the Minister for Health to be involved in such a campaign. The Government and the Oireachtas are proposing to change the Constitution. I do not know how many referendums we have had on constitutional amendments but it has always been the normal course of events for Ministers to campaign in favour of the change they propose. It is the logical thing to do.

Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: That matter is before the courts.

Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I thought the report was published some time ago as I recall reading it, although perhaps that was a draft and the report was only formally published today. The deliberations and outcome of the Citizens' Assembly consideration of climate change very much informed Project Ireland 2040, the largest single element of which is the €22 billion to be invested by the State and semi-State...

Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Those are examples of decisions the Government has made in this regard.

Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Minister of State with responsibility for disability is on his way to New York to formally ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. On his return, I will ask him to furnish a reply to the Deputy detailing the actions the Government is taking to reduce the waiting times.

Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: A record number of transplants were performed in Ireland last year. As the Deputy knows, for the first time more than 300 transplants were performed. I want to pay tribute to the extraordinary staff in our hospitals who made that possible and of course, to the people who donated their organs and their families. It is intended that we will have the heads of the Bill this month or next month...

Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am grateful for this opportunity to pay tribute to our former colleague, Peter Mathews, who died a little over a year ago. I would also like to offer a very special welcome to Susan and his family members who are here today. Peter was a true gentleman, a colleague and a friend and we miss his company and his counsel. I first got to know Peter a few years before he entered this House as...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. Cabinet committee E covers issues relating to the health service, including health system reforms. Cabinet committee E last met on 11 April. The next meeting has yet to be scheduled. In addition to meetings of the full Cabinet and of the Cabinet committees I meet with Ministers on a bilateral basis as required to focus on...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I will take the questions in the order in which they were asked. Regarding cardiology services in the south east, there is a second mobile catheterisation laboratory, cath lab, in place at present and that has helped to reduce wait times for people awaiting cardiology procedures in the south east. That will remain in place for the interim. The hospital there has also been funded to...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: ----and actually action the decisions that have already been made and spend the money that has already been allocated to extend the working hours of the existing permanent cath lab.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: As we all acknowledge, there has been an enormous improvement in recent years in care for patients with cystic fibrosis. The report produced by Cystic Fibrosis Ireland lays out very clearly and starkly how much services have improved. The next big step, of course, is the provision of the unit in Beaumont Hospital which will improve services for cystic fibrosis patients in north Dublin, in...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: If it was as simple as providing extra beds, extra staff and extra money, we would have solved the problem by now because we are spending €3 billion more per year this year than we did in 2011, have lots more staff and are adding beds. Let us take doctors, for example. Even though we are still below the European average, we are up to about 10,000 doctors working in the public health...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. Cabinet committee E covers issues relating to the health service, including-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: My apologies.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Some of it is. I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 8, inclusive, together. The committee last met on 8 February and was attended by Ministers and senior officials from the Departments of Finance; Public Expenditure and Reform; Foreign Affairs and Trade; Justice and Equality; Health; Communications, Climate Action and Environment; Transport, Tourism and Sport; Housing, Planning and...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Howlin referred to a full security assessment of Russian activities in Ireland. I may be wrong but I am not aware of any such assessment being carried out. The Tánaiste may be aware of it but it is not something I am aware of being carried out. A security assessment was carried out on what diplomat would be expelled. That was the extent of it. We are not, to my knowledge,...