Results 28,521-28,540 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is aware that VAT is quite a complicated tax. It derives not just from the EU VAT directive but also from national legislation. There are different VAT rates for different foods, for example, fresh foods which are, of course, the healthiest to eat. There is also a zero VAT rate for oral medicines, but VAT is applied to injectable medicines because there is value added. VAT is...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Given his experience in government, the Deputy will be well aware that very often there are arguments about which VAT rate should be applied to which product or service. The Deputy will recall the debate some years ago on whether a cake was a cake or a biscuit a biscuit, based on the different rates applied. There are often debates about these matters. There has not been a change in the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I believe our duty as a Government and as politicians is to make sure that we pass our planet on to our children and grandchildren in a better state than we found it and that means taking action on climate change and protecting the environment. We have taken a lot of action in recent years. For example, there is legislation working its way through the House at present...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Perhaps the Deputy would like that, but it is my view that it is wrong-headed. If we have our own natural gas we should use it and should not be dependant on Russia, countries in the Middle East and Venezuela for our energy needs. Third is the issue of imports and exports. Surely it makes more sense to use our taxpayers' money and our people's money on things like public services rather...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I note the Deputy did not actually address any of my substantive arguments around climate science, around-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I note the Deputy did not answer any of my substantive arguments around climate science, import substitution-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----and energy security.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Her question was entirely a procedural question. As the Deputy should be well aware, the procedures of a committee-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----are a matter for the committee. If the Deputy has a question for the Chairman of the committee-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----that question should surely be addressed to the Chairman.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy should try to be constructive around the issue of climate change and climate action. I understand that she offended the Senators at the committee, which is one of the reasons she found it difficult to get support for her Bill. She does not really want it passed.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: As is always the case, the far left does not actually want to solve any problems. They want to politicise problems so that they can get airtime, attention, likes, retweets and all of the rest of it.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I advise the Deputy to work harder, to be respectful and polite to colleagues, to try to build support for her Bill, to try to build a coalition for it-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----and to work much harder at the Joint Committee on Climate Action on the issue of carbon tax. The truth is that the far left has no interest in climate change. It just wants to do this stuff.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy does not care about the environment, she should stop pretending.

Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Táim buíoch as an deis seo chun ómós a thabhairt do cheann dár mBaill a thug seirbhís den chéad scoth sa Teach seo, le 24 bliana. Ba pholaiteoir iontach é an iar-Theachta Donal Creed a d’oibrigh go dian ar son mhuintir Chorcaigh agus na tíre, mar Theachta Dála, mar Aire Stáit, agus mar cheann de na chéad Feisirí de...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: That is a matter for the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne. There was an increase in funding for social inclusion and addiction services provided for in budget 2019. The increases are provided for in the budget and the Revised Estimates Volume. The Minister of State will examine the matter and make a determination on how best to spend the money.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I do not agree that it is a misuse of taxpayers' money. The amount spent last year by the public health service on agency staff was €300 million. It is a lot of money, but it represents 4% of payroll in the health service.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Agency staff are often used to cover for staff on sick leave and maternity leave and overtime. Often, it is our own staff who work in agencies who are working overtime. Notwithstanding the fact that there was an increase in staff numbers in the health service last year, with an extra 800 nurses and midwives being recruited, there was a 20% increase in the spend on agency staff. Therefore,...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I understand the Netherlands permits the export of cannabis dried herb, but it does not permit the commercial export of oil-based cannabis formulations, which is why we cannot import them. Dutch law does not allow us to do so. However, departmental officials are continuing to work intensively to find a supply of appropriate quality assured cannabis products for Irish patients. They have had...