Results 28,381-28,400 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committee Meetings (12 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Cabinet Committee D last met on 31 January 2019. The Committee works to ensure a coordinated approach to the delivery of work and the ongoing development of policy across the areas of infrastructure investment and delivery, housing, and climate action. It also provides political oversight in relation to Project Ireland 2040. Significant work is underway across each of these areas through...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (12 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: On 25th August 2018 I met with Pope Francis during his visit to Dublin Castle. The meeting provided an opportunity for us to discuss several issues, though regrettably not in any great depth because of the short duration of the meeting. On 22nd January 2018 I met with representatives of the Church of Ireland, Presbyterian and Methodist Churches in a formal meeting under the structured...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (12 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 110 together. On 6 February, I travelled to Brussels for a series of meetings with senior representatives of the EU institutions, including European Council President, Donald Tusk, and European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker. President Tusk and I discussed the latest political developments in London, and noted the approaching deadline for...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Ministerial Advisers Data (12 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Details of the Advisers and Special Advisers employed by my Department since I took up office on 14 June 2017 are as follows: Name Role Start Date End Date Salary Scale Brian Murphy Chief of Staff 14 June 2017 n/a Deputy Secretary John Carroll Head of Policy and Programme Implementation 05 July 2017 n/a Assistant Secretary Patrick Geoghegan Special Adviser to the Taoiseach 14 June...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Appointments to State Boards (12 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I appoint members to the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) under the National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) Act 2006 and the NESC (Alteration of Composition) Order 2010 - SI 603/ 2010. In accordance with the legislation, two officials from my Department at Secretary General and Assistant Secretary level currently have the position of Chairperson and Deputy...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: In the first instance, we should recall that cervical screening works. It saves lives. As a result of cervical screening, the incidence of cervical cancer in Ireland has fallen considerably in recent years. Fewer women die from cervical cancer and fewer women face life-changing operations or treatment. It is encouraging and welcome that the number of women attending for smear tests has...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy has mixed up the vaccine and the test.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I have reflected a lot on CervicalCheck, how it was handled, the extent to which it was handled well, and the extent to which we in government might have handled it better. I still reflect on it and on how we will handle these ongoing issues in the future. The truth, which I remember well, is that during the period in question, the Government was under a huge amount of pressure to act...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It is curious to hear Sinn Féin now quoting Mr. Tony O'Brien, the former director general of the HSE, as part of an attack on the current Minister for Health. Sinn Féin's last motion of no confidence, if I remember correctly, expressed no confidence in the former director general of the HSE, Mr. O'Brien-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----whom Sinn Féin thought a few months ago was unfit for office. Now it is using his words as an attempt to pursue the next head. It shows the entire approach of Sinn Féin to the health service. It really does not care about patients or the health service whatsoever; its approach is just a stick to beat the Government with. It is just a constant, ongoing political attack. ...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The other matter to which I turn Deputy Pearse Doherty's attention is the situation in Northern Ireland.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It is an area where his party was in government for over ten years. The last health Minister, until two years ago, was the Deputy's party leader in the North, Ms Michelle O'Neill. Many of the same problems are faced in Northern Ireland, including overcrowding in hospitals, unacceptable waiting times, overruns on budgets and a reform plan that is not being implemented, the Bengoa plan. A...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The health service in Northern Ireland has no minister because the Sinn Féin health minister resigned over a heating initiative.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Having denied Northern Ireland a health minister, Sinn Féin now wants to take away ours. We are not going to let that happen.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: That is the issue and I acknowledge the anxiety, concern and worry for tens of thousands of women who are waiting for results of their smear tests. When the programme was working efficiently, people would get a result in four to six weeks whereas it is now taking four to six months. I acknowledge that is a big problem and we are doing all that we can, working with the HSE and CervicalCheck,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It certainly will not mean that the backlog and the waiting times for women worrying about smear tests will get any shorter.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It would be the same as Northern Ireland and walking away from responsibilities.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It would mean not taking accountability and leaving the control of a health service in the hands of civil servants. Sinn Féin removed itself from responsibility in Northern Ireland and the department of health in Northern Ireland where it could have done things right and shown us how things should be done. Sinn Féin now wants to remove the health service in Ireland.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I do not accept that. The budget was agreed by this House and the Government in October. The Government did not know the full cost of the overrun, or how it would be profiled, until November and we did not decide what change we would make until the Cabinet meeting this week. The Revised Estimates were done in December. The budget was in October, the extent of the overrun was known in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It is of consequence.