Results 28,421-28,440 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid I am not and I cannot say, but I am sure that the Minister of State with special responsibility for disability issues will know.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. The Seanad Reform Implementation Group chaired by Senator McDowell submitted their report to me on 20 December 2018. The report was also published online and copies of the report and draft Bill issued to all members of the Oireachtas. I am very grateful to Senator McDowell and all the members of the group for their work in producing...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I again thank Senator McDowell and the Members of the Houses who participated in the group which produced a detailed report and which also provided us with draft legislation to move matters forward. The group recommended that the next Seanad should be elected in the same way as the current one. Another of its recommendations is that any changes should not apply to the next Seanad election...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Cabinet has not discussed it yet. It is on the agenda and we intend to discuss it. My view, which is not the view of Government because we have not discussed it at Cabinet yet, is that I have reservations about it on a number of levels. I referred to those reservations already in this Chamber. The first of them is that it would diminish the role of councillors and local authority...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: He certainly does but he is not elected by the nation. He is only elected by citizens resident in the State.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: He does.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Programme for Government Review (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take questions Nos. 3 to 5, inclusive, together. A Programme for a Partnership Government was agreed in May 2016 during the formation of Government. This is a five-year programme of work being undertaken for the duration of the current Dáil. The Government publishes an annual report each year, the second of which was approved by Cabinet in May 2018 and is published on...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Programme for Government Review (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: With regard to the introduction of the primary HPV test, we are very keen to get that done. We are committed to it. The original target date came from the Department of Health, which would have received it from the HSE or CervicalCheck. That was not met. The target time was not invented by a politician but was one that came from the same officials who are now saying they are unable to...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Programme for Government Review (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I do not believe dealing with the backlog is the reason for the delay in commissioning a new test. It is a different test.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Programme for Government Review (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Regarding the national broadband plan, the tender prices are in from the last remaining bidder. They have been evaluated by two external parties - an expert panel involving international expertise and an outside consulting firm - and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, which is the promoting Department. We are...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Programme for Government Review (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It is the same answer I gave on the last occasion Deputy Boyd Barrett raised that issue.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Programme for Government Review (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I do not have an exact date.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Programme for Government Review (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: There are many questions which I did not have time to answer.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Programme for Government Review (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: On a point of order, the Deputy is incorrect. I wrote down the questions in the order in which they were asked and I went through them one by one. I did not reach the questions on social housing and climate change. I will need more time if I am to reply to the outstanding questions.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Programme for Government Review (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Doherty's question on insurance was next on my list, followed by social housing and climate change. If I am given more time, I am happy to address those questions.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Programme for Government Review (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I will answer them as quickly as I can. On insurance, the Minister of State, Deputy D'Arcy, is heading up several actions to reduce the cost of insurance. Motor insurance costs have fallen from their peak in mid-2016 and health insurance costs have stabilised. Public liability insurance is now the major focus of the Minister of State. In particular, he is facilitating work on a more...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Brexit Preparations (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take questions Nos. 6 to 9, inclusive, together. My Department works closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which has overall responsibility for Brexit. Within my Department, staff across several divisions contribute to the work on Brexit, including the international, European Union and Northern Ireland division and the economic division. To augment this...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Brexit Preparations (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: With regard to helping businesses to prepare for Brexit, the Government has a public information campaign, Getting Ireland Brexit Ready, which is designed to warn businesses and stimulate them to take the actions they need to take to prepare for Brexit. In the past two weeks alone, for example, there have been outreach events in eight counties, and more are planned. The all-Ireland civic...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Brexit Preparations (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: There are no plans for that.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Brexit Preparations (13 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: There has not been with me.