Results 26,001-26,020 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (23 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: We estimate that three women today will order abortion pills online. Three women today will receive them in the post and three women today will take them. No matter what the result is on Friday, or rather, on Saturday when we count the votes, that will continue. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald is correct that these pills did not exist in 1983 but they are around for a number of years now, or are...

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (23 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: That is really what we need to change in the period ahead.

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (23 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I know that people will vote on Friday, no matter how they decide to vote, in accordance with their conscience and will do what they believe is right based on the information available to them. I also know, however, that many people have been influenced by hearing some of those individual stories such as Kate and Elaine's or stories about young couples who were forced to travel to Liverpool...

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (23 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I want to add to what I said earlier by acknowledging the role of smaller parties and indeed Independents in this campaign, whether it is the Green Party, the Social Democrats or others, as well as parties of the left. As regards my constituency colleague, Deputy Coppinger, I want to particularly recognise her early role in putting this matter on the political agenda and raising it in this...

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (23 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: They may well be safe but when it comes to any medicine that is bought online, one cannot always be sure it is what it says it is. Obviously, there are legal consequences as well. I think we all agree that it would be safer if they were legal and available here in Ireland. There are two aspects to this conversation that perhaps have not got the recognition or notice they deserve....

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (23 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy will be aware that we have a rare disease strategy. I think it was published by the then Minister for Health, James Reilly, a few years ago. One of the recommendations in that was to establish the National Rare Diseases Office, which I had the pleasure of opening during my time as Minister for Health. If one takes rare diseases on their own, they are rare but when one adds them...

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (23 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Minister has met the patients affected and their families. He has committed to giving the Deputy an update on the status of approval for Kuvan specifically and also to give an update on funding for the rare diseases office. As a broader issue, the Government acknowledges we have a problem here in that the process by which we approve drugs generally may be inappropriate for orphan drugs...

Questions on Promised Legislation (23 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Like the Deputy, I was not able to attend that presentation, but Deputy Neville attended and is preparing a report on it for me, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, and the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Naughten. We had a conference on the issue a few weeks ago, led by the Minister, Deputy Naughten. I acknowledge that the issue of...

Questions on Promised Legislation (23 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I have looked into this matter. As there are legal issues, the sequencing will be as follows. The European Council will take a decision at the end of June to assign an additional two seats to Ireland. Assuming that happens in June - I have no reason to believe it will not - we will then set up the constituency commission immediately afterwards with a view to reporting on the new...

Questions on Promised Legislation (23 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: That decision was made back in 2008. I think I had only been a Member of the Dáil for one year at that stage and was not in government. The Minister, Deputy Harris, was not even a Member of the Dáil. The people who were making decisions at the time have told me it was not down to cost; it was down to capacity and the fact that Irish labs were not accredited. Obviously that is...

Questions on Promised Legislation (23 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: That is a matter for the Business Committee but I do think one reaches a certain point at which the value of additional debate starts to run out. I hope the Business Committee will give consideration to invoking the necessary measures to allow that Bill to be brought to conclusion.

Questions on Promised Legislation (23 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid I do not have information to hand on that matter but I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy Doyle, to provide an update to the Deputy by correspondence.

Questions on Promised Legislation (23 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: As Deputies have acknowledged, funding for home help has increased and is increasing, year on year. However, I also acknowledge that the demand is increasing and that demand currently exceeds supply, both financially and, sometimes, when it comes to finding staff to provide the service, even when the finance is available. 1 o’clock Our plan of action is to develop a fair deal-type...

Questions on Promised Legislation (23 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Neville offers a very good argument and makes a compelling case. I will make sure the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Denis Naughten, is aware of it and replies to the Deputy.

Questions on Promised Legislation (23 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I thought I heard the Deputy say yesterday that he would be in favour of decriminalising abortion pills. If that is not what he said, I am happy to acknowledge that it is not his view and to stand corrected.

Questions on Promised Legislation (23 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I just did so. I accept that the Deputy did not say he would be in favour of decriminalising abortion pills. If there is a "No" vote on Friday, it will still be a criminal offence. I find it bizarre, however, that the Deputy believes this should be a criminal offence that is not enforced. Why would one keep something as a crime if one does not think it should be enforced? I find that...

Questions on Promised Legislation (23 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The commitment does not quite extend to all carers but to anyone in receipt of carers allowance, carers benefit or half-carers allowance. It was announced in the budget and requires primary legislation, which we expect to have before the recess so that we can implement it in the autumn.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Operations (23 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. The economic division in my Department supports me and the Government in developing and implementing policy to deliver sustainable and regionally balanced economic growth and quality jobs, and to promote effective planning and delivery of infrastructural developments, including housing. The Cabinet committees and senior officials groups,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Operations (23 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: When it comes to our economic and social policies more generally, the Government really works under six main principles. The first is managing our public finances prudently, having got into a situation where the budget is balanced and running surpluses on occasion, and paying down the national debt. The second principle is full employment and we will reach our targets in that regard...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Operations (23 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Spokespeople are also creating plenty of argument. It misses the point, quite frankly. We have asked the CSO to do some work on tracking accurately the number of new homes being built, because that is unclear at the moment. Some people base their figures on ESB connections, which is fairly accurate because it includes new homes and homes that have been off the grid for two years, which is...