Results 26,361-26,380 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Order of Business (26 Jun 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am.

Order of Business (26 Jun 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am not sure that there was a question. It is absolutely the Government's position that there should be a public inquiry into the killing of Pat Finucane. I understand the UK Supreme Court is hearing a case on it now. I would be best not to comment on it but we do believe there should be an inquiry into the killing of Pat Finucane. The Tánaiste is due to meet the family again quite...

Order of Business (26 Jun 2018)

Leo Varadkar: As I understand it, free legal aid is available from the Government-funded Free Legal Advice Centres for people seeking it but I will get a more detailed answer for the Deputy and supply it to him.

Order of Business (26 Jun 2018)

Leo Varadkar: With regard to a previous question, I have confirmation that no migrants rescued from the Mediterranean by our Naval Service have been handed over to the Libyan coastguard.

Order of Business (26 Jun 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The implementation office has been established and we are in a position to appoint a lead executive for Sláintecare so we should be able to do that very shortly. In the next couple of weeks, the Minister will bring the implementation plan to Cabinet. While the Sláintecare report is very good and contains principles I agree with, it falls down in a lot of areas. When one reads the...

Order of Business (26 Jun 2018)

Leo Varadkar: There has been no Government decision on it yet other than we will have plebiscites on directly elected mayors. We need to be realistic about timelines. I do not think it would be possible between October and May to pass all the legislation necessary to give effect to those new offices.

Order of Business (26 Jun 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Any of these things would need one or two years' lead-in and people will know that from when the office of the London mayor was established, it took a number of years to establish it properly.

Order of Business (26 Jun 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I picked stones during many a summer but I have never cut hay. We do not believe it is necessary at this time to convene the national emergency co-ordination group because we are at status yellow. Given the nature of the weather we are having, perhaps that should be "status bronze". We will keep it under review. On GLAS, I am advised by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (26 Jun 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. I was honoured to be the first EU leader to meet with Pedro Sanchez since his appointment as Prime Minister of Spain when I visited Madrid on 14 June. Ireland and Spain have a long history of excellent bilateral relations and our discussions were especially friendly and constructive. The Prime Minister and I exchanged views on...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (26 Jun 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It is important to say, and I have said it before, that the Brexit negotiations are dynamic and things change week on week, so we have to make judgment calls week on week as to what is the right approach to take. It is my judgment, and the Tánaiste's, currently that stalling the talks would not be the right approach. What happens invariably when walking out of talks is that sooner or...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (26 Jun 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I do not recall signing any such letter.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (26 Jun 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I will have to check it out.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (26 Jun 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Yes, well, I am not entirely sure which letter that is. There is a group of us that signed letters on the digital Single Market, and a group of us that signed a set of letters a number of months ago-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (26 Jun 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----on different proposals but so I am not entirely sure-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (26 Jun 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am constantly being interrupted when I try to answer questions.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (26 Jun 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I have not read the Financial Times today. I rarely do.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (26 Jun 2018)

Leo Varadkar: There are many letters that we sign as groups of countries.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (26 Jun 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am not sure which one this is but, if I am not interrupted, I might be able to explain.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (26 Jun 2018)

Leo Varadkar: When it comes to a proposal for a eurozone budget, I think the Deputy is referring to the Meseberg Declaration from last week-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (26 Jun 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----when France and Germany jointly prepared a letter where they proposed a eurozone budget. They did not suggest for a second that such a budget would be used for bailouts. It is the section in the European Stability Mechanism, ESM, that they talk about bailouts. It is proposed that the eurozone budget be used for other things and that is one we would have to pay into.