Results 27,281-27,300 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (13 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: On what is the Deputy stating that I will revert to the House?

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (13 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I have been in the Chamber for the past two hours and ten minutes. I have yet to be briefed on the developments.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Ministerial Meetings (13 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Code of Conduct for the guidance of Office Holders, which was drawn up in accordance with the Standards in Public Office Act 2001, provides that in all cases where meetings are arranged for the purpose of transacting official business, office holders should be accompanied by an official who would act as a note-taker in the office holder’s own interest. The code advises that in any...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Brexit Issues (13 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I spoke by phone to the British Prime Minister, Theresa May on 5 November. The Prime Minister sought the call in order to update me on the current state of the Brexit negotiations. We both emphasised our commitment to avoiding a hard border and the need for a legally operable backstop. The Prime Minister raised the possibility of a review mechanism for the backstop. I indicated an openness...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff Data (13 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Details of the four staff employed by my Department since 2017 to work in my Constituency Office are set out in Table 1 below. Details of advisers appointed to support me in my role as Taoiseach in 2017 and to date in 2018 are set out in Table 2 below. Table 1 Constituency Office Salary Scale (Equivalent) Number of Employees Personal Assistant (Higher Executive Officer Scale) 1...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate forbearance on this issue and the understanding as to why I may not be in a position to answer questions in the detail I might like. I have been in touch with Deputy Calleary's party leader this morning on the issue and around that point. A very important and sensitive Cabinet meeting will take place in London today from 2 p.m. and I do not want to say anything here which might...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: If the agreement is made it will be an international treaty between the European Union, including Ireland, on the one hand and the United Kingdom on the other. As an international treaty, it would, therefore, continue to apply even if there were a change in government here or in the United Kingdom. That is the nature of such agreements. As to the process and next steps, there are obviously...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: All things going to plan, we intend to offer a briefing to party leaders and their teams this evening and offer a similar briefing for the SDLP, the Alliance Party and the Green Party in Northern Ireland tomorrow morning. It is important to remember what the backstop is. It is not our preferred solution but, rather, a fallback or insurance policy. The joint report published in December...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It is important to point out that if it is concluded, the agreement will be between the EU and the UK. Ireland is part of the EU but will not separately sign up to the agreement. However, any changes to the agreement will be made through the European Council of which, of course, Ireland is a member, in the form of the Taoiseach. I accept the Deputy's points regarding things being done...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. As everyone in the House will appreciate, Oberstown works with and serves children who have very profound difficulties. Many of them have had a very bad start in life and have immense needs and great difficulties. Sadly, they are often a risk to themselves, to other people, including family members, and to their communities. This is a very hard area to work in. The...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy has rightly stated, these allegations are very serious and are being investigated by the Garda. It is important that we allow the Garda to carry out its investigations and that we support it in its work in this area. I have not seen these reports, but I appreciate that we must always have regard to the risk that the publication of any report could prejudice an investigation...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I can answer one of the Deputy's questions by telling her that the board has communicated with the authors of the report. On the issue more broadly, I assure the House that the Government is absolutely committed to improving child protection in Ireland. We have established a Department of Children and Youth Affairs with a dedicated Minister at the Cabinet table. We have amended our...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: As the House will acknowledge, it is very much Government policy to ensure our nation's prosperity is shared, that everyone benefits and that all parts of the country benefit. Project Ireland 2040 is very much about making sure we have economic development in all parts of the country, that the large cities outside Dublin grow twice as fast as Dublin, that we develop new major urban centres,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy mentioned the existence of the rural regeneration and development fund. It has €1 billion that we have set aside for the next ten years to invest in our towns and villages in rural areas to make them more attractive for people to stay in, move to and establish businesses in. There is also a €2 billion urban regeneration fund for settlements of more than 10,000...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (14 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The budget for home support, home help and home care has increased to €420 million this year. That is up from €306 million in 2015, which is an increase of more than €100 million year in the past three years. That is a considerable increase. It provides 17 million home help hours to 50,000 people. The allocation has not yet been made for 2019. It will be part of the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (14 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Government welcomes the publication of the Ombudsman's report, Learning to Get Better: Progress Report. The HSE and the Department of Health will work with the Ombudsman and his office on making sure the recommendations are implemented. So far, out of 36 recommendations, ten have been implemented fully and 17 are being implemented. Two are being advanced by the Department of Health.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (14 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: We want to progress it. We want to establish a judicial council and empower it to set sentencing guidelines so there will be more consistency in sentencing across the country. The Bill is cued, as are many others. We need to pass the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill first. It has passed through this House. It is being held up, quite frankly, in the Seanad.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (14 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Committee Stage in the Seanad is taken on the floor of the Chamber. In order to make progress, my party has given up its Private Members' time this week to allow us to provide more time for the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill. I appeal to other parties to support us in dealing with that legislation. That will free up the time we need in the Seanad to deal with the other Bill.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (14 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: We have a reform programme. Our reforms are consistently being held up by the fact that we do not have a majority in this House or the Seanad, unfortunately.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (14 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: There may need to be. What we would like to do first is resolve the EU–UK relationship and have an EU–UK treaty on the future economic and security relationships. If individual countries need bilateral agreements that do not conflict with that, they may well be necessary. With regard to the common travel area, it is true that there is no single piece of paper that states...