Results 25,801-25,820 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar
- Order of Business (8 May 2018)
Leo Varadkar: -----for it to report to the Government.
- Order of Business (8 May 2018)
Leo Varadkar: We have no wish to do anything other than publish it as soon as we have seen it and read it. I will give-----
- Order of Business (8 May 2018)
Leo Varadkar: -----that consideration over the next day or two. On the other point, I understand that an executive search or some headhunting has begun already. The delay in placing the advertisement was related to the fact that the Department of Health wanted to define the role. There is a reform programme underway - it was set out in the Sláintecare report - to restore a HSE board and to retain...
- Order of Business (8 May 2018)
Leo Varadkar: It is intended that there will be a gap. Inevitably, by the time the advertisement is placed, applications are made and interviews take place, there will be a gap in that period. The Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, will appoint an interim director general from among the directorate.
- Order of Business (8 May 2018)
Leo Varadkar: This matter is being managed by the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Jim Daly, and during the six-month period the court has given us we intend to legislate. We will introduce an amendment to the Mental Health Act 2001 to allow for tribunals to sit on a 12-monthly basis.
- Order of Business (8 May 2018)
Leo Varadkar: That is news to me, but I certainly will ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Naughten, to reply to the Deputy on that matter. I should say that is not the intention of the Government to close down post offices.
- Order of Business (8 May 2018)
Leo Varadkar: Where the postmaster or postmistress wants to retire-----
- Order of Business (8 May 2018)
Leo Varadkar: -----a package will be put in place to allow him or her to retire on reasonably good terms. At that point, the contract for the post office will be offered to other people if they want to take it up, or potentially a nearby petrol station or shop, in order to retain-----
- Order of Business (8 May 2018)
Leo Varadkar: I know this issue has been a huge one. Certainly it has been a big one in my constituency office, and I am sure it has been so for others as well. I do not think the solution to this is legislation. The solution to this is getting through the backlog. The Passport Office lost a number of days because of the adverse weather, but I understand that it is catching up. Legislation or no...
- Order of Business (8 May 2018)
Leo Varadkar: I can certainly give that commitment. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, the Minister of State with special responsibility for disability issues, Deputy Finian McGrath, and I spoke about this last week. The Deputy will be aware that unfortunately, our public transport is not 100% accessible and that creates problems. However, over time, more and more of it is...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Strategic Communications Unit (8 May 2018)
Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. Following on from the review of the operation of the strategic communications unit, or SCU, my Department will revert to a reformed Government information service, or GIS, model. The GIS will have a smaller budget, fewer staff and a more limited role than the SCU. There will be a managed reversion to the more traditional GIS...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Strategic Communications Unit (8 May 2018)
Leo Varadkar: I will deal with the citizen survey first. The plan is to consult with the Opposition parties on the questions. I imagine it will be much more straightforward than people expect. It will be questions about public satisfaction with different Government bodies, for example, and public knowledge and awareness of Government policies and the different programmes run by the Government, to see if...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (8 May 2018)
Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 6, inclusive, together. I delivered an address on the future of Europe at the Catholic University of Leuven as part of its Wilfried Martens series of lectures. This is an annual event, with previous speakers including Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, and former German Finance Minister, Wolfgang Schäuble. The event was live-streamed...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (8 May 2018)
Leo Varadkar: I have not had an opportunity to take a look at it in detail yet but I understand that there is a survey out today which indicates that support for the European Union among Irish citizens remains very high. Something of the order of 90% of people support Irish membership of the European Union and see its benefits for citizens. That is very encouraging. One of the silver linings to Brexit...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (8 May 2018)
Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 to 10, inclusive, together. I had a short meeting with Prime Minister May in the margins of the European Council on 23 March during which we discussed the latest developments in relation to Brexit, Northern Ireland and Russia. On Brexit, I welcomed her Government’s commitment to ensuring the backstop forms part of the withdrawal agreement, and...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (8 May 2018)
Leo Varadkar: On the proposed customs union partnership, as the Deputies will know that proposal first appeared in documents produced by the British Government last June. The Prime Minister, Ms May, has continued to put forward that proposal in recent times. The view of the European Union is that it is not workable in its current form, but that it is perhaps something we could make workable. The...
- Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff Training (8 May 2018)
Leo Varadkar: There has been no expenditure by my Department in respect of attendance at social media training conferences or events. My Department did, however, recently run a training session on Mobile Journalism which was attended by officials from other Government Departments. Company Details Amount Glen Mulcahy T/A Titanium Media Mobile Journalism Training (January 2018) €2,000.00
- Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff (8 May 2018)
Leo Varadkar: I can confirm that no civil servant acting on behalf of my Department made contact with An Garda Síochána in relation to the events outlined by the Deputy.
- Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (8 May 2018)
Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 94 together. I delivered an address on the Future of Europe at the Catholic University of Leuven as part of its Wilfried Martens series of lectures. This is an annual event, with previous speakers including Commission President Juncker and former German Finance Minister Schauble. The event was live-streamed and the text of my speech is available...
- Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (8 May 2018)
Leo Varadkar: I had a short meeting with Prime Minister May in the margins of the European Council on 23 March during which we discussed the latest developments in relation to Brexit, Northern Ireland and Russia. On Brexit, I welcomed her government’s commitment to ensuring the backstop forms part of the Withdrawal Agreement, and looked forward to progress on this and on the other options before...