Results 27,641-27,660 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It has not been submitted to the Government yet. I am not quite sure of the status of the report. I am advised that the draft report, with options, is due to be submitted to the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, in January. I imagine that we will have the report in January 2019. After the Minister has had a chance to review it, it will come to Cabinet with a view to...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I understand that seven and a half hours have been set aside for debate tonight. That is a large block of time and I hope that will be sufficient for us to pass the legislation through the Dáil today. I encourage any Deputies making contributions on this legislation to be pithy and to not repeat arguments they have already made. That is unnecessary and only causes us to take more time...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: That led to bad legislation being enacted. Now we have the other extreme. Legislation is being held up in this House and in the other House. As a consequence, all sorts of other legislation is backing up behind it and that is very frustrating.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: That is a matter for the Business Committee.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: For the benefit of the parliamentary reporter, I think the Deputy said "tyre app".

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I thought he said "tie rack".

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I was not quite sure what use a tie rack would be to the Road Safety Authority. If this person has an innovative piece of technology that can help us with tyres, and bald tyres can be a cause for collisions and for injuries-----

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----if there is something that can be done to help, I am sure we can arrange to put him in contact with the RSA. If Deputy Mattie McGrath passes on the details, I will make sure that happens.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I cannot withdraw something I believe to be true.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I share her concerns, horror and disgust at what is happening in Yemen and the impact on civilians there in particular. The Government has made a decision to provide funding through the UN and other agencies for humanitarian assistance in Yemen. We will increase that next year. We have joined with our EU and UN colleagues in calling...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: With regard to the matter raised by Deputy Breathnach, I would also be happy to see that document published. I thought it had been published as an annexe to the withdrawal agreement but perhaps it has not been so I will double-check. As a UK-EU paper, it is not in our gift to publish it but I see no reason it should not be published. That information should also be available to people in...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The tax affairs of any individual company are kept confidential by the company and the Revenue Commissioners so I would not assume that the figures the Deputy put on the record are correct.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Staff Data (5 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: My Department, as outlined in the strategy statement, provides assistance to the Taoiseach and the Government, including the Independent members of Government, through the Government secretariat, the parliamentary liaison unit, the programme for Government office and the Cabinet committee structure to ensure Government business is managed to the highest standards. The chief strategist for...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Staff Data (5 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The talks on the review and renewal of the confidence and supply agreement are ongoing between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. The House and members of the public will know the outcome I have put forward, which is that we should not have an election until the summer of 2020 and we should agree a date for an election in the summer of 2020. I am very keen to get down to talking about the...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Staff Data (5 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: She is the Minister in her own Department and is doing an exceptional job. Deputy Howlin complained about the Government claiming credit for anything that is good but not wanting to associate itself with things that are bad. Often, when I am in this House, it feels like the shoe is on the other foot. The Government gets no credit for all the things it is doing and the successes it has...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): British-Irish Council (5 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I attended the 31st British-Irish Council, BIC, Summit in the Isle of Man on Friday, 9 November, hosted by Chief Minister Howard Quale. I was accompanied by the Minister of State with responsibility for natural resources, community affairs and digital development, Deputy Sean Canney. The discussion at the summit covered political developments for administrations since the last summit in...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): British-Irish Council (5 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their questions. Deputy McDonald asked about representation for Northern Ireland in the European Parliament after Brexit. The sad reality is that after Brexit, Northern Ireland will no longer be part of the European Union. We hope it is the case that if the withdrawal agreement is ratified, important elements of EU law and regulations will continue to apply in...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Brexit Issues (5 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions No. 3 to 8, inclusive, together. I attended the special meeting of the European Council in Brussels on 25 November. At our meeting, we endorsed the withdrawal agreement and approved the political declaration. This was a positive step, representing the culmination of more than 20 months of difficult negotiations. The withdrawal agreement sets out the terms for the...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Brexit Issues (5 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am not sure if the UK Parliament is an example we want to follow given the chaos we are seeing in Westminster.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Brexit Issues (5 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The agreement we have took 18 months to negotiate. It is 500 pages long and 28 Governments agreed to it. The suggestion that somehow, if it is defeated, we would find ourselves negotiating with a parliament really is quite unworkable. The idea of a parliamentary delegation entering the tunnel to reopen the talk is not feasible.