Results 26,821-26,840 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I believe it was an issue with the EU payments system but that it has now been resolved. All social welfare customers should have received their payments by now, or, if not, they should receive them during the course of the day. The Department is monitoring the position, but if any customer is encountering difficulties, he or she is encouraged to contact the community welfare service at his...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I express my sorrow and offer my condolences to the young woman and her partner who experienced a stillbirth. It is a very sad moment for any family, and those of us who have experience of stillbirth or miscarriage will know and understand that and will also understand, as Deputy Coppinger rightly points out, that there are many causes of stillbirth and it is not right to jump to any...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid the Deputy will have to wait until next Tuesday to know the details of the budget.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It has not been finalised yet.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Minister of State, Deputy English, is examining proposals in that regard. As is the case in the Deputy's constituency, there are also apartment buildings with defects in my constituency. The cost of repairing those defects, even when divided among the different homeowners or apartments, is very large for one individual or group of individuals to carry. Before we commit taxpayers'...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The first priority is to have theatres back up and running in Tralee hospital. I will pass on to the HSE his suggestion that patients be transferred to other hospitals, whether in Cork, Croom or Limerick, if there is spare capacity.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Bill is due this term. I think pre-legislative scrutiny has happened.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It happened last week so it will be due this term.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for again raising the issue. It is not a matter of giving a direction to the Minister. As a House, we decided in legislation that whether drugs were to be reimbursed should not be a political decision and it is not for good reason. Whether a new medicine is to be licensed for use is a decision either for the Health Products Regulatory Authority, HPRA, or the European...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I have read the report which indicates that the cost of the medicine outweighs the benefits by a ratio of 10:1 or even 20:1. When one measures the cost against efficacy, the ratio is 10:1 or 20:1, which, unfortunately, is not a very good figure. One would expect the cost to benefit ratio to be more like 1:1. but, unfortunately, it is 10:1 or 20:1. However, that does not mean that the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It is also possible for the company to come back with a revised price.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The memo was today approved by the Cabinet. I understand it has been published. If it has not, that will be done in the next few hours. It will now go to the joint Oireachtas committee for further consideration.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is free to read the report. It will take a while to read it. I cannot give the Deputy an answer in two seconds.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Heydon for raising this issue. The Bill is very valuable legislation which will permit public servants work beyond the age of 66 should they choose to do so. It will be very valuable in retaining the experience and skills of many public servants in their late 60s who often feel they have to retire long before they are ready to do so. The legislation has passed through the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. In recent months I have continued with an intensive programme of engagements with EU leaders. On 8 July, I welcomed the Chancellor of Austria, Sebastian Kurz, to Dublin. This visit took place as Austria began its six-month Presidency of the Council of the European Union and followed my visit to Vienna in February. I am...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: In terms of the forthcoming EU summits, there is a regular summit in October and a regular summit in December, and there is the possibility of a special summit in November, if it is necessary. That has yet to be confirmed but we agreed there would be one if it is needed either to confirm an agreement or to study the fact that we do not yet have an agreement. Obviously, I would much prefer...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 8, inclusive, together. Cabinet committee A covers issues relating to the economy, jobs, the labour market, competitiveness, productivity, trade, the action plan for rural development, the digital economy and pensions. Recent developments in these areas include the publication of the pensions road map by the Minister for Employment and Social...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I had a chance to look at the C&AG's findings on tax and will take a closer look at them over the weekend. I believe everyone should pay his or her fair share of tax in Ireland. As a Government, we have prioritised taking the lowest-paid out of the income tax net altogether. Approximately 30% of people in Ireland, the lowest-paid, no longer have to pay income tax, which is a very good...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: There are also people who own businesses, and a business may well be worth €50 million, but against that there may be significant debts. Many people claim to be rich but might not be that rich at all when the levels of debts and borrowings they have are taken into account. Of course, one may own a business that is valued quite highly but not have any income from that business....

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----between wealth and income. As for corporate profits tax, much has been done in recent years to close some of those loopholes, whether it be the double Irish, some of the loopholes and incentives in respect of intellectual property, statelessness or accounting changes. This is why we are recognised by the OECD and others as being compliant and transparent when it comes to our...