Results 27,821-27,840 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I condemn violence and thuggish behaviour by anyone under any circumstance. Let there be no doubt about that, but in two contributions - in fact, now in three contributions - Deputy Pearse Doherty has dismissed the fact that tax evasion is a serious offence.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy has criticised the Garda. He has criticised the High Court for making the order, having heard the case.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Pearse Doherty has said nothing about the thugs who climbed on the back of a cattle truck - 20 of them - who broke into property, injured three people and killed a dog-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: When it comes to Sinn Féin and the rule of law and public order and condemning violence, it does not take very long for your balaclava to slip.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Howlin and acknowledge his long-standing interest in reform of An Garda Síochána. I also acknowledge the work he did in driving that forward in the previous Government. We had a chance at Cabinet this morning to discuss the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland. That was chaired, as Deputy Howlin knows, by Ms Kathleen O'Toole. We...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: As I understand it, none of this will actually change. The new framework will not be in place until 1 January 2021. That is quite some time away. It will require primary legislation, which will have to be scrutinised and considered by the Oireachtas Committee on Justice and Equality, the Dáil and the Seanad. This is an issue which we can tease out. We want to get this right. My...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----should have a CEO type model and the Garda Commissioner should be allowed to run the Garda in the same way as the CEO of any organisation is allowed to run it.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It is not a case of hand-picking appointments and promotions. There will be a Garda board in place. One will see many organisations in the public and private sector with a CEO and a board. The CEO does not get to hand-pick key staff. That has to go through a board and there has to a proper recruitment procedure where people can apply for jobs.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: One development we want to see, of which I know the Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris, is in favour, is more people coming in from the outside. We have a division in the Garda between sworn gardaí and Garda civilian staff. We want to put that together into a single organisation. We want to have in Garda top brass and senior management a mix of people, some who are sworn policemen and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I acknowledge that the Deputy raised a sensitive matter in a very appropriate and reasonable manner. I recognise that he has put on the record his condemnation of violence from any source, as I do. It is important to acknowledge that mortgage arrears are going down in Ireland. Five or six years ago there were hundreds of thousands of people out of work and unable to pay their mortgages,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I agree, in light of the events we have seen in recent weeks, that we need to extend regulation to these private security firms. It is already the case that a doorman or somebody fitting an alarm needs to be registered and is regulated. I agree that we need to extend regulation to these private security firms to make sure they act in accordance with the law. There are options for people...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid we did not get to the health service plan today because there were a lot of items on the Cabinet agenda but Cabinet will resume this afternoon. I anticipate that we will get to it then and publish it this week.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The first answer to the Deputy's question is "Yes". The Tánaiste will be providing a briefing at the stakeholders' forum on Thursday. If he has not been invited to that, he certainly will be.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The answer to the Deputy's second question is that it is not 45 items of primary legislation. There are 45 items - some regulation, some statutory instrument and some primary legislation-----

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----but it does not require 45 items of primary legislation or anything remotely close to that.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It will be a comprehensive briefing because I imagine the Deputy will want to hear not just about the legislative aspects-----

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----of it but also the non-legislative aspects of it. The European Commission is not producing its legislative proposals until tomorrow so ours could only follow on from then because anything we do in domestic law has to fall under and be consistent with European law. We cannot do it before then.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The answer to the Deputy's question is "No". However, I understand that the Minister, Deputy Harris, wants to give the Cabinet a verbal update on the progress of that project at the afternoon Cabinet meeting.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I will respond, first, to the questions from Deputies Eugene Murphy and McGuinness. I agree with the sentiments expressed by Deputy Eugene Murphy. It is entirely appropriate that we now extend regulation to private security firms. We regulate doormen at night clubs and those who fit alarms in houses. It is entirely appropriate that we also regulate private security firms. The Minister...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: If other people do not pay back their debts and there is no mechanism in place to enforce it, we all face higher interest rates, including everyone who has a business or mortgage. We need to be realistic and honest. If people borrow money, they have to pay it back. If they do not, they are denying others access to credit and driving up interest rates for everyone, which is socially wrong.