Results 25,621-25,640 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Those are the facts. There is misinformation around that issue, but those are the facts.

Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: We have never had more GPs in Ireland with GMS contracts with the HSE. We have never had more GPs-----

Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----on the specialist register of the Medical Council and we have never trained more GPs. The number of places on the GP training scheme increased again this year, having also increased in the previous year. Very encouragingly it was oversubscribed; many more people applied to get on that scheme than there were places, so we will increase it again.

Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I do not have any information to hand on that particular service in Sligo, but I will ask the Minister for Health and the HSE to correspond with the Deputy.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Strategic Communications Unit (24 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. On 1 March, I requested that the Secretary General of my Department conduct a review into the operations of the strategic communications unit, SCU. The report from this review was accepted by the Government on 27 March and published on the same date. The report finds that there is significant benefit to be realised by...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Strategic Communications Unit (24 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I will deal first with the survey and research aspects. As outlined on 18 October 2017 and again on 22 November 2017, the research commissioned is to inform Government communications. It is intended to help the Department learn more about public awareness and understanding of Government services. As outlined in the Secretary General's review, the intention is to continue with the citizen...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Strategic Communications Unit (24 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: In terms of cross-departmental campaigns, what is different is that it is no longer intended to fund cross-departmental campaigns through my Department. However, it is intended that the Government Information Service will have a role in co-ordinating cross-departmental campaigns, for example, Healthy Ireland, which cuts across different Departments. Project Ireland 2040 will be handed over...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Strategic Communications Unit (24 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Some people may have had the impression that the six turned into 15. Half of those 15 were people already working in GIS or MerrionStreet.iedealing with communications in the Department. The additional number of staff was five or six. I cannot remember the exact number. As should be the case, human resources matters are confidential and I am not going to discuss what has happened to...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Strategic Communications Unit (24 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I do not have the exact numbers.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Strategic Communications Unit (24 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I do not.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Strategic Communications Unit (24 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Not today. I know what it was before but I do not know exactly how many are there today. Obviously, there is a process under way whereby staff members are being offered the possibility to transfer to other roles within the Department or to another agency or Department. That is being managed, as it should be, by the relevant assistant secretary general.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Strategic Communications Unit (24 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am not getting daily or weekly reports on how many people work in the different sections of my Department.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Strategic Communications Unit (24 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: That is the correct role for the Secretary General and the relevant assistant secretary general. A sum of €2.5 million has either been spent or is already committed to things like the self-employed campaign, Healthy Ireland, Project Ireland 2040 and some other initiatives. The other €2.5 million will be rebated to the Exchequer. It is anticipated that my Department will...

Ceisteanna - Questions: National Economic and Social Council (24 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 8, inclusive, together. The National Economic and Social Council, NESC, has a membership of 28, reduced from 34 in the previous council. Members are appointed in accordance with the National Economic and Social Development Office Act 2006 and the National Economic and Social Council (Alteration of Composition) Order 2010, that is, 15 members are...

Ceisteanna - Questions: National Economic and Social Council (24 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: There are four vacancies in NESC that I intend to fill in the next two to three weeks. There were 31 applications in total which were short-listed to eight by the Public Appointments Service. It passed these on to me with the various curricula vitae. My intention in approaching these appointments is to have regard, first, to gender balance as there is a degree of gender imbalance in NESC...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (24 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 to 11, inclusive, together. The Government believes the bioeconomy can ensure more efficient use of renewable resources and support sustainable economic development and employment in rural Ireland. In simple terms, the bioeconomy involves the production of renewable biological resources and the conversion of these resources and waste streams into value...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (24 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The best definition of a bioeconomy is that it relates to the maximising of the use of renewable biological resources to produce value added products such as food and bioenergy. It extends across a range of sectors and disciplines, from what can be seen as quite traditional sectors such as farming and agrifood, as well as energy suppliers, to novel protein production and biopharmaceuticals....

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Urban Renewal Schemes (24 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I launched the North East Inner City 2017 Progress Report when I visited the area with Minister Donohoe on Monday, 26 February. The Report sets out the work of the Programme Implementation Board since it was established last June and outlines the progress made under the four priority areas of crime and drugs; education, training and employment opportunities; services for families and young...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Strategic Communications Unit (24 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It is not possible to provide a complete breakdown of this expenditure at this point as invoices in relation to this expenditure are still being collected. The breakdown will be provided when this process is complete.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Expenditure (24 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: My Department did not engage the services of the company in question in the years 2007 to 2017 and, therefore, has not received any invoices.